Job DetailsJob Location: Glynn BHCC - Brunswick, GA 31520Position Type: Full TimeEducation Level: High School / GEDSalary Range: $17.00 - $17.00 HourlyJob Shift: EveningThe Certified Peer Specialist is an individual who has progressed in their own recovery journey and utilizes lived experience to promote recovery, self-determination, empowerment, hope, and resilience for individuals receiving behavioral health and substance use disorder services. This position provides structured peer support services that encourage socialization, wellness, self-advocacy, development of natural supports, community integration, and recovery-oriented living skills. The Certified Peer Specialist serves as a role model for recovery while collaborating with interdisciplinary treatment teams to support positive consumer outcomes.
Primary Responsibilities, but not limited to:
- Provides peer support and recovery-oriented services.
- Assists consumers in achieving recovery and wellness goals.
- Maintains accurate and timely documentation.
- Participates in interdisciplinary treatment planning and team meetings.
- Supports community outreach and engagement activities.
- Connects consumers to community resources and support systems.
- Promotes self-advocacy, empowerment, and independent living skills.
- Serves as a recovery role model and mentor.
Essential Functions:
Peer Support and Recovery Services
- Provides peer support services that promote recovery, wellness, self-determination, and personal responsibility.
- Shares lived experience appropriately to instill hope and encourage recovery.
- Facilitates structured peer support activities that foster socialization, self-advocacy, and community integration.
- Assists consumers in building natural support systems and developing independent living skills.
- Supports consumers in identifying strengths, setting goals, and achieving recovery objectives.
- Provides information regarding community resources, support services, and recovery opportunities.
- Participates in interdisciplinary treatment team meetings and collaborates with treatment providers as appropriate.
Productivity Standards
- Meets established direct service productivity standards.
- Maintains individual billed hours and target staff hour expectations.
- Maintains daily attendance and participation requirements consistent with program guidelines.
- Maintains assigned caseload responsibilities and service expectations.
- Provides services in accordance with approved staffing ratios and program requirements.
Documentation and Compliance
- Records services accurately and timely in accordance with treatment goals and service requirements.
- Completes required clinical documentation in accordance with agency standards.
- Maintains documentation in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
- Ensures services provided are authorized and documented appropriately.
- Completes service notes in CareLogic within 24 hours of service delivery.
- Maintains documentation quality standards and satisfactory audit scores.
- Addresses and corrects documentation deficiencies within required timeframes.
- Ensures treatment plans and service orders remain current and compliant.
- Resolves failed activities and claims within established timelines.
- Maintains compliance with all mandatory training requirements, including Relias and Human Resources training.
Community Outreach
- Collaborates with behavioral health, substance use disorder, and community providers to support consumer engagement and continuity of care.
- Assists consumers with successful transitions between inpatient, outpatient, and community-based services.
- Promotes awareness of recovery-oriented services and community resources.
- Builds and maintains positive relationships with consumers, families, caregivers, and community partners.
Corporate Responsibilities
- Treats consumers, co-workers, supervisors, and community partners with dignity and respect.
- Provides high-quality customer service focused on positive health and recovery outcomes.
- Performs job responsibilities in a competent, ethical, and professional manner.
- Utilizes organizational resources effectively, efficiently, and responsibly.
- Contributes to an environment that encourages teamwork, creativity, innovation, and recovery-focused services.
QualificationsRequired Education & Experience:
- High School Diploma or GED equivalent required.
- Current Georgia Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) certification required.
- Completion of a minimum of forty (40) hours of Certified Peer Specialist training.
- Lived experience with recovery and ability to appropriately utilize personal recovery experience in the provision of peer support services.
Required Knowledge & Skills:
- Knowledge of serious mental illness, substance use disorders, recovery principles, and peer support practices.
- Knowledge of consumer rights and applicable federal, state, and agency policies and procedures.
- Knowledge of client record documentation requirements and service plan implementation.
- Knowledge of crisis intervention procedures and protocols.
- Knowledge of peer support group facilitation and recovery-oriented service delivery.
- Ability to observe, document, and report consumer progress and functioning.
- Ability to understand assessments, evaluations, observations, and service plans.
- Ability to assist consumers in building independence, self-confidence, and self-esteem.
- Ability to empower consumers to explore resources, opportunities, relationships, and support systems.
- Ability to communicate effectively with consumers, families, caregivers, and community partners.
- Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries.
- Ability to work independently under general supervision.
- Ability to establish priorities and manage assigned responsibilities.
- Ability to assist consumers in obtaining income supports, entitlement benefits, and healthcare coverage.
- Ability to connect consumers with housing, healthcare, vocational, educational, and recovery resources.
- Strong interpersonal, engagement, and active listening skills.
Work Environment: This position operates in a variety of office, clinic, and community-based environments. The role routinely uses computers, telephones, printers, photocopiers, and other office equipment. Moderate travel between Gateway sites and throughout the community may be required.
Physical Demands:
- Frequently walks, sits, stands, and kneels.
- Occasionally climbs, balances, bends, and stoops.
- Frequently lifts and/or moves up to 15 pounds.
- Works at a computer for extended periods.
- Frequently utilizes fine hand-eye coordination, hearing, and visual acuity.
- Travels between Gateway sites and community locations as required.
- Works in both indoor and outdoor environments.
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
Gateway CSB promotes a drug/alcohol-free work environment through mandatory pre-employment drug testing.
Terms & Conditions:
- Reports to work when scheduled and begins and ends work as expected.
- Reports anticipated tardiness or absence to the supervisor.
- Observes policies regarding meal and break periods.
- Uses work time appropriately and efficiently.
- Requests and utilizes leave appropriately.
- Maintains a professional appearance in accordance with site dress code requirements.
- Observes health, safety, and sanitation policies.
- Performs work according to all applicable rules, regulations, policies, and guidelines.
- Ensures licensure and certification are current and active without suspension or revocation throughout employment.
- Ensures compliance with required training, including new employee orientation.
- Does not engage in activities other than official business during work hours.
- Does not report to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Adheres to Gateway’s Standards of Conduct 3.13 and Employee Ethics 3.23.
- May be required to remain at or return to work during agency incidents or emergencies and may work non-traditional schedules as necessary to support agency operations.
Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee in this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.