Family Peer Specialist

Community Youth Services is recruiting for Family Peer Specialist.  Are you a caregiver with lived experience supporting a youth through behavioral health challenges or navigating complex systems like child welfare or juvenile justice? Do you believe in the power of peer support and want to help families build resilience and thrive? If so, we invite you to join our team as a Family Peer Specialist—a vital role in empowering caregivers and youth aged 15–24 through community-based mental health services.

Starting pay is $30.36 to $38.93  per hour.  (Non-exempt) (Full-time).  This position will be split between the Mason and Thurston offices, and provide both in-person and telehealth services.

CYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, creed, religion, age, marital or nursing mother status, pregnancy, national origin, citizenship, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable local, state, or federal law.

As a Family Peer Specialist, you’ll serve as a key member of a youth-centered treatment team, using your personal experience to provide hope, guidance, and advocacy to caregivers. You’ll meet families where they are—literally and emotionally—offering support in homes, schools, hospitals, and community settings. Your goal: help families strengthen their ability to support youth in building life skills, navigating systems, and transitioning to adulthood.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide one-on-one peer support to caregivers based on the youth’s Cross System Care Plan or Individual Service Plan


• Use lived experience to foster trust, normalize challenges, and inspire hope


• Help families engage meaningfully in treatment planning and team meetings


• Share resources and connect caregivers to community supports and services


• Coach caregivers in supporting youth development, independence, and stability


• Collaborate with therapists, care coordinators, and youth peer specialists in Wraparound with Intensive Services (WISe)


• Document services using Electronic Health Records (EHR) and contribute to data-driven care


• Offer flexible scheduling to meet families’ needs, including telehealth and in-person sessions


• Promote cultural humility, emotional safety, and non-judgmental support across all interactions

Qualifications
Required:

• Lived experience as a caregiver (biological, adoptive, step, kin, or “forever” person) of a youth with emotional or behavioral health challenges


• Ability to qualify for and maintain Certified Peer Specialist credential and Agency Affiliated Counselor license


• Understanding of HIPAA and confidentiality standards


• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team

Preferred:

• Associate degree and 2+ years of experience working with at-risk youth or families


• Experience supporting youth in community or home-based settings

How to Apply: Ready to bring your lived experience to a role that truly matters? Submit your resume and a brief lived experience letter outlining your background as a caregiver and your journey navigating youth behavioral health services. We look forward to hearing from you!

Agency Qualifications & Benefits are detailed on the Career Page on the agency website.

Community Youth Services is an equal-opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment.