HCBS Peer Support Specialist, Certified

SUN Behavioral Health; Warrenton (NC); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

SUN Behavioral Health in Warrenton, NC seeks a Certified Peer Support Specialist to provide recovery-oriented services to adults with mental illness within an ACTT framework. No experience required; 1–3 years preferred, with lived experience and a personal recovery story.

NC CPSS certification is required. You will mentor clients, coordinate with the ACTT team, document per guidelines, and connect individuals to community resources, medical appointments, therapy, and support groups.

Qualifications

• No experience required; 1–3 years preferred in work with adults with mental illness and/or substance use.
• Must have lived experience and a personal recovery story related to primary mental illness.
• High school diploma or equivalency.
• Certification in North Carolina as a Certified Peer Support Specialist.

Responsibilities

• Provides coaching and mentoring to promote recovery, self-advocacy, and self-direction.
• Fosters wellness management strategies and manualized interventions.
• Assists individuals in developing psychiatric advance directives and links to community resources.
• Prepares for daily interventions and maintains documentation per guidelines.
• Arranges medical appointments, therapy sessions, support groups, and other resources.
• Identifies and maintains referral sources; participates in supervision.

Job description

Minimum Qualifications

No experience required. A minimum of one to three years’ experience preferred, working with adults who have a mental illness and/or substance abuse diagnosis. Per North Carolina Medicaid regulations, this person must have “lived experience” and a personal recovery story specific to primary mental illness. Individual has at a minimum, a high school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate. Certified in North Carolina as a Certified Peer Support Specialist. Requirements for certification and licensure: https://pss.unc.edu/certification. https://pss.unc.edu/sites/default/files/2026-06/NCCPSS-Program-Policies-Final--5-2026.pdf

Minimum Qualifications

No experience required. A minimum of one to three years’ experience preferred, working with adults who have a mental illness and/or substance abuse diagnosis. Per North Carolina Medicaid regulations, this person must have “lived experience” and a personal recovery story specific to primary mental illness. Individual has at a minimum, a high school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate. Certified in North Carolina as a Certified Peer Support Specialist. Requirements for certification and licensure: https://pss.unc.edu/certification. https://pss.unc.edu/sites/default/files/2026-06/NCCPSS-Program-Policies-Final--5-2026.pdf

Position Summary

The Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) provides support services to individuals with severe mental illness and who may be dually diagnosed. The Certified Peer Support Specialist is a fully integrated Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACTT) Member who provides highly individualized services in the community, promotes recovery and self-determination for members served ACTT. The CPSS works under the direction of the ACTT Team Lead.

Essential Functions

Provides coaching and mentoring to individuals with severe mental illness and who may be dually diagnosed to promote recovery, self-advocacy, and self-direction. Fosters wellness management strategies, which include delivering manualized interventions (e.g., Wellness Recovery Action Planning or Illness Management and Recovery). Assist individuals in developing psychiatric advance directives, modeling recovery values, attitudes, beliefs, and personal action to encourage wellness and resilience. Completes and maintains documentation according to federal and state guidelines. Prepares for daily interventions. Actively identifies and supports linkages to community resources that support the recovering individual’s goals and interests. Arrange medical appointments, therapy sessions, support groups, and other resources to aid the individual. Identifies, develops, and maintains referral sources. Training will be provided in the areas of Medicaid rules governing Assertive Community Treatment Team activities, client rights, confidentiality, “Best Practice” methods, SPMI population, Person Centered Thinking, Essential Elements, Crisis, De-escalation, Motivational Interviewing, stage wise treatment, behavior management techniques, the recovery process and Strategic Interventions, Inc. policies and procedures. Participates in regular supervision with the Assertive Community Treatment Team Leader. Miscellaneous Responsibilities (perform other duties as assigned/required).

Americans With Disabilities Act

Applicants as well as employees who are or become disabled must be able to perform the essential job functions either unaided or with reasonable accommodation. The organization shall determine reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable law.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Strategic Interventions is committed to the principle of Equal Employment Opportunity for all employees and applicants. It is our policy to ensure that both current and prospective employees are afforded equal employment opportunity without consideration of race, religious creed, color, national origin, nationality, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, or disability in accordance with local, state and federal laws.

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