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Salary Range $28.84 - $28.84 Hourly

Position Type Full Time

Education Level High School

Description

Position Summary:

The Peer Specialist is an individual with lived experience, who mentors others with substance use and/or mental illness. The Peer Specialist provides health promotion services including health education, psycho-education, prevention and outreach.

Essential Job Functions:

+ Oversees the Psychosocial Rehab and Clubhouse Program including the work of additional peer specialists in this program

+ Serve as a member of the Comprehensive Care Team (CCT)

+ Participate in the development of person-centered Wellness and Recovery plans that integrate all clinical and non-clinical health-care related needs and services with the individual and the CCT

+ Encourages and supports his/her peers in achieving the goals described in the individual’s Wellness and Recovery plan

+ Support and encourage their peers to be effective self-advocates

+ Promotes and encourages recovery based on SAMHSA’s Guiding Principles of Recovery

+ Apply Motivational Interviewing strategies to effectively engage service recipients

+ Provide health promotion activities to other individuals with behavioral health issues and participates in outreach acti

+ Assists and support clients with referrals and linkages to community and social support services

+ Facilitate Psycho-educational activities for groups and individuals in accordance with Recovery Oriented System of Care and other clubhouse facilities

+ Documents services provided t o the cli e nt in the medical record

+ Participate in case conference

+ Participate in training, as required, including e-learning

+ Participate in Performance Improvement activities

+ Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Essential Qualifications:

Certifications/Licensures:

+ Must hold a current Peer Certification as CPPS and/or CPRS from Florida Certification Board.

Education:

+ High School Diploma or Equivalent

Experience and Competencies:

+ Minimum of 1 year recovery from a serious mental illness / debilitating psychiatric episode. With a secondary Substance Abuse Diagnosis, must be in recovery for a minimum of one year and actively involved in a recovery program.

+ Ability to read, analyze, and interpret agency and grant required documents

+ Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints

+ Ability to collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

+ Understands, communicates (both verbally and in writing), and collaborates effectively and with precision, given the time constraints of each task.

+ Ability to converse with consumers/families about substance and mental health issues

+ Ability to communicate appropriately and effectively with members of a multidisciplinary team.

+ Ability to organize, interpret and communicate data in a comprehensive and effective manner.

+ Knowledge in the inter-relationship between trauma, exposure to violence, substance abuse and mental health disorders.

+ Maintains confidential files and records

+ Working knowledge of behavioral health terminology

+ Knowledge of WestCare Mission, goals and values

+ Knowledge of Incident Reporting

+ Knowledge of HIPAA, Professional Ethics, Consumer Rights and Confidentiality

+ Familiarity with WestCare services and programs

+ Understanding of issues in prevention, intervention and treatment.

+ Demonstrates ability to work effectively with culturally diverse staff and consumers

+ Demonstrates respect for an individual’s cultural and ethnic values when interacting with them

+ Articulates a working definition of trauma

+ Understands the impact of trauma

+ Understands re-traumatization

+ Demonstrates a high degree of dependability.

+ Maintains a good attendance record.

+ Observes working hours

+ Shows flexibility and is responsive to requests from supervisor

+ Works independently with minimal supervision

+ Exhibits characteristics of good workmanship, and integrity on the job

+ Work time is always productive

+ Demonstrates ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with consumers, co-workers, external partners, and regulatory agencies

+ Is courteous to consumers, staff, and all others.

+ Demonstrates tact at the appropriate time.

+ Cooperates with others both within and outside WestCare.

+ Works well with supervisor; accepts direction and supervision

+ Maintains a positive attitude toward work

+ Ensures and maintains a safe working environment.

+ Work area is clean and orderly.

+ Verbalizes, understands and adheres to agency safety procedures.

+ Demonstrates appropriate use of Unusual Incident Reports, in accordance with the Center’s reporting procedures

+ Presents a positive personal image

+ Dresses and maintains a professional demeanor

Working Conditions:

+ Work is primarily performed in an outpatient treatment setting

Essential Physical and Mental Demands of the Job

The employee must be able to perform the following essential duties and activities with or

without accommodation:

Physical Demands:

+ Occasional lift and/or carry over 20 lb.

+ Occasional twist and/or turn.

+ Use of computer and telephone systems is required which includes coordination of eye and hand, and fine manipulation by the hands (typing, writing, and working with files).

+ Requires talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Talking is required to impart oral information to employees, clients, and the public, and in those activities in which the employee is required to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to others accurately, loudly, or quickly.

+ Requires hearing: Hearing is required to receive and communicate detailed information through oral communication.

+ Requires seeing: Clarity of vision at 20 inches or less and at distance. This factor is required to complete paperwork for many of the employee’s essential job functions and to observe activities in and out of the facility.

+ The normal work routine involves no exposure to human blood, body fluids or tissues. However, exposure or potential exposure may be required as a condition of employment. Appropriate personal protective equipment will be readily available to every employee.

M ental Demands:

+ Requires the ability to work and cooperate with clients, co-workers, managers, the public and employees at all levels in order to exchange ideas, information, instructions and opinions.

+ Requires the ability to work under stress and in emotionally charged settings.

+ Must be able to handle time management demands of program needs and deadlines.