Peer Support Counselor

Stars Behavioral Health Group; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 25,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Compensation

Generous Time Off

Comprehensive Benefits

Professional Growth Opportunities

BBS supervision hours

Employee Recognition

Job summary

Stars Behavioral Health Group in Irvine, CA is seeking a Peer Support Counselor to help clients leverage personal lived experience to support recovery and re-engagement with community services. The role emphasizes outreach, advocacy, and direct support within a crisis stabilization setting.

You will deliver on-site services at the Coastal Star Crisis Stabilization Unit, participate in paid CEU training, and contribute to a compassionate, values-driven team dedicated to improving mental health

Qualifications

• Lived experience as a consumer in child welfare, probation, or mental health systems.

Responsibilities

• Use lived experience to provide outreach and engagement, support, advocacy, and direct services to program clients.
• Serve as role models, educators, and advocates to clients moving toward recovery.
• Provide crisis stabilization and linkages to needed services as part of the CSU team.

Skills

Lived experience

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification

Valid California Driver’s License

First Aid certification

Job description

Partner with us in making a positive change! Join a team where your work truly matters. We're proud to have been certified as a Great Place to Work for 8 years by our own employees. We invite you to partner with us in our mission to improve mental healthcare.

Job Title: Peer Support Counselor

Division/Program: Irvine: Coastal Star Crisis Stabilization Unit

Starting Compensation: 18.00 - 21.00 USD Per Hour

Working Location: Irvine, CA

Working Hours/Shift: Sunday - Thursday 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Why Join Our Team?

• Competitive Compensation: Offering a salary that matches your skills and experience.
• Generous Time Off: Enjoy ample vacation and holiday pay.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package: Employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage. Additional voluntary benefits to support your lifestyle.
• Professional Growth Opportunities: On-the-job training with access to paid CEU opportunities. Career development programs designed to help you grow.
• Supervision for BBS hours for AMFT, ACSW, and APCC professionals (where applicable).
• Employee Recognition & Rewards: A culture that celebrates and rewards your hard work and dedication

What You Bring to SBHG (Qualifications)

Experience & Background: Personal Lived Experience: Self-identified personal experience as a consumer in the child welfare, probation, or mental health systems.

Education: High School Diploma or equivalent (GED, HiSET, etc.).

Professional Experience: One (1) year of full-time experience performing non-professional, consumer-directed services (preferably within a mental health, healthcare, or social services agency serving individuals with disabilities).

Certifications & Licensure: Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification preferred (or the ability to successfully complete the certification process within one year of employment). Valid California Driver’s License with an eligible driving record per company policy. First Aid certification from an approved provider (such as the American Red Cross) or obtained upon hire. Meet agency driver eligibility criteria if applicable

How you will make a difference

The position has primary responsibility for using their lived experience and knowledge of the system to provide outreach and engagement, support, advocacy, and direct services to program clients of all age ranges. Peer Support Counselors are people who have lived experience in the mental health, judicial, and/or social service systems in some capacity. They serve as role models, companions, educators and advocates to our clients. The Peer Support Counselors will support clients in moving toward recovery, creating a meaningful role in their life, which is separate from their illness.

Division/Program Overview

Program: The Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) is a place where people experiencing a mental health crisis can go to be stabilized. These facilities operate 24/7 to provide crisis stabilization.

Population Served: Up to 16 adults (ages 18 and up) and 4 adolescents (ages 13 to 17).

Facility & Setting: Can be compared to an Urgent Care Center where people often go for a medical emergency instead of going to the hospital ER. Patients may stay up to 23 hours.

Clinical Services: Provides important services to those in need of immediate crisis intervention and stabilization. Designed to prevent psychiatric hospitalizations.

Length of Stay: stay of up to 23 hours Skills & Transition: The CSU will help clients to stabilize and will also provide referrals to other needed services. Transportation is provided as needed

Learn more about SBHG at: https://www.starsinc.com/stars-inc/

For Additional Information: [e-mail]

Join an organization dedicated to improving lives and supporting those facing mental health and behavioral challenges. At Stars Behavioral Health Group, we are seeking passionate professionals ready to make a lasting, positive impact on children, youth, families, and adults across California. As a leading statewide provider, SBHG brings together over 2,000 professionals across 70+ specialized programs and 60+ locations, delivering compassionate care to more than 40,000 individuals each year.

We are committed to diversity as we believe exceptional care begins with a diverse team. SBHG is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive work environment that celebrates LGBTQ+, cultural, racial, and ethnic diversity across every level of our organization.