Peer Support Specialist

Securing Resources for Consumers Inc. has been serving individuals in the Durham area since 2006. Since our founding, we have consistently supported individuals with developmental disabilities and/or mental health diagnoses living in their homes with their families, or in other group homes and placements.

Our company is continually evolving to meet the demands and challenges faced by the individuals supported by our company.

We are currently seeking a dedicated and compassionate individual to join our team as an Peer Support Specialist.

Responsibilities

Peer Support services emphasize personal safety, self-worth, confidence, and growth, connection to the community, boundary setting, planning, self-advocacy, personal fulfillment, and development of social supports, the helper principle, and effective communication skills. Services emphasize the acquisition, development, and expansion of rehabilitative skills needed to move forward in recovery. Peer Support Specialists will identify themselves as a person that has been diagnosed with an SPMI or as a recovering addict based on the Federal definitions.

Examples of specific interventions include:

• Self Help: Cultivating the individual’s ability to make informed, independent choices. Helping the individual develop a network of contacts for information and support based on experience of the Peer Support Specialist.

• System Advocacy: Assisting the individual to talk about what it means to have a mental illness to an audience or group. Assisting the individual with writing a letter or making a telephone call about an issue related to mental illness or recovery.

• Individual Advocacy: Discussing concerns about medication or diagnosis with the physician or nurse at the individual’s request based on experience of the Peer Support Specialist. Helping the individual make appointments for psychiatric and general medical treatment when requested. Guiding the individual toward a proactive role in health care.

• Pre-Crisis and Post Crisis Support: Assisting the individual with the development of a personal crisis plan, and/or a Psychiatric Advance Directive (PAD). This includes help in developing the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP). Giving feedback to the individual on early signs of relapse and how to request help to prevent a crisis. Assisting the individual in learning how to use the crisis plan. Supporting the individual in seeking less restrictive alternatives to locked hospital facilities and Emergency Department evaluations.

• Housing: Assisting the individual with learning how to maintain stable housing through bill paying, cleaning, and organizing his or her belongings. Assisting the individual in locating improved housing situations. Teaching the individual to identify and prepare healthy foods according to cultural and personal preferences of the individual and his/her medical needs.

• Education/Employment: Assisting the individual in gaining information about going back to school or job training. Facilitating the process of asking an employer for reasonable accommodation for psychiatric disability (mental health day, flex time, etc.).

• Meals and Social Activities: To build peer relationships where eating is not the core activity offered. The focus of the meal in a social setting is skill maintenance and enhancement.

• Peer Support Whole Health Integration: Supporting the individual in setting personal expectations and health objectives to help accomplish overall life, health and wellness goals. Support the individual in learning and implementing incremental and measurable objectives to manage co-occurring MHSA and medical illnesses through best practice models of integrated health care.

• Wellness and Recovery Support: Implementation of community engagement and support activities to enhance wellness and social engagement, reduce isolation, promote social and other skill development in the setting of a community wellness center.

Peer support specialists may not provide paid supports or services to family members, and must receive the following competency based training within 90 days of initial employment:

• Principles of Recovery, Resiliency, and Empowerment
• Wellness (illness) Management and Recovery
• Self Advocacy
• Coping skills; organization tools; creating structure
• Listening and Responding Skills
• Ethics of Providing Services in Dual Relationships
• Knowing Your Limits
• Client Rights
• Confidentiality/HIPAA
• Crisis Planning
• Infections/Communicable Diseases
• CPR/First Aid/Seizure Management
• Person Centered Planning to include goals/strategies
• NCI A/B
• Protective Devices/Usage as Appropriate for the individual
• Cultural Diversity/Awareness
• Knowledge of the Service Delivery System
• Medication Regimens as appropriate for the individual

Qualifications

• Minimum of High School diploma or a GED
• North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialist credential
• Meet the provider qualification policies, procedures and standards established by DMA
• Meet the provider qualification policies, procedures and standards established by the Division of Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services (DMH/DD/SAS)
• Approved as a provider in the PIHP provider network
• Fulfill the requirements of 10A NCAC 27G
• Persons eligible to provide this service will achieve certification in the State of North Carolina as a Peer Support Specialist by satisfactorily completing the 40 hour state approved training
• Must receive supervision from a Qualified Professional if the person is not themselves a Qualified Professional (paraprofessionals)

Job Type: Contract

Pay: $18.00 per hour

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

Salary : $18