Peer Support Specialist (Criminal Justice)

Summary

The Peer Support Specialist promotes a recovery-based approach to member care that emphasizes hope, respect, self-direction and empowerment by providing peer support, education on community resources and other services, to aid in members’ recovery from mental illness and/or substance use disorders. Guidance and direction is provided by the Sr. Clinical Director and Program Manager.

Essential Duties

• Relates own recovery process in a positive and supportive manner through coaching, role modeling and mentoring in order to establish or strengthen member’s recovery.

• Assist members in articulating personal goals for recovery and works with the member and their treatment team to determine the steps needed to achieve these goals.

• Provide support, rehabilitative and counseling services to achieve members’ goals through the use of one-to-one and group sessions on site and in the members’ residences.

• Works with member to navigate and use community resources in an effective manner.

• Transports members to and from appointments using an agency vehicle, as appropriate.

• Ensures safety of member’s living environment (personal safety, food supply, utilities and appliances working, adequacy of furnishings, and lack of fire hazards).

• Provides instruction in activities of daily living (nutrition, meal planning, shopping, and meal preparation; budgeting; home cleaning and organization; personal grooming and laundry).

• Provides information on service options at contracted agencies and fulfills referral requirements when indicated.

• Communicates with clinical team regarding members’ level of independent functioning and current levels of support provided.

• Coordinates with other behavioral health providers and crisis system as needed to ensure effective service delivery.

• Advocates for members, as needed, to ensure delivery of necessary services.

• Completes documentation for behavioral health record in accordance with agency and funding source requirements.

• Ensure compliance with and support of Executive directives, Agency contracts and established policies and procedures.

• Promotes HOPE, Inc. as the premier peer support organization to the behavioral health community and prospective funding sources.

• Performs other related duties in accordance with agency growth, departments, and changes.

Qualifications of Peer Support Specialist:

This position will be working with criminal justice involved members and as such, a personal background with the system is strongly preferred in order to relate to members and provide peer support.

• At least 21 years of age

• High School/GED + 2 years’ behavioral health experience or

• AA or Bachelor’s degree in a behavioral health field

• Graduation from Peer Support training, required within one year of employment

• Must have first-hand knowledge of a behavioral health condition or substance abuse issue, having received treatment or medication personally.

• Demonstrate strong leadership and organizational skills

• Ability to implement organization-wide activities (setting objectives, developing strategies, developing policies and procedures for programming, and organizing the functions necessary to accomplish the activities)

• Valid Arizona Driver’s license, Driver’s license is an essential requirement for performing duties for this position with a Clean Motor Vehicle Record - no more than 2 moving violations or a license suspension in past 3 years

• Current 1st Aid and CPR certification

• Proof of TB testing within the last year

• Fingerprint Clearance, if required by program