Peer Support Specialist

Peer Support Specialist

Department

Community Support Services (CSS)

Created

3/28/2016

Reports to

Peer Support Services Manager

Revised

8/28/2024

FLSA Status

Non-exempt

EEO - 1

Service Workers

Position Type

Full Time

Travel

Regular travel within service area

Work Hours

Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Positions Supervised

None

Summary

The Peer Support Specialist position provides quality peer support, consumer-centered services through a rehabilitation and recovery approach to clients, in support of the client managing psychiatric symptoms, adapting to life situations, learning independent living skills, and preventing or reducing hospitalizations.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• As a present or former consumer of mental health services, assists clients in achieving individualized treatment, recovery, and personal growth goals through delivery of quality peer support services.
• Provides direct peer support services to clients in an effort to promote skills that integrate individuals into the community, to include small group and individual sessions. Serves as a mentor and creates a positive model for peers to emulate.
• Assists clients to develop a network for information and support from others who have encountered similar experiences and allow for sharing of “lived experiences”.
• Assists clients to identify, secure, and maintain community resources, to include networking clients with one another and with consumer-run organizations.
• Provides leadership to clients in their attempt to practice new skills in the community.
• Guides clients in regaining the ability to make independent choices and to assume a proactive role in treatment including discussing questions or concerns about medications, diagnoses, or treatment approaches with their treating providers and to assist clients to articulate their goals in the development of an individualized treatment plan.
• Assists clients with identifying and effectively responding to or avoiding identified triggers that result in functional impairments by sharing and supporting client use of recovery tools.
• Completes the Wellness Action Recovery Plan (WRAP for Work) for personal development and to better assist clients in using the WRAP for their recovery.
• Provides and coordinates necessary referrals and delivery of services among community agencies, employment contacts, and within the organization to ensure that client is receiving necessary services.
• Maintains accurate and complete records of all client services, as defined by state licensing agencies, funding agencies, and CrossWinds standards and requirements. Submits daily appointment sheets, progress notes, treatment plans, client status reports, timesheets, and all work-related paperwork in a timely manner and in acceptable format as determined by agency requirements.
• Attends professional workshops and seminars in order to maintain and improve professional skills and meet licensure/certification requirements.

Work Environment

This job operates in a community setting, as well as in a professional office setting. This position primarily works with clients out in the community and within the agency’s residential facilities. This role occasionally uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. This list is not exhaustive and may be supplemented as necessary.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; handle objects; grasp and reach for items with hands and arms; manipulate hands and fingers; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, or crouch; and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift or move up to 25 pounds. The employee is required to become certified in Managing Aggressive Behaviors (MAB), which includes training in proper restraint/physical intervention techniques to be utilized as a last resort. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Language skills are required, including the ability to read, write, comprehend, and speak the English language. This position also requires the ability to interpret written materials, write reports and business correspondence, and effectively present and respond to questions.

Important Information

This job description has been examined for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The agency has reviewed this job description to ensure that essential functions and basic duties have been included. It is intended to provide guidelines for job expectations and the employee’s ability to perform the position described. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills, and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. This document does not represent a contract of employment, and the agency reserves the right to change this job description and/or assign tasks for the employee to perform, as the agency may deem appropriate.

Skills & Abilities

Education

High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Experience

Prior experience in the health and human services field is preferred.

Certifications & Licenses

Must complete Peer Support Specialist certification training.

Computer Skills

Computer experience in Microsoft Office programs and basic computer fluency.

Additional Qualifications

Must be a consumer of mental health services with a minimum of one year in the active stage of recovery (i.e. does not require services more intense than medication services, individual therapy or group therapy); ability to work with persons with severe and persistent mental illness; must be able to demonstrate knowledge of recovery practice and wellness philosophy; possess demonstrated interpersonal skills and ability to work independently and as a member of a therapeutic team; must have satisfactory results from KBI, DCF child abuse registry check, adult abuse registry check, and motor vehicle reports before hire.