Peer Specialist

Financial Edge; Erie (Erie County); On-site; USD 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Financial Edge is seeking a Peer Support Specialist to guide individuals on their healing journey by sharing experiences and building authentic peer-to-peer relationships.

The role emphasizes mentorship, advocacy, and motivation, with a focus on confidentiality, ethics, and ongoing professional development in a supportive community.

Qualifications

• CPS certification required within 6 months of hire.
• High school diploma or GED required.
• Experience with referrals or mental health practice preferred.
• Excellent communication skills required.
• Excellent organizational skills required.
• Ability to take initiative and complete tasks independently.

Responsibilities

• Engage the individual and establish rapport with empathetic listening and non-judgmental communication.
• Assist in identifying strengths and needs and encourage self-disclosure.
• Help develop and enhance an ISP and guide access to resources.
• Identify emergencies and facilitate access to resources and navigate services.
• Support linkages to community resources and mutual self-help groups.
• Maintain confidentiality and adhere to ethics and agency standards.
• Pursue ongoing professional development and maintain CPS credentials within 6 months.
• Maintain a caseload and complete required documentation in a timely manner.
• Participate in supervision and collaborate with other agency staff.
• Perform other duties as directed by the supervisor.

Skills

Excellent communication

Excellent organizational skills

Initiative

Education

CPS certification (Pennsylvania Certification Board)

High-school diploma or GED

Job description

Title: Peer Support Specialist

Job Brief:

The Peer Specialist is essential to many of our Journeyers’ successful connection to their healing journey. A Peer Specialist will serve as a role model, mentor, advocate, and motivator to individuals to help promote long-term mental health recovery. The Peer Specialist must demonstrate an ability to share personal experiences and to develop authentic peer-to-peer relationships.

Responsibilities:

• Engage the individual and establish rapport, as evidenced by empathetic and active listening, communicating in a non-judgmental way, and recognizing mental health challenges.
• Assist the individual in identifying and prioritizing strengths and needs, using various techniques that engage individuals to self-disclose.
• Assist in the development and enhancement of an individual’s comprehensive individualized service plan (ISP), recognizing many pathways to mental health stability, accessing, and advocating for community resources.
• Identify emergencies or crises and facilitate access to appropriate resources, negotiating and connecting individuals with resources and navigating the systems.
• Actively identify and support linkages to community resources (communities of, educational, vocational, social, cultural, spiritual resources, and mutual self-help groups.
• Conduct self in an ethical manner by adhering to the professional code of ethics, and Journey standards of practice, policy, and procedures.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding information received during the facilitation of mental health support services.
• Maintain a current understanding of federal, state, and local confidentiality rules and regulations.
• Engage in continuing professional development relative to mental health support services, applying practical and professional knowledge and experience. [A CPS is required to obtain 18 hours of continuing education per year 12 of which are specific to peer support recovery.]
• Maintain CPS credentials. All Peer Specialists must obtain their certification within 6 months of hire date.
• Develop relationships with community groups/agencies in partnership with others in the agency.
• Actively participate in a minimum of 1 hour per week of supervision with a PSS Supervisor.
• Comply with PA Certification Board requirements for continuing education.
• Maintain a caseload of assigned peers.
• Complete required documentation in a timely manner.
• Other duties as directed by the supervisor.

Qualifications:

1. Have or obtain within 6 months of hire a valid CPS certification through the Pennsylvania Certification Board.
2. High-school diploma or general equivalency degree.
3. Experience with referrals or mental health practice, preferred
4. Excellent communication skills
5. Excellent organizational skills
6. Ability to take initiative and complete tasks independently