Peer Specialist

Description

Job Description:
A Peer Support Specialist is a person who has walked the path of recovery from mental illness and/or substance misuse and is employed to assist others in their journeys of recovery. Peers promote hope through positive self-disclosure, demonstrating that recovery is possible. They are responsible for assisting clients with developing a network of resources and providing support to people with or in recovery from a mental health or substance misuse condition. 

Job Description:

Duties and Responsibilities 

1.    Facilitates recovery using established standardized mental health processes.
2.    Assists with identifying person-centered strengths, needs, abilities and recovery goals
3.    Assists clients with achieving goals identified on clients Individual Treatment Plan (ITP)
4.    Supports the clients’ ability to engage in treatment by providing them with skills and knowledge necessary to support treatment goals. 
5.    Establish  rapport with clients by sharing personal experiences of recovery, sharing and supporting the use of recovery tools, and demonstrating successful recovery behaviors. 
6.    
7.    Performs peer mentoring and case management 
8.    Accompanies clients to needed linkages/ resources in the community 
9.    Providing crisis services and support
10.    Easing the transition from emergency departments, detox, or residential settings to a safe community setting through peer bridge services
11.    Providing care coordination
12.    Promotes community socialization, recovery, self-advocacy and development of informal supports 
13.    Participates in the clients interdisciplinary treatment teams.
14.    Organizes and conducts peer groups.
15.    Attends ongoing trainings 
16.    Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned 
 

Qualifications

 Position Qualifications/Requirements: 
1.    High School Diploma or equivalent 
2.    Have lived mental health and/or substance misuse experience.
3.    A minimum 1 year of active recovery
4.    Possess knowledge of the recovery process 
4.    Ability to teach and engage basic problem-solving strategies to support individual clients in self-directed recovery.
5.    Ability to recognize signs and symptoms of mental illness and substance misuse. 
6.    Ability to assist clients to address symptoms using coping strategies 
7.    Knowledge of community resources necessary for independent living 
8.    Possess a valid California Driver's License