HARPS Peer Support Specialist

Kitsap Mental Health Services; Bremerton (WA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental & vision insurance

PTO and holidays

Fully paid YMCA membership

Life & disability insurance

Student loan assistance & professional

403(b) retirement plan with company

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Pet Insurance

Wellness app (2MorrowHealth)

Collaborative team environment

Job summary

Kitsap Mental Health Services is seeking a HARPS Peer Support Specialist - Housing to support clients in securing safe, affordable housing and coordinating services.

This role emphasizes recovery-oriented practice, advocacy, and collaboration with a multidisciplinary team.

Qualifications

• Education: High School Diploma or GED required.
• Experience: Entry level (no prior related work experience).
• Driving: Must meet agency driving requirements and have reliable transportation.
• Licensure: Agency Affiliated Counselor Registration and Peer Counselor certification within 6 months.

Responsibilities

• Provide expertise about recovery, symptom management, and client perseverance.
• Advocate for client choice, self-determination, and informed decisions in planning and evaluation of services.
• Consult with clients, families, and staff on community resources, treatment planning, crisis intervention, and substance abuse services.

Skills

Strong communication

Professional boundaries

Team collaboration

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

Computer skills

Job description

HARPS Peer Support Specialist - Housing

Hiring Range: $22.90 – $28.06 per hour

Benefits at a Glance

• Comprehensive Coverage: Health, Dental & Vision
• Generous PTO: Up to 19 days + 2 mental health days + 10 holidays (pro-rated for part-time)
• Fully Paid YMCA Membership for you and eligible family members
• Company-Paid Life & Disability Insurance
• Student Loan Assistance & Professional Development
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with Company Contributions
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Pet Insurance
• Free Wellness App (2MorrowHealth)
• Collaborative, Supportive Team Environment

General Summary of Duties

The Peer Counselor has experience as a recipient of mental health services for severe and persistent mental illness and is willing to use and share his or her personal, practical experience, knowledge, and first‑hand insight to benefit the team and its clients.

Responsibilities

• The Peer Counselor provides the team with expertise about the recovery process, symptom management, and clients' persistence to lead a satisfying life.
• The Peer Counselor is responsible for advocating for client choice, self‑determination, and decision‑making in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of treatment, rehabilitation, and support services.
• The Peer Counselor provides consultation to clients, families, and team staff in community resources, treatment planning, crisis intervention, and substance abuse services.

Major Responsibilities/Tasks

• Draw on common experiences as a peer to validate clients' experience and to provide guidance and encouragement for clients to take responsibility and participate in their own recovery. Promote hope and empowerment designed to help clients attain recovery goals and maintain the highest possible independence level, even during periods of instability.
• Housing: Assists clients find and maintain a safe and affordable place to live, apartment hunting, finding a roommate, landlord negotiations, cleaning, furnishing and decorating, and procuring necessities. Identify type and location of housing with an exploration of access to natural supports and avoidance of triggers. Provides practical help and supports, mentoring, advocacy, coordination, side‑by‑side individualized support, problem‑solving, direct assistance, and supervision to help clients obtain the necessities of daily living, including medical and dental health care; legal and advocacy services; financial support such as entitlements, housing subsidies; money management services: transportation, and reasonable accommodation requests as needed.
• Employment: Assists with referrals to job training, Supported Employment, and DVR. Performs mentoring, problem‑solving, encouragement, and support on and off the job site. Provides work‑related supportive services, such as assistance securing necessary clothingand grooming supplies, wake‑up calls, reasonable accommodation requests as needed, and transportation.
• Activities of Daily Living Services: Provides ongoing assessment, problem‑solving, side‑by‑side services, skill teaching, support, and environmental adaptations to assist clients with daily living activities. Assists and supports clients in organizing and performing household activities, including house cleaning and laundry. Assists and supports clients with personal hygiene and grooming tasks. Provide nutrition education and assistance with meal planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation. Ensures clients have adequate financial support teaches money‑management skills, and assist clients in accessing financial services. Help clients access reliable transportation. Assists and supports clients to have and effectively use a personal primary care physician, dentist, and other medical specialists as required.
• Social and Interpersonal Relationships and Leisure Time: Provides side‑by‑side support, coaching, and encouragement to help clients socialize, going with a client to community activities, including activities offered by consumer‑run peer support organizations. Assists clients to plan and carry out leisure time activities. Organizes and leads individual and group social and recreational activities to help clients structure their time, increase social experiences, and provide opportunities to practice social skills.
• Other coaching, guidance, and transition support: Provides transition services from hospital to community, including medication management. Assist in providing ongoing assessment and direct services to clients, responding to such challenges as an increase in suicidality, the need for substance abuse education and treatment, and the clients' readiness for meaningful daily activity, including employment.
• Act as an interpreter to the rest of the team while providing expertise and consultation from a client perspective in symptoms, effects, side effects of medications, client opinions of treatment, and client recovery experiences.
• Help clients and staff to identify, understand, and combat stigma, discrimination and assist clients in locating self‑help and consumer advocacy groups that promote recovery while acting as the liaison between the team and such groups.
• Collaborate with staff and clients on awareness of client rights, including grievance and complaint procedures; support clients with filing, mediating, and resolving complaints.
• In addition to the above, any other responsibilities appropriate to the position and not specifically listed in the job description.

Minimum Qualifications

• EDUCATION: High School Diploma or GED
• EXPERIENCE: Entry level (no prior related work experience)
• This position requires driving clients in a personal vehicle on behalf of the agency. Therefore, the incumbent must meet all agency driving requirements, including being at least 21 years old, having been licensed for a minimum of three years, successfully completing a motor vehicle history check, possessing and maintaining a current, valid driver’s license in the state of Washington, and having reliable, insured transportation.
• LICENSURE: Agency Affiliated Counselor Registration. Completed the Washington State Mental Health Division's Peer Counselor Training and the subsequent certification as a Peer Counselor within six months of employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• EXPERIENCE: Relevant experience working with clients with severe and persistent mental illness.
• Capacity to work well with children and families.

Performance Requirements

KNOWLEDGE

• Maintain a working knowledge of mental health rehabilitation standards.

SKILLS

• Must have a strong commitment to the right and the ability of each person with a severe mental illness to live in normal community residences; work in market jobs; and have access to helpful, adequate, competent, and continuous supports and services. It is essential the peer specialist has the skills and competence to establish supportive, trusting relationships with persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses, and respect for clients' rights and personal preferences in treatment is essential.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with other employees, clients, organizations, and the public.
• Communication‑Communicates clearly and concisely.
• Computer skills – The ability to operate a personal computer, fax machine, printer, and copier proficiently.

Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries while balancing the sometimes conflicting demands of being both a peer to clients and an employee of the agency. Seek appropriate clinical supervision where necessary, particularly around boundary issues.
• Demonstrated ability to meet or exceed productivity standards.
• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively as a team member.

Equipment Operated

Standard office equipment including computers, fax machines, copiers, printers, telephones, etc.

Work Environment

Frequent mobility and/or sitting required for extended periods.

Mental/Physical Requirements

While performing the job duties, the employee is required to walk, sit, use hands and fingers, reach with arms, talk, or listen. Peripheral vision is also required for this position.

Our recruitment processes are designed to prevent discrimination against our people regardless of gender identity or orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, citizenship, or any aspect which makes someone unique.