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Salary Range $28.84 - $28.84 Hourly

Education Level High School

Description

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.

Illustrative Duties and Performance Responsibilities:

The duties of the Prevention Specialist position include the following, as well as performance of other work related duties as assigned:

+ Oversees the Recovery Community Organization Program including the work of the peer specialist 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 activites.

+ assist 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 RCO 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.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

+ 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 related to cultural identity, ethnic background, age, developmental level, gender and sexual orientation 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

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

+ Education: Minimum High School Diploma or GED

+ Must be Florida Certified as Recovery Peer Specialist (CPRS)

+ Language Skills:

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

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

+ Experience:

+ + 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

+ Reasoning Ability:

+ 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.

+ Other Skills and Abilities:

+ Ability to provide an Affidavit of Good Moral Character

+ Clearance in Pre-Employment Drug Testing and Criminal Records Checks, as required.

+ Possesses sufficient means of independent mobility.

+ Work Environment:

+ Personal Protective Equipment

+ Provided as necessary for the situation

+ Level of access to PHI –

+ Access to computer data as defined in Supervisor’s MIS authorization.

+ Physical Demands

+ Frequent use of keyboard and telephone.

+ Occasional lifting up to 25 pounds

+ The employee frequently is required to stand; walk

+ Mental Demands

+ Must be able to handle demands from consumers and staff members

+ Immediate Supervisor:

In accordance wit the organizational chart approved by the Board of Directors, this position is immediately supervised by the office manager.