Peer Support Specialist - Child and Family Division

Under routine supervision, assists in implementing assigned client’s treatment/recovery plan through provision of adjunctive case management services, education, and peer support service.

Family Accountability, Intervention, and Response Teams work in conjunction with court designated workers to keep juveniles out of the formal court system by providing greater access to treatment services and diversion programs. Members of the multidisciplinary FAIR Teams represent the legal system, schools, treatment providers and juvenile justice agencies. Their purpose is to promote better outcomes for youth by providing an alternative to formal court through enhanced case management plans.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Serves as an active member of the client’s treatment team, including participation in team meetings and treatment planning meetings. Assists clients in development of recovery plan, including psychiatric advance directives and crisis plan. Provides psycho-education with focus on illness management and peer support. Implements and coordinates recovery plans for individual clients in assigned population group, including evaluation, consultation, and education, and follow-up services. Serves as role model for clients by sharing own recovery process and teaching effective coping techniques and self-help strategies. Provides case management, resourcing, service collaboration for individual clients as extension of case management services. Maintains accurate, thorough records on all assigned cases and uses documentation to assist clients in evaluating progress. Provides advocacy services on behalf of clients. Informs supervisor, and other members of treatment team as indicated, of issues/concerns related to individual clients. Participates in required trainings to maintain certification.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job.  Incumbents may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

EDUCATION

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Completion of state-certified peer support specialist training.
  • Peer Support Specialist Certification

EXPERIENCE               

• Over six and up to twelve months of experience.
• Good interpersonal skills and written and oral communication skills.
• Knowledge of SCS programs and services, policy, and procedure.
• Knowledge of applicable population group and principles/philosophy of recovery.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/REQUIREMENTS

• Position requires lifting of 20 pounds maximum, with frequent lifting and/or carrying of items weighing up to ten pounds.
• Normal work tasks may involve exposure to blood, bodily fluids, or tissue.
• May involve 24-hour on-call responsibilities.
• Eighteen years of age or older.

Within the bounds of their respective job descriptions, all staff are expected to exercise principle-centered leadership, focused on customer service responsiveness, with a continuous quality improvement orientation.  Additionally, all staff are expected to develop a working knowledge of and follow all policies and procedures related to safety management and other Joint Commission standards.

REQUIRED SKILLS/COMPETENCIES

• Communicates effective “elevator speech” regarding role and benefits of a Peer Support Specialist to use with providers and clients
• Shares their lived experience and recovery story skillfully and appropriately
• Provides structured and scheduled, non-clinical but therapeutic activities that promote socialization, recovery, self-advocacy, preservation, and enhancement of community living skills
• Documents the service to align with clients’ individualized, comprehensive Treatment Plan, with intervention specifically addressing client’s progress towards a chosen and relevant Treatment Plan objective
• Uses evidence-based protocols such as WRAP and WHAM to assist clients in developing and progressing towards holistic health objectives
• Demonstrates effective application of ethics and boundaries rules specific to the complexity of the Peer Support’s role
• Understanding of normal growth and development, culture/ethnicity considerations, and mental health, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and/or substance use disorder diagnoses relevant to age groups/populations served
• Manages client caseload, client services, and activities to maximize direct care client time and reach expected productivity targets
• Must have reliable transportation.