Employment Peer Mentor

PORT Health; Kinston (NC); On-site; USD 26,174 - 28,929; Full time

Job summary

Easterseals PORT Health (ESPH) is seeking an Employment Peer Mentor to coach and empower individuals facing mental illness, substance use, and behavioral health challenges. The role integrates into a community team to provide individualized services and promote self‑determination through IPS‑based practices.

You will deliver wellness strategies, employment services, and assist with planning and documentation while working across various community settings to support beneficiaries’ recovery goals.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent accredited by the state education department.
• Experience or certification as a NC Certified Peer Support Specialist.
• Must have or have been a recipient of mental health services.
• Valid driver's license and vehicle insurance.
• Reliable transportation to cover program delivery area.
• Team player with ability to work in community settings (street, homes, shelters, jails, hospitals).

Responsibilities

• Provides coaching, mentoring, and consultation to promote recovery, self‑advocacy, and self‑direction.
• Promotes wellness strategies and delivers manualized interventions and employment services.
• Assists individuals in developing psychiatric advance directives.
• Models recovery values and supports self‑determination.
• Provides guidance to team members to reflect beneficiaries' preferences in treatment.
• Acts as active member of the employment team and supports Person Centered Planning.
• Supports empowerment and exercises rights within the community.
• Delivers employment services interventions and case coordination as needed.
• Prepares and submits documentation accurately and timely.
• Participates in peer review and IPS fidelity training.

Job description

At Easterseals PORT Health (ESPH), our mission is rooted in empowering individuals and strengthening communities. As an Employment Peer Mentor, you’ll play a critical role in carrying out that mission by helping people with mental illness, substance abuse and behavioral health challenges and providing services and expertise that professional training cannot replicate. The Employment Peer Mentor is a fully integrated team member who provides highly individualized services in the community and promotes the self‑determination and shared decision‑making abilities of beneficiaries.

Your Role in Our Mission

• Provides coaching, mentoring, and consultation to the individual served to promote recovery, self‑advocacy, and self‑direction.
• Promotes wellness management strategies, which includes delivering manualized interventions (e.g., Wellness Recovery Action Planning or Illness Management and Recovery) and employment services.
• Assists people receiving services in developing psychiatric advance directives.
• Models recovery values, attitudes, beliefs, and personal action to encourage wellness and resilience.
• Provides consultation to team members to assist in understanding of recovery and the role of the Employment Peer Mentor, promoting a culture in which beneficiaries’ points of view and preferences are recognized, understood, respected, and integrated into treatment.
• Serves as an active member of the employment team, equivalent to other team members, which includes assisting with the Person Centered Planning process.
• Supports and empowers the individual to exercise his or her legal rights within the community.
• Provides employment services interventions and case coordination as needed.
• Prepares and submits documentation accurately and within prescribed time lines.
• Participates in peer review.
• Successfully participates in the DMH approved IPS training and provide services according to the service definition and IPS Fidelity Model.

Why Join Us?

As a part of our mission, we help our team members embrace their potential, build resilience, and thrive! You will benefit from ongoing professional growth and development as you work alongside leaders of clinical excellence in mental health and substance use services that care about your success. We also offer a full benefits package for benefits‑eligible positions.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive hourly rate: $19-21/hour
• Generous paid time off and paid holidays
• Full benefits package including Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits
• Life and Disability Insurance (company paid)
• 403(b) Retirement Plan
• Employee Assistance Program and legal services support
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) qualifying employer

What We’re Looking For

• A minimum of a High School diploma or equivalent accredited by the appropriate state department of education is required.
• Must be a NC Certified Peer Support Specialist, or willing to be certified within 6 months of hire.
• Must be or have been a recipient of mental health services.
• Must have current, unrestricted, state‑appropriate driver’s license and vehicle insurance.
• Must have reliable transportation that will allow movement throughout the program delivery area.
• Employment Peer Mentor works as part of a team and while there is daily office based work the bulk of the work is in the community including the street, homes, shelters, jails and hospitals and services are delivered when and where individuals need them.

Applicants of all abilities are encouraged to apply!