Peer Support Specialist

Job Title: Peer Support Specialist

Summary of Job Description:

Working as a fully integrated team member who provides highly individualized services and promotes self-determination and decision-making. As Peer Support you will build trust and relationships with our clients, resulting in encouraging continued growth and recovery as well as a valuable tool for the overall treatment of our clients.

 Responsibilities and duties:

• Assist in monitor activities and whereabouts of clients/residents to ensure their general health, safety, and well-being.
• Assist program staff by encouraging all clients to attend activities, groups, and scheduled appointments.
• Offer counseling and support.
• Provide transportation of clients in agency vehicles to clinical appointments and off-site outings.
• Assist with transportation in agency vehicle, including but not limited to the transportation of clients and/or program supplies, on agency business.
• Assist Residential Caregivers in supporting in performing daily living activities, including feeding themselves, bathing, dressing, grooming, and leisure activities.
• Assist in monitor behavioral changes, documenting and reporting observations.
• Assist groups or recreational activities, such as shopping.
• Assist and supports to clients in all areas of daily living, rehabilitation and treatment.
• Assist in monitoring residents’ behavioral changes, reinforces positive appropriate behavior, offers counseling and support to residents in need, monitors for signs and symptoms of mental illness.
• Assist in helping patient and family through individual or group conferences to understand, accept and follow medical recommendations.
• Assist in modeling Program Agreements with clients and other residential counselors and support training goals and needs of staff.
• Utilizes community resources to assist patient to resume life in the community or to learn to live within the limits of their disability.
• Attends and participates in staff, program, agency and community meetings and training as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications: 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Must have a valid driver’s license and current personal automobile insurance coverage. Must have a clean DMV pull report. Must be a minimum of 25 years of age. Must give a copy of proof of coverage with copy of the insurance card.

Education and Experience: 

High School diploma or GED required.

Peer Support Specialist Certification required.

Bachelor’s degree preferred.

Consumer of Mental Health Services; Persons with a history of being consumers of mental health service or individuals with lived experience (i.e., living with a relative, significant other, or other support person who is a consumer of mental health services).

Knowledge and Skills: 

Ability to engage and communicate effectively with others; Ability to follow directions and work within a program structure.

Language Ability: 

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of an organization.

Math Ability: 

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability: 

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized and emergency situations.

Computer Skills: 

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Microsoft Word; Microsoft Excel; inventory software; internet software; order processing systems; and database software.

Certificates and Licenses: 

Valid Driver’s License - Must meet insurance underwriting requirements.

Peer Support Specialist Certification required.

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. While performing PEER the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals and outdoor weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Special Requirements: 

Must be able to meet and receive a criminal records clearance as required by Title XXII, licensing regulations. This includes FBI and DOJ clearance. A health screening, by or under the direction of a physician must have been performed not more than one year prior to employment or within seven (7) days after employment. Health screening must include TB clearance not more than one year prior to employment or within seven (7) days after employment. Must have a “valid” standard first aid card from an accredited institution. Must be physically able to assist clients and/or staff in the evacuation of program facility in emergency situations. Must be able to administer first aid in an emergency.

Physical Requirements of Position: 

The following are required in day-to-day performance of the duties of this position: Walking, Sitting, Pinching and Finger Flexion, and Visual/Auditory Acuity are required constantly (over 2/3 of the workday); Lifting, Carrying, Pushing, Pulling, Bending, Stooping, Crouching, Kneeling and Twisting are required occasionally (under 1/3 of the workday). Balancing, Climbing and Crawling are generally not required.