Peer Support Specialist - Women's Residential Rehabilitation Program

Harbor is seeking a Peer Support Specialist to join the Port Sylvania team! This position delivers professional care in the appropriate setting to patients and potentially their families who are experiencing a severe and persistent mental illness.

Position is full-time, 40 hours per week. Position is split between 1st and 2nd shift, working 12:30PM - 9:00PM. 

Due to the sensitive nature of the position and the need to protect the privacy and safety of female residents, this position is open to female applicants only. This is a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) under Title VII.

Education/Experience/Other Requirements: 

• High School Diploma or GED required.


• Present and/or past experience with substance misuse or as client treated for substance use disorder; experience as both a substance use disorder and mental health client preferred. 


• Must obtain Ohio Peer Supporter Certification within 60 days of hire.


• Must possess the skills necessary to help clients achieve and maintain their highest level of functioning by striving for successful community living.


• Must have the ability to offer a unique perspective because of his/her own experience of the process of recovering from a substance use disorder or psychiatric disorder.


• Must be proficient and accurate in computer use, including Microsoft Word.


• Must be at least 23 years of age, must have a valid driver’s license, acceptable driving record, and show proof of personal auto insurance policy to be deemed insurable with Harbor’s vehicle insurance carrier. Must remain up-to-date on annual Defensive Driving for 15-Passenger Vans training requirement.


• Certified Peer Supporters must maintain current continuing education and requirements for renewal for their certificate. 


• CPR/First Aid and NCI/CPI Certifications required within 90 days of employment.

Essential Job Competencies/Primary Duties:

1. Uses experiences with personal recovery in assisting and supporting clients on an ongoing basis.


2. Assists treatment team in the assessment and therapeutic engagement of clients in the residential program including de-escalation and engaging clients in recovery efforts..


3. Assists clients in identifying, using, and accessing family, neighborhood, community support services, and achieving community integration.


4. Assists team, clients, and staff members in completing documentation necessary to determine eligibility for community resources.


5. Follows crisis prevention/intervention protocols.


6. Assists in the teaching of daily living skills. This includes teaching and assistance in medically necessary services such as finding and planning community activities, engaging in recovery supports, maintaining appointments, exploring education and employment opportunities, etc., when such are challenging due to the interference of the client’s symptoms.


7. Acts as an advocate for client to secure needed services.


8. Transports or accompanies clients to appointments, meetings, and entitlement programs (Medicaid, Housing, Disability, etc.) as medically necessary.


9. Assists other staff in identifying and planning community outings that support recovery and community integration during programming.

ONGOING INTERVENTIONS

1. Provides support, education and consultation to clients, families, and/or significant others.


2. Provides therapeutic interventions as noted in the ISP to maintain the client in the least-restrictive environment and to enhance client and family functioning.


3. Monitors clients to identify and minimize effects of behavioral health symptoms.


4. Provides education on self-management of symptoms to clients, families and/or significant others.


5. Assures appropriate communication with treatment team.


6. Assists in clients acquisition of social and recreational skills.

COLLABORATION

1. Assists the client and family in increasing social support skills and networks.


2. Coordinates indicated evaluations and assessments by internal and/or external providers as appropriate to the position.


3. Coordinates and monitors all services identified in the ISP as appropriate to the position.


4. Provides assistance in gaining access to essential community resources. Locates and/or establishes self-help and support groups for clients, families, and/or significant others.

SPECIAL WORK CONDITIONS

1. Maintains client confidentiality and adherence to HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 requirements.


2. Participates in required agency and departmental meetings and staff trainings.


3. Peer Support Specialist is required to work closely and cooperatively with a variety of service providers in the community as well as within Harbor.


4. Ability to provide culturally competent services. Capacity to seek consultation and supervision, when complexity of situation is greater than employee’s knowledge base.


5. Peer Support Specialist is a highly visible position within the community and in the agency. The person in this position must have solid knowledge of agency services and must know how to secure services if not available in the agency.  This person must subscribe to Harbor’s mission and values.  Competency regarding cultural/sociological/racial issues is essential.


6. Maintains clinical documentation in the format appropriate and acceptable to Harbor.


7. Provide peer support services at the frequency determined by supervisor to fulfill or exceed expectations established by Harbor.


8. Keeps current with trends and developments related to essential job competencies


9. and demonstrates continued growth.

About Harbor:

• A leading provider of mental health and substance use treatment for over 100 years


• 350+ clinical staff serve over 24,000 clients across multiple locations and in the community each year


• Services ranging from counseling, pharmacological management, primary care, psychological testing, case management, substance use treatment, residential services, vocational program, and more!

Why Work for Harbor? 

It is fast-paced and challenging, but you will have a lot of fun in the process. You will have the opportunity to meet other motivated individuals who are also making a positive impact at our company. Harbor is committed to investing our resources in you! Some benefits of working with Harbor include:  

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage


• Retirement plan with company match


• Generous paid time off, sick time, and paid holidays


• Tuition and professional license reimbursement programs


• Clinical supervision hours offered


• Ability to make a difference in your community!