Youth Peer Specialist (Part-Time)

About the Role

Children's Outpatient Services provides treatment for children and adolescents and their families, focusing on improving and maintaining stability in the community. Treatment aims at problem resolution, symptom reduction, stabilization, and/or prevention of movement to a higher level of care. Services include individual, family, and group therapy, medication evaluation and management, case management, in-home intervention, case consultation, and summer day treatment services. The type of treatment is highly variable and depends on the individual’s existing symptoms and developmental level.

Responsibilities

• Participates in one-on-one meetings or treatment team meetings to discuss ideas, difficulties, suggestions, and expectations.
• Provides social interaction, both individually and as a group, to develop social and recreational skills and to help participants develop insight into their mental illness.
• Promotes recovery-oriented skills to help achieve goals created in the treatment plan.
• Establishes linkages that result in the participant’s active use of resources in the community.
• Assists participants in developing empowerment skills through self-advocacy and advocates on behalf of participants when needed.
• Assists staff and participants in understanding recovery and shares unique experiences leading toward rehabilitation.
• Serves as a role model to help staff in understanding recovery and shares unique experiences leading toward rehabilitation.
• Plans and conducts peer support groups focusing on topics related to recovery.
• Other tasks as assigned by supervisor.

Clinical Record Keeping

• Documents in a timely fashion per AltaPointe policy.
• Documents legibly and in a clear and concise manner.
• Documents individualized participant responses to services provided.

Supervision and Consultation

• Seeks supervision and consultation as needed.
• Accepts and employs suggestions for improvement.
• Actively works to enhance skills.
• Attends and participates in staff meetings as required.

Professional Conduct

• Maintains courteous and respectful attitudes towards participants, visitors, and co-workers.
• Treats participants with care, dignity, and compassion.
• Respects participant’s privacy and confidentiality.
• Is pleasant and cooperative with others.
• Assists participants and visitors as needed.
• Personal values don’t inhibit ability to relate and care for others.
• Is sensitive to the participant’s needs, expectations, and individual differences.
• Is gentle and calm with participants and families.

Administrative Duties

• Actively participates in Performance Improvement activities.
• Actively participates in AltaPointe committees as required.
• Completes assigned tasks in a timely manner.
• Follows AltaPointe policies and procedures.
• Attends appropriate in-service training and other workshops.

Requirements

• High school diploma or its equivalent.
• Must be a current or former recipient of mental health services with a DSM-5 diagnosis, for no less than one year before the age of 21.
• Ability to identify as a participant of mental health services and speak openly regarding personal diagnosis and treatment.
• A valid driver’s license, a good driving record, reliable transportation, and verifiable vehicle liability insurance.
• Ability to attend DMH-approved Peer Specialist training for certification.
• Demonstrated experience with and knowledge of the Alabama public mental health system.

Qualifications

Knowledge of the following to be attained within six (6) months of employment:

• Psychiatric disorders in the youth/young adult population.
• Cultural diversity.
• Behavior management, crisis intervention, and interventions common to acute psychotic participants, as well as non-violent crisis intervention practices.
• A recovery-oriented treatment approach.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to connect to youth/young adults and share skills and knowledge with others.