Peer Support Specialist III

About the role

UBHC, established in 1971, offers a full continuum of evidence‑based behavioral health and addiction services for children, adolescents, adults, and seniors throughout New Jersey. With 1,060 professionals, a $260 million budget, and 15 sites, UBHC provides inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization, screening, crisis stabilization, family/caregiver support, community outreach, case management, supportive housing, supported employment, prevention and consultation, employee assistance programs, a licensed therapeutic school (preschool‑high school), and specialty services such as the New Jersey suicide prevention helpline and peer help lines for police, veterans, active military, teachers, mothers of special needs children, and child protective service workers. In FY2016 UBHC treated 16,199 consumers, had 24,502 admissions, and reached 19,441 individual callers through peer support, and serves as the primary mental‑health training resource for NJ Departments of Human Services, Children and Families, and Corrections.

The Peer Support Specialist III is a member of a team offering person‑centered, culturally competent instrumental, informational, and emotional support either in person or by phone, using lived experience and basic peer‑support skills to engage and empower persons served to support their wellness, and to provide insight into living with a mental and/or substance‑use disorder to help staff identify recovery‑conducive program environments and treatment approaches.

Responsibilities

• Use own lived experience with mental and/or substance‑use recovery to establish rapport and build relationships with individuals served and/or their family members.
• Engage consumers in the community to enhance commitment to recovery.
• Follow supervisory direction and be receptive to feedback from supervisor.
• Demonstrate initiative and flexibility with respect to job assignments.
• Complete Employee Health update as required.
• Understand and adhere to Rutgers’ compliance standards as they appear in RBHS’s Corporate Compliance Policy, Code of Conduct, and Conflict of Interest Policy.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• At least three (3) years of previous relevant experience, with at least two (2) of those years being lived experience with the target population.
• Must be certified or eligible for certification as a Peer Support Specialist or Family Advocate; if not certified, documented progress toward completion of Peer Support Certification within 12 months is required.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a collegial group environment.
• Ability to use a computer to record services and perform basic office functions.
• Possess a valid driver’s license or alternate means of transportation for outreach to individuals served.
• Equipment utilized: standing, sitting, walking, talking or hearing; no special vision requirements; office environment with moderate noise.
• Special conditions: pre‑employment drug screening and background check including fingerprinting required; immunization requirements per Policy 100.3.1 (seasonal influenza vaccination if employment commences during flu season, unless exempt).

Skills

• Experience working in a social or healthcare field and/or a mental health capacity (preferred).
• Bilingual skills (Spanish/English, Cantonese/English, or Mandarin/English) (preferred).

Benefits

Rutgers provides a comprehensive benefits package to