Peer Specialist

Tri-County Human Services; Bartow (FL); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Tri-County Human Services is seeking a dedicated Peer Specialist to provide consumer-centered input and serve as a role model for recovery. The role includes linking individuals to medical, community, and specialty services and offering case management as needed.

The position emphasizes dignity, cultural sensitivity, and collaboration with clinicians. It requires a high school diploma or GED, and CPS certification within one year, with ongoing training in addiction and mental health services.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED is required.
• Certification as Certified Peer Specialist within one year of starting the position.
• Knowledge of addictions treatment and/or mental health treatment programs.

Responsibilities

• Attends community forms dealing with substance abuse and mental health issues and concerns.
• Speaks to individuals regarding services received and provides feedback to both the department and providers.
• Assist providers in developing recovery objectives that meet progress towards goals.
• Discusses with individuals areas within the provider's service delivery that need targeted improvement.
• Engages individuals to talk about their experiences to promote understanding and hope for recovery.
• Develops rapport with individuals involved in the criminal justice system and other behavioral/emotional difficulties.
• Assists with enrollment for services provided by community behavioral health providers.
• Identifies program environments conducive to recovery and lends insight into mental illness and recovery.
• Facilitates peer group support using the Illness Management and Recovery model.
• Assists in completing and maintaining a personal recovery plan with strengths, needs, abilities, goals, and progress.
• Attends treatment team meetings to support consumer insight to recovery.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education

High school diploma or GED

Certified Peer Specialist (CPS)

Job description

The Peer Specialist will provide direct input, from a consumer’s perspective, regarding the transformation of community services. Serves as a sounding board for individuals’ issues and concerns. The Peer Specialist will be a role model competency in recovery and ongoing coping skills. Will provide individualized case management services (linkages to medical, community and specialty services) as needed by the person served.

In keeping with the mission and core values of Tri-County Human Services, all persons served, stakeholders, and fellow employees will be treated with dignity, respect, and shown sensitivity to their cultural diversity. Referenced by policy numbers 100.000, 100.000A, and 100.004.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

1. Attends and participates in community forms dealing with substance abuse and mental health issues and concerns.

2. Speaks to individuals regarding services received and provides feedback to both the department and providers.

3. Assist providers in developing role recovery objectives that meet individual progress towards their goals.

4. Will discuss with individual's areas within the provider's service delivery that needs to the targeted for improvement.

5. Engages individuals to talk about their experiences to promote understanding of life experiences and their effects on functioning and to promote hope for recovery.

6. Can develop rapport with persons involved in the criminal justice system, who have alcohol, addiction, mental health issues or who have other behavioral/emotional difficulties.

7. Assists with enrollment for services provided by community behavioral health providers.

8. Assist provider staff in identifying program environments that are conducive to recovery; lend their unique insight into mental illness and what makes recovery possible.

9. Assists in peer group support utilizing the Illness Management and Recovery model to facilitate problem solving, communication skills development and personal growth.

10. Provides services with area/s of competency, i.e. life experience, training, certification, education or other background in the service area. Seeks direction from clinicians when needs fall outside areas of competency.

11. Assists in completing and maintaining a personal recovery plan which includes identified person-centered strengths, needs, abilities, and goals, interventions to assist the person served in reaching these goals and progress made toward these goals.

12. Attends treatment teams meeting as requested to promote and support consumer's insight to recovery as directed.

13. Performs other reasonable and related duties as assigned.

Minimum Training and Experience

· Requires a high school diploma or G.E.D. and at least one (1) year of full-time experience in a mental health or addictions treatment setting.

· Required satisfaction of passing eighty (80%) percent of the core competency job requirements that are required or the position.

· Incumbent will have completed all mandatory training required by Tri-County and obtained certification as a Certified Peer Specialist by the Florida Certification Board within one (1) year of initiating this position.

· Requires knowledge of addictions treatment and/or mental health treatment programs and supportive services.

· Requires general understanding of the causes, nature, and treatment of substance abuse and/or mental health problems.