PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST

Description

PURPOSE OF CLASSIFICATION

The purpose of this classification is to provide Peer Support to the Conasauga’s Drug Treatment Court program by assisting participants in following their own recovery path.

*OPEN UNTIL FILLED*

Examples of Duties

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned.

The Peer Support Specialist is a person in recovery from a behavioral health condition (substance use disorder, mental health, or co-occurring) with the proper training and experience to work in a peer support provider role who provides mentoring, access to recovery resources, and available support services to others who are experiencing behavioral health challenges serve as a positive role model of hope and recovery.

• Shares experiential knowledge and skills.
• Mentors and assist individuals with substance abuse recovery in problem-solving, goal setting, building recovery capital, and skill-building.
• Assists individuals with developing self-advocacy skills.
• Provides and support linkages to community recovery support services and reintegration into a prosocial life in the community.
• Maintains professional relations with and provides assistance to human services agencies, support groups, and accountability court team member agencies.
• Assists with locating providers in a participant’s community who provides additional services to meet client needs (such as housing, employment, etc.).
• Collects and provides requested data to the Drug Court Coordinator and/or the Treatment Court Administrator the quality and progress of the program.
• Follows guidelines on requests of grant sources.
• Gathers collateral information (GAL, DFCS, family contacts, prior treatment, court, probation/parole) if requested.
• Assists with home visits if needed.
• Enters data and maintains clear case notes in the database.
• Attends all required training.

• Meets weekly with the Drug Court Coordinator to discuss participants, problems, ideas, etc.
• Collects progress reports from sponsors and provides information to the Case Manager prior to staffing.
• Develops incentives for the phases of the program.
• Assists participants in understanding the process for recovery from addiction as well as motivating clients to seek recovery.
• Assists participants with locating sponsors, participating in twelve step programs, and with step work, assist clients in developing community support for recovery and in the development of life goals such as relationships, work, education and locating resources to meet their needs and locating sober activities.
• Assists with transportation for participants to attend appointments, meetings, and staffing.
• Supports participants through challenges that arise while in Drug Court by providing teaching and role model recovery skills, etc.
• Attends treatment team meetings as a team member.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS

Performs other related duties as required.

Typical Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or GED, or be actively working towards a GED.
• Have been in recovery successfully for at least two year.
• The individual must either have a Certification in Peer Support Recovery (CPS-AD) from the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) or be working on the certification (must obtain within 1 year).
• Must be eligible to obtain PSR or CARES certification and have training and / or education in addiction, mental health, domestic violence, and sexual abuse issues.
• Must have strong reading, understanding, and written communication skill.

Supplemental Information

PERFORMANCE APTITUDES

Data Utilization: Requires the ability to evaluate, audit, deduce, and/or assess data using established criteria. Includes exercising discretion in determining actual or probable consequences and in referencing such evaluation to identify and select alternatives.

Human Interaction: Requires the ability to apply principles of persuasion and/or influence over others in coordinating activities of a project, program, or designated area of responsibility.

Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize consulting and advisory data and information, as well as reference, descriptive and/or design data and information as applicable.

Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; may include ability to perform mathematical operations with fractions; may include ability to compute discount, interest, profit and loss, ratio and proportion; may include ability to calculate surface areas, volumes, weights, and measures.

Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or synthesis functions; to deal with several concrete and abstract variables; and to analyze major problems that require complex planning for interrelated activities that can span one or several work units.

Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory, judgmental, or subjective criteria, as opposed to that which is clearly measurable or verifiable.

ADA COMPLIANCE

Physical Ability: Tasks require the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10 pounds). Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or work station.

Sensory Requirements: Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.

Environmental Factors: Essential functions are regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions.