Peer Support Specialist

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement plan

Paid Time Off accrual

Cell phone discounts

Tickets at Work discounts

Headspace subscription

Employee Assistance Program

Student loan forgiveness programs

Job summary

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD in Texas seeks a Peer Support Specialist to provide outreach, coaching, and linkage to care for individuals facing mental health and substance use challenges.

You will collaborate with OD2A and SUDOP teams, travel locally by personal vehicle, and apply trauma-informed, person-centered approaches to empower recovery in diverse community settings.

Qualifications

• Must have lived experience with mental health services.
• Must have strong interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Bilingual ability is a strong plus (English/Spanish).

Responsibilities

• Interacts with the community, colleagues, and patients following trauma-informed principles.
• Develops relationships to empower consumers and promote recovery.
• Demonstrates ethical conduct in all professional activities.
• Encourages attendance at consumer meetings and support groups.
• Practices Standard Precautions and maintains safety in care settings.
• Delivers care with appropriate age and cultural competence.
• Coaches peers about recovery.

Skills

Trauma-informed care

Peer support

Bilingual (EN/Spanish)

Community outreach

Ethical conduct

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Peer Specialist certification within 90 days

Job description

Brief Description

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD ("The HARRIS CENTER") is looking for a Peer Support Specialist to join our team. The Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) Peer Support Specialist provides direct outreach care services to consumers who meet criteria for the (OD2A) local grant subcontracted from Harris County Public Health. The Peer Specialist works collaboratively with the Substance Use Disorder Outreach Program (SUDOP) to promote and encourage entry of eligible individuals to mental health, medical, and substance use services. This position is responsible for supporting consumers. Support includes listening, encouraging, coaching, empowering and linkage to care, risk reduction services, and resources that suit that individual’s recovery needs. This role assists in the recovery process. The OD2A Peer Support Specialist conducts outreach and engagement to eligible population in a variety of settings in the community not limited to homeless encampments, shelters, drug treatment facilities.

This position requires local travel via personal vehicle, with travel reimbursement and flexible hours.

Your Role In Action

• Interacts with the community, colleagues, and patients by following the key principles of a trauma informed approach (i.e., safety, trustworthiness, transparency, peer support, empowerment, voice and choice, culture, history, gender)
• Develops relationships by providing support and encouragement that will enhance consumer's ability to act against the problem instead of being controlled.
• Demonstrates ethical conduct in all professional activities.
• Always takes responsibility for personal recovery, and models self-responsibility.
• Encourages consumers to attend consumer meetings/support groups and supports their effort.
• Utilizes Standard Precautions appropriately and participates in monitoring to prevent the spread of infection.
• Supports an environment that is environmentally and technically safe while providing care.
• Delivers care with appropriate age and cultural competence to specific patient populations according to individualized needs.
• Complies with Agency policies and procedures and SUDOP Operating Guidelines
• Coach peers about recovery.

Education

• High School Diploma or general education degree (GED).
• If not certified as a Peer Specialist, certification must be obtained within 90 days of employment

Experience

• Must self-identify as a user of Mental Health Services with no crisis services utilized within a year, and no hospitalization within a year. May consider one stay within a year if it was a short duration.
• Must have at least a 12 months treatment history of one of the severe and persistent mental illnesses.
• Background check is required.
• Preferred experience effectively collaborating and advocating alongside youth.

Other Key Requirements

• Valid Texas Driver’s License required.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Have personal lived experience navigating behavioral health systems and juvenile justice system. Demonstrate strong interpersonal communications skills and the ability to empathize, with, relate to and effectively collaborate with youth and team members. Demonstrate a strong understanding of boundaries and principles of self-care. Have the willingness to disclose their lived experience, where appropriate, for the purpose of empowerment. Basic understanding of mental illness, common signs, symptoms, and the ability to identify difficulties coping in community settings. Bi-lingual is a strong plus. Group affiliations a strong plus; i.e., NAMI, DBSA, AA, NA, etc.
• Must have basic understanding of mental illness and able to identify common signs and symptoms. Must have strong communication skills, listening and interpersonal skills. Written documentation must be clear, concise, and well-constructed. Must be able to work respectfully and maintain professional boundaries with other disciplines. Must have effective time management and organizational skills. Must be able to enter required documentation into a database and online medical record. Must have good written and spoken communication skills in English

What We Have To Offer

The Harris Center not only offers a competitive salary but also a suite of excellent benefits designed to enrich your life both professionally and personally. Imagine a future with a robust retirement plan complemented by our generous company matching - a testament to our investment in your long-term financial well-being. Experience the unique advantage of our prior service credit, accelerating your journey towards a more substantial Paid Time Off accrual, empowering you to enjoy well-deserved breaks. Enjoy Cell Phone Discounts, exclusive entertainment deals through Tickets at Work, and a free Headspace subscription for mental wellness. Additionally, our Employee Assistance Program supports your overall well-being. Take advantage of significant financial relief through student loan forgiveness as a valued member of The Harris Center team. As a qualifying entity, our employees are eligible for various student loan forgiveness programs, designed to alleviate the financial burdens associated with higher education.

What Else You Should Know

• This posting is associated with position #50355

About Us

The Harris Center is the state-designated Local Mental Health Authority and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Authority serving Harris County, Texas. As the largest behavioral and developmental disability care center in Texas, The Harris Center provides care to over 90,000 people and has an annual budget of over $300 million. As part of its mission to transform the lives of people with behavioral health and IDD needs in the third largest county in the United States, The Harris Center provides a full continuum of services at 80 different sites across Harris County. In addition, services are provided in more than 40 different languages as well as sign language in order to better serve what is one of the largest communities in the nation. By utilizing the unique expertise of its more than 2,500 employees, The Harris Center is committed to meeting the behavioral health and IDD needs of Harris County residents and giving them hope to live to their fullest potential. Contributes to suicide care and prevention by embracing our values and applying a trauma-informed approach rooted in safety, trust, choice, collaboration, and empowerment.