Peer Support Specialist

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD (“The HARRIS CENTER”) is looking for an Peer Support Specialist to join our team. Responsible for supporting consumers. Support includes listening, encouraging, coaching, empowering, and educating peers with autism and intellectual disabilities. This critical role assists in the success of Coffeehouse participants.

Your role in action:

• Co-facilitates select groups with the support of the Coffeehouse group facilitators.
• Respects the rights and dignity of everyone at all times.
• Develops empowerment skills through self-advocacy.
• Takes responsibility for social skills challenges and models self-responsibility for peers.
• Encourages consumers to attend Coffeehouse groups, to branch out to try new skill areas, and supports their effort.
• Leads specialized classes in confirmed specialized content for their peers and to encourage utilization of these classes/skills on a regular basis.
• Be conscious of the language used to describe life and how to recreate troubling events using language that offers more options.
• Creates content for groups.
• Identifies local resources.
• Coach when necessary.
• Facilitates groups when possible.
• Shares experiences with peers.
• Effectively communicates needs to supervisor.
• Effectively utilizes active listening skills when interacting with others.
• Advocates for the needs of people with autism and IDD.
• Attends Peer group sessions as determined necessary
• Participates with the Team and attend attends meetings as required.
• Complies with agency policies and procedures and demonstrates professional, ethical, and confidential conduct in all work behavior

What qualifications you will need:

Education:

• High School Diploma or General Education diploma

Experience:

• Must self-identify as a person with autism/intellectual disability with no crisis services utilized within a year, and no hospitalization within a year. Have a treatment history for autism or intellectual disability.
• Background check required.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Basic understanding of mental illness, autism, and IDD common signs and symptoms and the ability to identify difficulties with coping in community settings.
• Familiar with The Harris Center system.
• Bilingual is a strong plus.
• Computer literacy is helpful

What we have to offer:

The Harris Center not only offers a competitive salary but also a suite of excellent benefits designed to enrich your life both professionally and personally. Imagine a future with a robust retirement plan complemented by our generous company matching – a testament to our investment in your long-term financial well-being. Experience the unique advantage of our prior service credit, accelerating your journey towards a more substantial Paid Time Off accrual, empowering you to enjoy well-deserved breaks.

Enjoy Cell Phone Discounts, exclusive entertainment deals through Tickets at Work, and a free Headspace subscription for mental wellness. Additionally, our Employee Assistance Program supports your overall well-being.

Take advantage of significant financial relief through student loan forgiveness as a valued member of The Harris Center team. As a qualifying entity, our employees are eligible for various student loan forgiveness programs, designed to alleviate the financial burdens associated with higher education.

What else you should know:

• This posting is associated with position #70184.

About us:

The Harris Center is the state-designated Local Mental Health Authority and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Authority serving Harris County, Texas. As the largest behavioral and developmental disability care center in Texas, The Harris Center provides care to over 90,000 people and has an annual budget of over $300 million.

As part of its mission to transform the lives of people with behavioral health and IDD needs in the third largest county in the United States, The Harris Center provides a full continuum of services at 80 different sites across Harris County. In addition, services are provided in more than 40 different languages as well as sign language in order to better serve what is one of the largest communities in the nation.

By utilizing the unique expertise of its more than 2,500 employees, The Harris Center is committed to meeting the behavioral health and IDD needs of Harris County residents and giving them hope to live to their fullest potential.