Certified Peer Support Specialist - CORE

WISCONSIN COMMUNITY SERVICES, INC; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 26,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health

Vision

Dental

PTO

Holidays

Mileage Reimbursement

Retirement Savings Plan

Job summary

Wisconsin Community Services is seeking a compassionate Peer Support Specialist for a full-time Wraparound role in Milwaukee. You will use your lived experience to connect with individuals and families, coach them toward recovery, and help navigate community resources.

Expect travel within Milwaukee County, a Monday–Friday schedule, and a compensation of $19.00–$20.00 per hour. The position emphasizes person-centered support, collaboration with care teams, and accurate documentation while

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED is required.
• Completion of Wisconsin peer support training or ability to obtain within one year of hire.
• Personal lived experience with mental health, substance use, co-occurring conditions, or related life challenges.
• Experience working with children, youth, adults, and families.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Cultural awareness and recovery-oriented, person-centered support understanding.
• Ability to meet agency and contractor requirements including background checks and driving record reviews.
• Willingness to complete all required trainings.
• Valid Wisconsin driver's license, current auto insurance, and access to a vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-on-one peer support in homes and community settings to empower engagement.
• Advocate and empower individuals and caregivers navigating mental health and related systems.
• Build on individual strengths by identifying needs, barriers, and goals.
• Support recovery and wellness planning with care teams and families.
• Promote skill development in problem-solving, self-advocacy, and crisis management.
• Connect individuals to community resources and natural supports.
• Encourage active participation in services and recovery activities.
• Maintain accurate documentation and progress notes on time.

Skills

Peer support experience

Lived experience with mental health

Communication skills

Cultural awareness

Interpersonal skills

Education

High school diploma or GED

Wisconsin peer support training or ability to obtain within 1 year

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Word

Teams

Job description

Wisconsin Community Servicesis an Equal Opportunity Employer (M/F/Disability/Vet).

Job Code: 2026-SPECIALI-074

Location: Milwaukee

Department: Wraparound

FT/PT Status: Full Time

Job Responsibilities:

Compensation: $19.00 - $20.00

Benefits include: Health,Vision, Dental, PTO, Holidays, Mileage Reimbursement, Retirement Savings Plan Schedule: Monday-Friday; 8 hours, 1 st Shift; may vary basedon participant need

Make a Difference Through the Power of Lived Experience

We are looking for a compassionate, motivated, anddependable Peer Support Specialist to join our team!

The Peer Support Specialist uses personal lived experiencewith mental health, substance use, co-occurring conditions, and other lifechallenges to connect with, empower, and advocate for individuals and familiesreceiving services.

In this role, you will serve as a coach, mentor, advocate,and positive role model, helping individuals recognize their strengths, buildconfidence, develop life skills, and work toward meaningful recovery andwellness goals.

Through authentic relationships and person-centered support,you will help individuals and families navigate systems of care, overcomebarriers, strengthen natural support networks, and build a path toward greaterindependence and improved quality of life.

Your lived experience can make a lasting difference.

Key Responsibilities

• ProvideIndividualized Peer Support: Deliver one-on-one peer support toindividuals and families in their homes and community settings, usinglived experience to establish trust, encourage engagement, and model hopeand recovery.
• Advocateand Empower: Help individuals and caregivers navigate mental health,substance use, behavioral health, child welfare, and other systems of carewhile ensuring their voices, preferences, and needs are heard andrespected.
• Buildon Individual Strengths: Work alongside participants and families toidentify personal strengths, needs, barriers, priorities, and goals.
• SupportRecovery and Wellness Planning: Collaborate with individuals,families, and care teams to develop strategies, plans of care, crisisplans, and ongoing recovery supports.
• PromoteSkill Development: Provide coaching, education, encouragement, andpractical support to strengthen problem-solving, self-advocacy, wellness,and crisis management skills.
• Connectto Community Resources: Help individuals and families access communityservices, natural supports, recovery resources, and other opportunitiesthat promote stability and independence.
• EncourageActive Participation: Support engagement in services and recoveryactivities by accompanying participants to appointments, meetings, andcommunity activities when needed.
• MaintainAccurate Documentation: Complete progress notes, case records, andother required documentation accurately and on time, following agency,funding, and regulatory guidelines.
• Collaborateas a Team: Participate in supervision, staff meetings, requiredtrainings, and team discussions to support quality services and positiveoutcomes.
• ProvideTeam Support: Assist with staff coverage and other relatedresponsibilities as needed.

Job Qualifications:

Required Qualifications

• Highschool diploma, GED, or HSED.
• Completionof Wisconsin peer support training or the ability to obtain the requiredpeer support certification within one year of hire.
• Personallived experience with mental health, substance use, co-occurringconditions, or related life challenges.
• Experienceworking with children, youth, young adults, adults, and families.
• Strongwritten and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstratedcultural awareness and understanding of recovery-oriented, person-centeredsupport.
• Abilityto meet agency and contractor requirements, including background checks,caregiver background checks, driving record reviews, and reference checks.
• Willingnessto complete all required agency and program training.
• ValidWisconsin driver's license, current automobile insurance, and reliableaccess to a personal vehicle.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Knowledgeof mental health, substance use, co-occurring needs, recovery principles,and peer support practices.
• Abilityto establish respectful, trusting, and supportive relationships withindividuals, families, and team members.
• Abilityto remain calm, professional, and responsive when supporting individualsexperiencing difficult or crisis situations.
• Strongactive listening, communication, advocacy, and problem-solving skills.
• Abilityto follow written and verbal instructions and demonstrate consistentfollow-through.
• Strongorganizational skills and the ability to complete accurate documentationwithin required deadlines.
• Basiccomputer proficiency, including Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Teams.
• Abilityto work effectively with individuals and families from diverse cultural,ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Abilityto maintain appropriate professional boundaries while using livedexperience in a supportive and empowering manner.

Preferred Qualifications

The following qualifications are a plus but are nostrequired:

• Collegecoursework, an associate degree, or higher education in a related field,such as human services, social work, psychology, or behavioral health.
• Previousexperience working with Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services.
• Experienceproviding peer support, community-based services, family support, orbehavioral health services.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

This is a mobile, community-based position that involvesworking in an office, individuals' homes, and other community settings.

• Regulartravel throughout Milwaukee County is required.
• Abilityto drive to appointments and community-based locations.
• Abilityto navigate stairs and access a variety of residential and communityenvironments.
• Reasonableaccommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities toperform the essential functions of the position.

Program-Specific Tools & Systems

• Avatar Data System; training provided as needed
• Complete 20 - 40 hours of CCS training (DHS 36)

Why Join Our Team?

Be part of a team that believes in the power of connection,compassion, and lived experience.

As a Peer Support Specialist, you will have the opportunityto:

• Make ameaningful difference in the lives of individuals and families.
• Useyour personal experiences to inspire hope and encourage recovery.
• Helppeople build confidence, independence, and stronger community connections.
• Workcollaboratively with a team committed to person-centered, strengths-basedcare.
• Supportindividuals as they create positive, lasting changes in their lives.

Ready to Make an Impact?

If you are passionate about recovery, advocacy, andempowering others, we would love to hear from you!

Wisconsin Community Services, Inc. is an equalopportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment withoutattention to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, genderidentity, national origin, veteran or disability status.