CERTIFIED PEER SPECIALIST

Responsible for supporting adults in the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Program by demonstrating recovery practices and behaviors, providing peer counseling, serving as a mentor to provide hope and empowerment, promoting personal growth and development, providing side by side coaching and encouragement, supporting positive changes, giving direction from personal experience, and advocating for consumers as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team. Responsible for completing crisis and WRAP plans with the consumer.

Essential Job Functions

• Models a healthy recovering lifestyle to clients by their actions and personal experience. Demonstrates honest and open
• Demonstrates appropriate boundary setting and conflict resolution. Understands the importance of and demonstrates a
  willingness to ask for help and support and to learn from others.
• Participates as an integral member of the treatment team and assist individuals through mentoring and support at all stages of the
  recovery process. Completes all required documentation in a timely manner, including crisis and WRAP plans.
• Demonstrates an openness and acceptance of the client’s fears and uncertainty about recovery. Presents as a supportive and
  committed part of the client’s recovering support network. Advocates for clients’ rights and preferences with treatment team,
  family, community, etc.
• Asserts adherence of rules in a non-threatening and positive manner.
• Other duties as assigned.

Competency and Experience (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

Required Qualifications/Experience

• High School Diploma, GED or higher level of education.
• Must have certification as a Certified Peer Specialist
• Personal knowledge of the Mental Health system

Preferred Qualifications/Experience

• Experience in Mental Health/Human Service field

License, Certification & Clearances

• Certification as a Peer Specialist
• Act 34-PA Criminal Record Check from the PA State Police system
• Act 33/73 clearances
• Family & Friends CPR
• Valid driver’s license and ability to be insured under the Health Systems motor vehicle liability insurance.
  
  Other Requirements:
  Comprehensive Crisis Management per policy.
  • Responsible to safely access, transport, and handle single dose medications
    to include prescription and non-prescription medications.
  • Ability to safely transport clients in hospital vehicles.
  
  

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities, but does serve as a coach and mentor for other positions in the department.

Work Environment

• The work environment; temperature, noise level, inside or outside, or other factors that will affect the person's working conditions while performing the job

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

• Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.).
• Travel may be expected locally between System locations.

Physical Demands/Requirements

• [The following frequency definitions apply to all Physical Requirements unless otherwise noted:
  Occasional: (0-1/3 of day , 0 - 2.5 hrs/day, 1 - 4 reps/hr)
  Frequent: (1/3 -2/3 of day , 2.5 - 5.5 hrs/day, 5 -24 reps/hr)
  Constant: (> 2/3rd of day , > 5.5 hrs/day, > 24 reps/hr)
  NOTE: An asterisk (*) indicates that the item is an essential function.
  
  Non-Material Handling
  Standing* - Remaining on one's feet in an upright position remaining stationary - FREQUENT
  
  • Walking* - Remaining upright on one's feet, and moving about - FREQUENT
  • Sitting* - Body remains in a seated position - FREQUENT
  • Stooping* - To bend the body downward and forward by bending the spine at the waist - FREQUENT
  • Bending* - To flex the upper body forward - FREQUENT
  • Twisting* - To rotate the upper body forward - FREQUENT
  • Climbing - To move the body in any direction on equipment or structures that do not include stairs or ladders - N/A
  • Ladders - To ascend and descend ladders - N/A
  • Stairs - To ascend and descend stairs - FREQUENT
  • Kneeling - To move the body downwards and come to rest on both hands and both knees - OCCASIONAL
  • Squatting - To move the body downwards by bending both knees - OCCASIONAL
  • Crouching - To bend the body forward and downward by bending the spine and the legs - OCCASIONAL
  • Crawling - To move the body forward or backwards on hands and knees - OCCASIONAL
  • Reaching Horizontal - To extend the arms and hands outward, remaining under shoulder height - OCCASIONAL
  • Reaching Overhead - To extend the arms and hands up and out over shoulder height - OCCASIONAL
  • Grasping* - Using functional gripping of the hand to handle an object - CONSTANT
  • Finger Manipulation* - To manipulate objects with the use of fingers - CONSTANT
  • Seeing* - Using visual feedback to accomplish a task or activity - CONSTANT
  • Hearing* - Using sound feedback to accomplish a task or activity - CONSTANT
  • Repetitive Upper Extremity Use - Using the arms and/or hands continuously or more than 2/3 of the total time -CONSTANT
  • Repetitive Lower Extremity Use - Using the legs and/or feet continuously or more than 2/3 of the total time - CONSTANT
  
  Material Handling
  
  Pushing* - To exert a force upon an object in order to move it in a certain direction Pushing refers to moving an object away
  from the person
  
  • FREQUENT
  • Up to 20#
  
  Pulling* - To exert a force upon an object in order to move it in a certain direction Pulling refers to moving an object towards
  the person
  
  • FREQUENT
  • Up to 20#
  • Lift* - Floor to Waist
  • FREQUENT
  • Up to 20#
  • Lift* - Waist to shoulder
  • FREQUENT
  • Up to 20#
  • Lift* - Shoulder to overhead
  • FREQUENT
  • Up to 20#
  • Carrying* - To transport an object or article using the arms or hands (> 10 feet)
  • OCCASIONAL
  • 20# - 50#
  Environmental Factors
  
  • Working alone* - FREQUENT
  • Working in cramped quarters - FREQUENT
  • Constant interruptions* - CONSTANT
  • Working with hands in water - OCCASIONAL
  • Use of power tools - N/A
  • Working on ladders/scaffolding - N/A
  • Exposure to vibration - N/A
  • Exposure to dust - N/A
  • Exposure to noise (constant) - FREQUENT
  • Exposure to electrical energy (outlets, etc) - N/A
  • Exposure to temperature changes (heat, cold, humidity), that require special clothing - FREQUENT
  • Exposure to slippery walking surfaces - FREQUENT
  • Exposure to solvents, grease, oils - N/A
  • Exposure to radiant energy, ie computer terminal (more than 4 hours per shift)* - CONSTANT
  • Working with bloodborne pathogens - N/A
  
  Cardiovascular Energy Requirements - Physical Demand
  
  Physical Demand Met Level Examples of similar activity intensity
  
  Sedentary
  to Light 0 - 3.5 Light house cleaning, washing dishes, serving food, food shopping, sitting, standing, computer work.
  
  Medium 3.6 -6.3 House work (mopping, scrubbing), health club exercising, treadmill work, stretching, yoga, walk/run-play
  with children, aerobic class, dancing, carrying bucket/wood, auto body repair, shoveling snow, golf (carrying clubs).
  Heavy to
  Very
  Heavy > 6.4 Calisthenics (push up, pull up, sit up, vigorous effort), carrying groceries upstairs, shoveling coal, bailing hay, fire fighting, sawing by hand, splitting wood.
  
  As relates to this position:
  
  • Sedentary to Light* - CONSTANT
  • Medium - OCCASIONAL
  • Heavy to Very Heavy - N/A

Equal Employment Opportunity

Independence Health and its affiliated companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. It is their policy to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other classification protected by law. Independence Health and its affiliated companies will comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Disclaimer

This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Moreover, duties, responsibilities and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Work Environment

Effective March 2020 or during pandemic: goggles, face shield and mask are required according to CDC guidelines

Physical Demands

When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.