Peer Specialist | Behavioral Health Resource Center | Full-time | Days (3-12's)

UF Health; St. Augustine South (FL); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

UF Health in St. Augustine, FL seeks a Peer Specialist to provide recovery-focused support to patients. The role involves one-on-one and group sessions, chart documentation, and collaboration with the treatment team in an inpatient behavioral health setting.

Candidates must demonstrate sustained recovery, with specific timelines for substance-use recovery. The position is full-time with a 0.90 FTE schedule and varied shifts to support 7:00am–7:00pm coverage, including Sundays through Saturdays.

Qualifications

• Must be in sustained recovery from a mental health condition for at least 2 years and comfortable sharing lived experiences.
• If in recovery from substance abuse, sustained recovery should be 3–5 years.
• CRPS/CRSS certification required or to be obtained within 18 months of starting.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-on-one, group sessions, and peer-led groups focused on recovery goals.
• Document in patients’ charts, assist with milieu monitoring and safety management, and support care planning.

Skills

Peer mentoring

Communication

Empathy

Recovery support

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Associate’s degree or equivalent

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Job description

Overview

Grow professionally as a Peer Specialist at UF Health located in beautiful St. Augustine, Florida. UF Health is consistently ranked among the nation’s best hospitals and we are committed to excellence in healthcare. Our patients and our people are at the center of everything we do. Make UF Health your next career destination.

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of Behavioral Health Inpatient Manager, Behavioral Health Resource Center Manager, Nursing, and Director of Behavioral Health Services, the Peer Specialist role provides practical advice, suggestions, and strategies of recovery to patients as an empowering helper with perspective of being a recipient of mental health or substance abuse services in the past. They also provide one-on-one, group sessions, and conversations in both the general milieu and safe space with patients focused on current recovery and tools used to be successful. This position will utilize Peer Specialists to provide hope, support, and education, and assist patients in setting recovery goals. Peer specialists are considered members of the treatment team and will provide input on the patient’s care. This position will be required to document in the patients’ chart, 1:1 monitoring, escorting patients off-unit/off-campus activity, assist MHT with psychoeducation groups, provide peer-led groups, provide mentoring, meeting with patients and discussing available service with patients in the ER, and engage in therapeutic milieu monitoring and safety management. Peer Specialist will also monitor and answer incoming calls through Warm Line. Peer Specialist will also be part of the Trauma Improvement Care Initiatives relating to patient care improvements. They will additionally participate in on-going Quality Improvement (QI) activities, including sitting on unit QI task force committees.

Schedule

FTE: 0.90 (3-12's shifts)

Hours: 7:00am-7:00pm

Days: Sunday-Saturday

Location: St. Augustine, FL

Qualifications

Education

Required:

• High School Diploma or equivalent with a minimum four years relevant experience; OR
• Associate’s Degree or equivalent with a minimum two years of relevant experience; OR
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent with a minimum one year relevant experience (this is to include types of peer mentoring, working with “at risk” populations, volunteering at a local crisis center, patient care at a hospital, or experiences where you work directly with a population similar to those here).

Experience

Required:

• Candidates must be in sustained recovery from a mental health condition for a minimum of two years and be comfortable sharing lived experiences.
• If in recovery from substance abuse Peer Specialist must have a sustained recovery of at least 3-5 years.

Preferred: Experience as a peer specialist on an inpatient psychiatric unit.

Certificates/Licenses/Registration

Required: State of Florida Certification as a CRPS (Certified Recovery Peer Specialist) or CRSS (Cet Recovery Support Specialist is preferred and will be required within 18 months of stating the position.

Preferred: Additional trainings that would be beneficial and desirable for the position is Motivational Interviewing training, Mental Health First Aid training, NAMI facilitator training, WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) training, and/or Crisis Center Phone Counseling training.