Certified Peer Specialist - Mental Health Advocate

Brightli; Independence (MO); On-site; USD 25,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Assistance Program

Mileage Reimbursement

Employee Discounts

Workplace Culture

Additional Perks & Benefits

Job summary

Burrell Behavioral Health seeks a Certified Peer Specialist in Independence, MO. This full-time role supports children and adolescents with mental health needs within the Adult Housing department, offering mission-driven care and ongoing professional development.

The position emphasizes peer support, crisis intervention, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. The selected candidate will provide advocacy, resilience-building, and practical coping strategies, while adhering to privacy and

Qualifications

• Must be a Certified Missouri Peer Specialist with at least a high school diploma or GED.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to communicate effectively before groups of clients, employees of the organization, family members, and other contacts in the community.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to apply common-sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
• Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Shall successfully complete all mandatory continuing education to maintain certificate and successfully complete CPR, First Aid, and CPI Training.
• Shall be able to establish effective relationships via telephone and personal contacts.
• Shall be able to follow direction and accept supervision.
• Shall have the ability to work with a variety of human problems and the competence to handle crisis intervention.
• Shall be able to enter clinical documentation into a computerized record system.

Responsibilities

• Empower individuals with mental illness to recognize their strengths, set goals, and make informed decisions about their lives.
• Support individuals in advocating for themselves and accessing needed resources and services, while also advocating on behalf of consumers to improve systems and policies.
• Provide emotional support through active listening, validation, encouragement, and sharing personal experiences in ways that inspire hope and resilience.
• Assist individuals during crises, helping de-escalate situations, connecting them to appropriate services, and supporting coping skills development.
• Teach practical skills like problem solving, communication, stress management, symptom management, and relapse prevention.
• Connect individuals to relevant community resources, such as housing, employment, education, vocational training, transportation, financial assistance, and peer support groups.
• Guide individuals through complex service systems, explaining options and benefits, facilitating appointments, and accompanying individuals to meetings with service providers.
• Encourage a recovery-oriented philosophy focused on wellness, self-determination, and person-centered planning.
• Adhere to ethical guidelines and codes of conduct, safeguarding privacy, obtaining consent, avoiding dual relationships, and practicing self-care.

Education

Certified Missouri Peer Specialist

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Burrell Behavioral Health seeks a Certified Peer Specialist in Independence, MO. This full-time role supports children and adolescents with mental health needs within the Adult Housing department, offering mission-driven care and ongoing professional development.

The position emphasizes peer support, crisis intervention, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. The selected candidate will provide advocacy, resilience-building, and practical coping strategies, while adhering to privacy and