Peer Specialist I

UPMC; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

UPMC is seeking a Peer Specialist for the STEAM program to support youth and young adults with mood disorders. The role involves meeting clients in clinic or community settings, co-leading groups, and collecting outcomes data to inform program implementation.

The position focuses on recovery-oriented practice, crisis management training, and service coordination, with regular trainings and supervision to develop skills and promote engagement in treatment and milestone attainment.

Qualifications

• Complete trainings, including peer specialist and service coordination.
• Engage in ongoing continuing education.
• Meet clients at least 3 times/year in clinic/community.
• Co-lead weekly psychoeducation/transition groups.
• Apply evidence-based approaches per training.
• Use structured tools to gather outcomes.
• Attend regular treatment team meetings and monitor progress.
• Document assessments and contacts promptly.
• Ensure all documentation meets quality standards.
• Grow skills through trainings and practice.
• Adapt plans to changing needs per guidelines.
• Monitor safety plans with participants/families.
• Engage in ongoing supervision.

Responsibilities

• Meet with assigned youth/young adult clients in clinic or community settings to foster engagement in treatment.
• Co-lead weekly psychoeducation and transition groups; collect outcomes data.
• Attend trainings and supervision to develop skills for supporting clients.

Job description

The Peer Specialist (PS) is a key position within the Successful Transition to Early Adulthood Milestones (STEAM) program. This individual will meet with assigned youth/young adult clients regularly, in the clinic and/or community, to foster engagement in treatment and support attainment of young adult milestones. They will also co-lead weekly psychoeducation and transition groups; collect outcomes data for the STEAM program; and synthesize input from youth and other peer specialists to improve program implementation. The PS will attend regular trainings and supervision to acquire the skills necessary to support youth/young adult clients. Combining lived experience with valuable training in crisis management and service coordination, the PS will serve as a role model for recovery, while also helping clients to recognize and overcome barriers to their own recovery.

The Successful Transition to Early Adult Milestones (STEAM) Project is a federally funded project, implemented with the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Services (CABS) and Services for Teens at Risk (STAR) clinics. The goal of this project is to integrate peer support services into our clinics to improve outcomes for youth and young adults with mood disorders.

This position is grant funded.

Responsibilities:

• Complete all required trainings, including peer specialist and service coordination training.
• Engage in ongoing continuing education courses.
• Meet with clients at minimum 3 times per year over 1-year participation in study in the clinic, and/or community settings to provide peer specialist and service coordination services.
• Co-lead weekly psychoeducation/transition groups.
• Utilize evidence-based treatment approaches per training.
• Utilize structured clinical assessment tools to gather study-related outcome data.
• Participate in regular treatment team meetings to discuss cases with treatment team members and communicate and monitor progress.
• Complete timely documentation of all assessments, participant contacts, and other work done on behalf of participants.
• Ensure all documentation meets quality standards.
• Grow skills by learning and implementing approaches learned in trainings.
• Assess the changing needs of participants per guidelines and incorporate these into treatment plans/reviews.
• Monitor participant safety plans in partnership with participants/families.
• Engage in regular and ongoing supervision.