Certified Peer Specialist (Client Support Worker 2)

Job Description:  

Certified Peer Specialists (CPS’s) work from the perspective of their lived experience to help build environments conducive to recovery. They promote hope, personal responsibility, empowerment, education, and self-determination in the communities where they serve.  CPS’s are trained to assist others in skill-building, problem-solving, setting up and maintaining self-help mutual support groups, and building self-directed recovery tools. A critical role of the CPS is supporting others in developing their recovery goals and specific steps to reach those goals. They discuss the importance of acknowledging the presence of a mental illness and the need to de-stigmatize misconceptions surrounding this illness. The Certified Peer Specialist provides a beneficial link between the Individual and their Treatment Team by encouraging compatible goals, objectives, and interventions.

 Peer Specialist Certification is required

Job Responsibilities and Performance Standards:  

Under general supervision the Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) provides peer support services; serves as a consumer advocate; provides consumer information and peer support for consumers in a variety of settings.

Certified Peer Specialists receive referrals from treatment teams identifying specific needs geared to the recovery of the Individual.  Requests made by an Individual to receive assistance from the Certified Peer Specialist must be approved by the Treatment Team.  All referrals will be reviewed by Rehabilitation Services Leadership and approved by the Program Director.

New Admissions/Treatment Team

• Meet with new admissions and outline the Certified Peer Specialist role, review the Team Process, and Patient Handbook. (May accompany Individuals to their first Treatment Team Meeting.)
• Conduct Functional Assessments for Team-Referred Individuals within the time frame set for completion which may include 1:1 Independent Living Skills education.
• Document and review all interactions with assigned individuals and any significant interactions with non-assigned individuals. Provide supervisor(s) and treatment team notification of any significant interactions.
• Attend Treatment Team on assigned Units as requested & provide Treatment Team with requests from Individuals to receive services from Certified Peer Specialist. 

Community Meetings/Peer Council

• Attend/observe Unit Community Meeting one time per month on assigned Units.  
• Assist the Team Identified Individual as they conduct Unit Awareness Meetings to prepare and participate in the monthly Peer Council Meetings and encourage new future participants.
• Accompany team referred individuals to Peer Council Meetings.
• Document participation in Peer Council

Preferred Qualifications:

Two years’ experience providing instruction, training, education, social skills, daily living skills, training in individual advocacy, or self-care instruction in an in-patient recovery-oriented setting. 

Benefits

In addition to a competitive salary & benefits, GA Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities is part of a statewide initiative called Total Rewards that seeks to attract and retain employees by supplementing their base pay and benefits with programs designed to improve the quality of their work environment and lead to greater job satisfaction and work/life balance. Eligible employees are offered generous benefits, including health and dental insurance; retirement and savings plan options; and paid holidays, vacation and sick leave. For more information, visit https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/benefits

Employment Requirements
To ensure the safety and wellbeing of our employees, individuals and communities we serve, certain positions within DBHDD may require evaluations, vaccinations, professional licensure and certifications. Licenses must be current and enable providers to practice within the State of Georgia.

The following are a listing of evaluations and vaccinations that may be required for employees, including those not involved with direct care:

• Drug Screening
• TB Evaluation
• Annual Influenza*

*Limited exemptions may be made for documented medical contraindications or religious beliefs that object to vaccinations.

DBHDD is an Equal Opportunity Employer
It is the policy of DBHDD to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information on application status by phone or e-mail. All qualified applicants will be considered but may not necessarily receive an interview. Selected applicants will be contacted by the hiring agency for next steps in the selection process.

This position is subject to close at any time once a satisfactory applicant pool has been identified.

FOR THIS TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT, STATE LAW REQUIRES A NATIONAL AND STATE BACKGROUND CHECK AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT.