Peer Support HRSA

WestCare; Bullhead City (AZ); On-site; USD 21,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

WestCare Foundation is seeking a Peer Support Specialist to empower individuals in recovery by sharing lived experiences and guiding them toward their treatment goals. The role emphasizes collaboration with a care team and community-based support to improve health outcomes.

You will assist in navigating services, facilitate peer groups, and help clients develop strategies to communicate with providers and access housing and benefits, while maintaining confidentiality and ethical standards.

Qualifications

• Must have behavioral health lived experience.
• Strong reading, written and verbal communication.
• Computer literate; able to type and manage documents.

Responsibilities

• Encourages and empowers clients to reach treatment goals.
• Facilitates psychoeducational peer groups and life skills activities.
• Collaborates with health team and participates in Care Team Meetings.
• Assists with intake/discharge planning and documentation.
• Supports client advocacy and navigation of benefits, housing, and essential services.

Skills

Lived experience

Communication skills

Computer literacy

Typing ability

Leadership advocacy

Bilingual desirable

Education

High School diploma

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Position Summary:Peer Support Services are a process of giving and receiving support and education from individuals with shared life experiences. Peer Services are provided by individuals in recovery from substance use, mental health and co-occurring disorders who use their lived experience as a tool to assist others by sharing their personal journeys and knowledge gained. Individuals engaged in peer services play a vital role in laying the foundation for sustained recovery. Peer Support Services provide strength-based supports for persons in or seeking recovery from behavioral health-related issues. The service offers a type of partnership where the person in or seeking recovery self directs his/her care while the Support Specialist provides expertise in supporting successful change. The Support Specialist focuses on achieving any goals important to the individual and asks questions and offers suggestions to help the person begin to take the lead in addressing their own needs. The practice focuses on honoring values and making principle-based decisions, creating a clear plan of action, and using current strengths to reach future goals. The Specialist serves as an accountability partner to help the person sustain his or her recovery and helps to access the systems needed to support the individual, such as disability benefits, health care, housing, etc.Essential Job Functions:Encourages, Inspires and empowers to reach treatment goalsCoordinates & facilitates psychoeducational peer groups related to removing environmental obstacles and improving healthy life skills and social connectedness including teaching relaxation and mindfulness strategiesWorks as part of a collaborative health team and participates in Care Team MeetingsAssists individuals in developing strategies to communicate with and advocate for themselves to adopt a proactive role in their own behavioral and physical healthInstructs about services provided to help them (e.g., availability of peer services, benefits, advanced directives, opportunities, clients rights process)Mentors in the recovery process (e.g., reassures to the reality of recovery, assists with increasing personal empowerment, helps set & achieve goals)Provides information & assists with applying for supplemental programs such as housingAssists people with completing forms; develops services & supports to identify service & support gaps for individuals with mental health or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders; participates on treatment teams with person’s consent;Collaborates to assist with intake/discharge planning (e.g., conducts intake & discharge surveys, facilitates exit interviews)Monitors satisfactionCompletes and submits documentation as determined by the Director of Peer ServicesProvides support and encouragement to family membersMeet individuals where they are in the community and transport individuals to appointments as neededEmbraces and embody the mission, vision, guiding principles, clinical vision and goals of WestCare Foundation; andPerforms all other duties as assignedEssential Qualifications:Certifications/Licenses:Possession of a valid Driver’s License and ability to qualify for WC vehicle insuranceAbility to obtain peer support certification (1 year sobriety)Have a current or the ability to obtain Level I fingerprint clearance card through a federal background check.Education:High School Diploma or equivalent.Experience and Competencies:Experience and Competencies:Must have behavioral health lived experienceMust be 18 Years of age or olderStrong reading comprehension, written and oral communication skillsComputer literate, ability to type and manage Microsoft officeDemonstrated experience with leadership advocacy or governanceBilingual would be an assetA minimum of one year without receiving in-patient and/or intensive treatment servicesA minimum of one year without involvement with law enforcementA minimum of 6 months in stable and safe housingA minimum of 6 months of stable employment or active enrollment in educational settingContinues to participate in support groups and/or behavioral health networksMust provide 3 letters of referenceAdherence to the highest standard of ethical conduct, especially to standards governing confidentiality; andProfessional appearance and demeanor.