What are the responsibilities and job description for the Peer Specialist - Early Diversion position at Mental Health Resource Center?
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
Benefits/Perks
- Dental and Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- 403b
- Paid Holidays
- Flexible Spending Account
- Employee Assistance Program
Company Overview
Mental Health Resource Center is a not-for-profit Florida corporation that provides a wide range of mental health and behavioral health care services to the community such as 24-hour emergency services, inpatient psychiatric services for children, adolescents, and adults as well as outpatient services such as medication management, case management, and counseling.
Job Summary
The Multidisciplinary Forensic Team (MFT) is a comprehensive approach to divert individuals with severe and persistent mental illness from involvement in the criminal justice system, as well as commitment to Forensic State Hospital Facilities and other residential forensic programs by providing community-based services and supports.
The Peer Specialist – Early Diversion provides personal, practical knowledge and experiences as a recipient of mental health services and willingly shares these experiences for the benefit of participants being diverted from jail and forensic State Mental Health Treatment Facilities (SMHTF). Provides hope, support, and education to assist individuals with their individualized recovery path.
Responsibilities
- Provides services in both the jail and community-based settings.
- Performs a variety of therapeutic and supportive tasks that include assisting individuals in articulating their goals for recovery, learning and practicing new skills, helping them monitor their case and court progress, and assisting them in their treatment.
- Provides practical, real-world support in coping with life's day-to-day demands through teaching, modeling, and coaching approaches to rehabilitation.
- Learns as much as possible about an individual’s culture and recognizes the influence their own background has on their understanding and response to cultural differences.
- Learns as much as possible about any trauma the individual may have experienced and how this impacts interactions.
- Works closely with individuals, courts, probation, family members, jail personnel, legal parties, and past treatment facilities.
- Advocates for individuals to ensure acquisition of necessary social services to include medical, dental, legal, housing, and entitlements and monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of the service and the person’s satisfaction.
- Monitors and documents an individual’s progress or lack of progress upon each visit to assist the individual to accomplish their recovery goals.
- Develops professional working relationships with all professionals in the legal system.
- Works closely with the Forensic Diversion Specialist, Forensic, and MFT staff to assess individuals in jail. Offers recommendations to referral sources for appropriate treatment and placement alternatives.
- Incorporates motivational interviewing and recovery- oriented engagement strategies.
- Assists individuals by inspiring hope that recovery and resiliency are achievable goals.
- Serves as a point of contact for family members, court staff, forensic staff, MFT staff, and community agencies
- Educates family members and individuals regarding diagnosis and provides appropriate information and referrals to community resources
Qualifications
- In order to be considered, a candidate must have a High school diploma. Bachelor’s degree is preferred. Previous personal experiences as a recipient of mental health services required. Experience working with persons with severe and persistent mental illness preferred.
- Candidates must obtain, or work towards obtaining, certification as a peer specialist within one year of employment.
- Proficiency in the RBHS/MHRC Electronic Health Records (EHR) and Patient Information System demonstrated within three months of employment.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Outlook and use of the Internet required.
- Must have a valid Florida driver’s license and maintain a satisfactory motor vehicle record as outlined in the Frequent Driver Policy.
- Strong communication skills are essential and this individual must be able to interact appropriately with internal and external customers, including patients, families, caregivers, community service providers, supervisory staff and other department professionals.
Position Details
Part Time: 20 hours per week
Renaissance Behavioral Health Systems and Mental Health Resource Center are Equal Opportunity Employers.
Part Time: 20 hours per week
Renaissance Behavioral Health Systems and Mental Health Resource Center are Equal Opportunity Employers.
