Youth Peer Partner-Mental Health

General Purpose: Provides peer support to youth served by the program and assists them to successfully engage in the wraparound process and staff by using personal and professional life experiences. They will demonstrate unconditional acceptance and support families and family advice throughout the wraparound process.

Supervision Received: Supervised by Program Director and works closely with Wraparound Care Coordinator.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Utilizing personal or shared life experience provide peer support to youth and direct caregivers of a child, youth or young adult in transition served by the program.
  • Provide parents and direct caregivers with information about the agency and the wraparound process and procedures, including the Family Partner role to assist them to successfully engage.
  • Learn the family's story culture, strengths and concerns.
  • Participate in Child and Family Team (CFT) meetings to ensure access, voice ad choice within the wraparound process and to support the parent/caregiver's connection to the CFT members, as necessary.
  • Serve as a bridge to ensure that family and providers understand each other's perspective and information.
  • Provide a consistent source of encouragement and hope.
  • Provide non-judgmental, unconditional support to the parents and caregivers.
  • Serve as consultant to the youth and their parents and caregivers throughout the wraparound process, on an as needed basis.
  • Model effective coping techniques for parents and caregivers.
  • Participate in providing a variety of support services for parents/caregivers (e.g. support groups, family activities recognition events)

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: (continued)

• Providing a parent or family member's perspective in agency service support structures.
  • Provide consultation and training to staff regarding a parent's perspective and lessons learned from life experiences.
  • Participate in CFT's to observe and support team skill development and provide coaching ot staff.
• Participate in staffing's and trainings and other meetings as assigned.
• Fulfill all documentation requirements; incident reports and progress notes
• Other responsibilities as assigned to support specific department/ business needs.
• Respects and honors individuals' being served rights and responsibilities and demonstrates professional boundaries and ethics.
• Positive peer values that include non-hierarchy and mutuality when appropriate.
• Adheres to mandatory abuse reporting laws and HIPAA requirements.
• Acts as a positive role model for individuals being served, showing a recovery and healthful lifestyle orientation.

PERIPHERAL DUTIES

Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

DESIRED REQUIREMENTS

Must pass Oregon's criminal history check, must either have or be willing to attain Certification as Traditional Health Worker within 3 months of hire and have a valid Oregon driver's license.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily and must be over the age of 18. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.

Education and/ or Experience

• High School Graduate; come college preferred, and up to 3 months of experience.

Language Skills

• Ability to read and comprehend instructions, short correspondence and memos.
• Ability to write simple correspondence.
• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients and other employees of the organization.

Reasoning Ability

• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

Computer, telephone, copy/scan/fax machine, TV, DVD/VCR.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing this job, the employee is regularly required to reach with and fully utilize their hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit, climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to twenty (20) pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Appointments may be at the office, home or community setting. The noise level in the work environment is usual moderate.

This position requires the employee to dress in a professional manner at all times.

New Directions Northwest specializes in helping people with alcohol, drug and gambling addictions, mental health, developmental disabilities and prevention services to individuals from Baker County, and throughout the state of Oregon. Serving Baker County since 1967.