CONSUMER SERVICES ASSISTANT 2 - MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS WAIVED

State of Nevada (NV); Sparks (NV); On-site; USD 32,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services (NNAMHS) in Sparks, NV is seeking a full-time Peer Support Specialist/Consumer Services Assistant 2 (CSA). You will advocate for clients, provide peer support, and model recovery-oriented behavior in inpatient and outpatient settings, assisting with activities and leading group and individual sessions.

Qualified candidates will read and write standard business correspondence and have at least one year of mental health consumer advocacy experience, or

Qualifications

• Ability to read and write standard business correspondence.
• One year of mental health consumer advocacy experience.
• Six months of experience monitoring and reporting to professional staff on client progress, providing client perspective, and facilitating peer support.
• Six months experience as Consumer Services Assistant 1 in Nevada State service or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide peer support to clients.
• Assist clients with completing forms and understanding agency processes.
• Encourage participation in support networks and assist with transitions in levels of care.
• Make home visits and perform basic client de-escalation techniques.
• Monitor and report client progress to professional staff and record progress notes.
• Identify and report problems and coordinate client transportation as required.
• Represent client perspective to service providers and participate in stakeholder meetings as a consumer representative.

Skills

Peer support

Advocacy

Communication

Documentation

Job description

The Division of Public and Behavioral Health, Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services (NNAMHS) in Sparks is seeking a full-time Peer Support Specialist/Consumer Services Assistant 2 (CSA). CSAs are adults with a mental illness who are employed to provide advocacy, peer support, and modeling of recovery-oriented behaviors for clients at NNAMHS. These positions will work inpatient and outpatient based on agency need. CSAs provide several supportive services at NNAMHS by assisting with client activities, conducting meet and greet sessions with new admission to the inpatient hospital, and facilitating peer specialist related group and individual sessions. CSAs act as peer advocates; model positive behaviors; and provide the powerful affirmation that recovery is possible.

Assist professional staff by performing advocacy and service improvement activities on behalf of clients in mental health service agencies; performing a variety of routine support services; acting as liaison among staff, community and clients; and modeling behavior supportive of client recovery goals.

PER EXECUTIVE ORDER 2026-002, ALL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN WAIVED FOR THIS POSITION UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 2026. Please refer to the link for more information: https://gov.nv.gov/Newsroom/ExecOrders/Executive-Orders/.

Ability to read and write standard business correspondence and one year of mental health consumer advocacy experience, six months of which included working for a mental health service delivery system which included monitoring and reporting to professional staff on client progress, providing client perspective to service providers, and providing peer support such as assisting clients to present complaints and resolve problems, complete forms, and adjust to changes in levels of care; OR six months experience as a Consumer Services Assistant 1 in Nevada State service; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide peer support to clients
• assist clients in completing forms
• provide basic clarification of agency processes, client rights and options to assist professional staff
• encourage participation in support networks
• assist clients to adjust to transitions in levels of care, and new services or residential support
• make home visits
• perform basic client de-escalation techniques
• interpret and apply division and agency policies and procedures regarding client rights, confidentiality, abuse and neglect
• monitor and report to professional staff on client progress
• identify and report problems
• record appropriate case-related information and complete progress notes

• Contact clients to inquire about needed services
• collect and disseminate information regarding educational and community resources and activities
• assist clients in applying for social services
• assist with scheduling appointments for clients and remind them of appointments
• write related correspondence
• accompany clients to scheduled appointments and coordinate or provide transportation as required

• Represent client perspective to service providers and to the community
• assist clients to present complaints and resolve problems
• participate in community organizations, local advisory boards and stakeholder meetings as a consumer representative
• actively promote quality of life for persons with mental and emotional disabilities

• Assist in monitoring the quality of services provided to clients
• participate in the development and use of satisfaction surveys and service improvement plans by providing the clients’ perspective

• Assist professional staff with client self-help sessions and group activities
• encourage client participation and discussion track attendance
• and lead peer support activity groups as required

• Assist clients through demonstration and coaching to develop independent living skills such as housekeeping, shopping and use of public transportation
• coordinate companion or training program activities

• Assist in office operation by greeting clients, answering telephones, entering information into a computer, scheduling facilities or rooms, and setting up meeting rooms

• Perform related duties as assigned

This class specification lists the major knowledge, skills and abilities of the job and is not all inclusive. Incumbent(s) will be expected to have knowledge, skills and abilities from a previous level.

Working Knowledge

• national mental health advocacy efforts and groups
• mental health services available in Nevada
• active listening techniques such as the use of verbal and non-verbal cues

General Knowledge

• federal and State regulations related to mental health client rights
• basic techniques used to assist clients in developing independent living skills such as role modeling, coaching and prompting
• basic de-escalation techniques
• group dynamics

Ability

• participate as a team or committee member
• establish rapport with consumers of mental health services with varied social and cultural backgrounds
• communicate consumer/client perspective to staff, management, and in public meetings
• write progress notes and basic correspondence using appropriate grammar, punctuation, sentence structure and vocabulary