Position Details

Outreach Support/Care Coordinator

Department: Outreach Services
Schedule: M-F 8-5
Pay Range: $20 to $23 per hour (DOE/DOQ)
Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week

Benefits:

  • Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
  • Vacation, Sick Leave, Float Days & Paid Holidays
  • 403(b) Retirement Plan
  • Life Insurance
  • Long Term Disability
  • Wellness Program
  • Employee Assistant Program
  • LifeFlight Membership
  • Education Allowance

JOB PURPOSE:  The Program Peer Outreach Support/Care Coordinator position is critical to the REAL Program. The main role of the Peer Outreach Support/Care Coordinator includes outreach, engagement, and intensive coordination support to individuals referred by law enforcement, community-based organizations, emergency medical services, and other individuals and organizations who might encounter an individual who would benefit from the support of the program. The REAL Program Peer Outreach Support/Care Coordinator will provide direct coordination support to a caseload of approximately 20-25 individuals. The REAL Program Peer Outreach Support/Care Coordinator primarily works to ensure that participant needs are being met, as indicated by the individual. REAL Peer Outreach Support/Care Coordinator may be assisting outreach and referral staff to ensure immediate field-based response when a referral is made.


ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Provide outreach and intensive coordination support for assigned participants.
  • Engage participants at the referral location, on the street and at social service provider facilities to establish a working relationship and offer support.
  • Develop trusting relationships with participants, promoting a sense of self-direction and self-advocacy, and helping the participant plan how they will successfully manage their life.
  • Engaging individuals through outreach, trusting relationships and individually tailored coordination support and outreach.
  • Use his or her own lived experience of recovery from addiction, plus skills learned in formal training to deliver services to program participants.
  • Identify and initiate referrals based on severity of behavioral health needs (including substance use, mental health, or co-occurring needs), housing status and determine needs for other services, e.g., medical, social, relational.
  • Develop and implement, with the participant's input, an Individual Intervention Plan (IIP) which addresses the needs of the participant for food, clothing, shelter, health care, mental health, and substance use disorder treatment or reduction/elimination of drug/alcohol use through self-change methods.

        i.  Update this Plan periodically to reflect:

            1. Movement toward or attainment of articulated goals and

            2. Emergence of new participant needs and

            3. Assistance needed to help the participant move toward the achievement of autonomy.

  • Develop and maintain positive collaborative working relationship with other social services providers, navigator-like programs, crisis stabilization facilities, crisis responders, evaluation and treatment facility staff, DSHS workers, substance use disorder treatment providers, mental health providers, health care providers, shelter providers, landlords, harm reduction resources, withdrawal management program, protective or representative payees, DCYF, and other community programs which may support participants.
  • Provide structured Intensive Coordination Support consistent with program policies.
  • Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with local partners including local law enforcement and fire departments.
  • Advocate for the participant with a wide variety of other service providers:
  • Assist in development of self-advocacy skills development.
  • Accompany participants to appointments as needed.
  • Assist participants in gaining entry into service programs.
  • Assist participants in gaining access to a variety of funding programs (e.g., SSI, Medicaid, Medicare, VA).
  • Assist participants in developing a spending plan and in shopping.
  • Provide advocacy and support for participants within the criminal justice system including court appearances and written communication.
  • Develop relationships with housing resources and assist the participant in gaining access to appropriate housing.
  • Assist participants in finding housing and maintaining occupancy.
  • Identifying gaps and barriers in available community resources and advocating for systemic changes.
  • Provide outreach, screening, and referral to ensure team flexibility.

SECONDARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Attend regularly scheduled the REAL program Operational Work Group (OWG) meetings and the staffing of participants with partners.
  • Attend REAL program team meetings, training, and regional/state required meetings as requested.
  • Collect and provide data related to the individuals referred to the program and provide data to the REAL program Project Manager.
  • Develop and maintain participant files for assigned caseload according to program, contract, and state requirements.
  • Attend stakeholder work groups and committees to represent the experiences and needs of program participants.
  • Perform relevant clinical and administrative tasks according to agency policies.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in utilization of the agency's electronic database.
  • Performs other duties as assigned or requested.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS:

  • Demonstrate understanding of, and commitment to, LEAD's Core Principles (www.leadbureau.org):

       o  Voluntary Participation

       o  Community Based Program

       o  Harm Reduction Framework

       o  Participant-identified and Driven

       o  Intensive Case Management

       o  Peer Outreach and Counseling

       o  Trauma-Informed Approach

       o  Culturally Competent Services

  • Demonstrate ability providing street-based outreach and engagement services to vulnerable populations. Street outreach requires the ability to easily navigate city streets on foot and tolerate a variety of weather conditions. Street outreach experience preferred.
  • Demonstrate experience developing positive, collaborative relationships with law enforcement and social services providers to effectively serve mutual individuals.
  • Understand substance use disorders and harm reduction strategies along with a passion for serving individuals experiencing homelessness and those with behavioral health needs.
  • Understand and adhere to state and federal confidentiality regulations.
  • Conduct self ethically and professionally at all times.
  • Maintain accurate, timely chart information in compliance with funding sources while also meeting agency quality assurance guidelines.
  • Meets attendance and punctuality standards necessary for effective program participant care.

REQUIRED EDUCATION, LICENSE(S), CERTIFICATION, AND EXPERIENCE:

Education:   Minimum High School Diploma/GED

Licensure:   Agency Affiliated Counselor registration (with agency assistance)

                   Certified Peer Support Specialist credential within 6 months of hire (with agency assistance)

Experience:  Must be a person who is in recovery from a substance use disorder for at least the last two consecutive years

Other:  Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license and a satisfactory and insurable driving record to be able to drive company vehicles

Additional requirements:

  • Must be able to pass a pre-employment drug test and background check
  • Must be able to provide vaccination records for MMR, Hep B, Tdap and recent flu shot

PREFERRED ADDITIONAL CREDENTIALS / EXPERIENCE:

  • Has an understanding of Peer Support's ethical and practice guidelines to include, being open minded, recovery oriented, hopeful, respectful, empathetic, strengths focused, and person centered.  


KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

  • Ability to identify coping strategies and supports to assist program participants in the development of recovery values and principles.
  • Ability to elicit client choice and support a participant driven program.
  • Ability to identify program participant capabilities regarding level of engagement and readiness for change.
  • Ability to assist clients with the development of recovery values and principles.
  • Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and ability to present to diverse audiences, specifically racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse communities.
  • Ability to flex communication style to multiple cultural environments.
  • Ability to use sound judgments in intervention, support services, and problem solving.
  • Ability to multitask and effectively manage a caseload of individuals with diverse needs.
  • Strong knowledge of community resources.
  • Ability to advocate effectively with community partners.
  • Willing and able to work independently and as a team.
  • Must have competence using computer, photocopier, fax machine, smartphone and entering data into electronic database.
  • Ability to be in rotation for 24/7 on-call response to referrals.
  • Ability to flex schedule when necessary to accommodate special program needs.

NATURE AND SCOPE:

Physical Demands:

  • Moderate physical effort (lift/carry up to 25 lbs.)
  • Occasional sitting/standing/walking.
  • Occasionally lifts supplies and equipment.
  • Maintains Universal Precautions and uses barriers (gloves, masks, aprons, goggles) appropriately in all potential exposures to body fluids.
  • Although the typical workday is during normal business hours, some evening and weekend hours may be required.

Cognitive Skills:

  • Able to elicit the client's history of satisfaction and dissatisfaction with services, including medications.
  • Able to assist clients with improving family communication and involvement in treatment when possible and appropriate.
  • Ability to assess the client's understanding of his or her illness, medications, and other treatment.
  • Good verbal and written communication skills.

Working Environment:

  • May be exposed to infections and contagious diseases.
  • Occasionally exposed to patients exhibiting assaultive behaviors.
  • Works in both office and community-based settings including client homes.

Working Demands:

  • Frequent pressure due to schedule demands.
  • Contact with clients under a wide variety of circumstances.
  • Subject to varying and unpredictable situations.
  • Handles emergency or crisis situations.
  • Subject to irregular work hours


Principal Challenges:

  • Adopts an approach guided by service recipients' needs and desires.
  • Able to foster and support self-advocacy.
  • Manages personal stress so that on-the-job activities are not negatively impacted.


*Peninsula Behavioral Health does not discriminate because of a person's presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, race, creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity including transgender status, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth, and pregnancy-related conditions, age (40), honorably discharged veteran or military status, or use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, state employee or health care whistleblower status.