Department: Community Support Services

Pay Range: $20 to $23 per hour (DOE/DOQ)

Hours: 40/week, Mon-Fri, 8 AM-5 PM

Benefits:

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

JOB PURPOSE:   Provides supportive and educational activities that promote daily living skill development, socialization, recovery, self-advocacy, development of natural supports, post-crisis supports, transition/re-entry support and enhancement of community living skills. These activities are provided individually or in group settings. Many services are delivered in community-based settings away from mental health center sites. Services are provided by people who are recovering from behavioral health challenges themselves. This position includes peer support for the Jail Services Transition Program and the New Journeys Program.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Peer will engage with individuals currently in jail who are preparing to be released and re-enter the community. Provide peer support and follow them through their jail transition to ensure linkage to relevant services which support their path of recovery, up to 90 days post release.
• Provides peer counseling for New Journeys first episode psychosis clients; carries out rehabilitation and support functions and assists in treatment, education, and crisis intervention.
• Meet participants where they are physically and mentally at to engage in conversation and extend program offerings.
• Outreach and engagement to individuals who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of losing their housing; they will build rapport with the targeted population to provide peer support, encourage ongoing engagement, and facilitate linkage to services and resources that support the individual's needs.
• Develop trusting relationships with participants, promote a sense of self-direction and self-advocacy, and help the participant plan how they will successfully manage their life.
• Educating and informing individuals about resources in their community while teaching skills such as problem solving, goal setting, money management, symptom management, communication, and social skills.
• Identify individual-perceived barriers to discharge and assist in working through barriers while assuring the individual that they will be supported throughout the process.
• Plan, implement, and coordinate services required to meet the health and human service needs of identified clients, including housing, food, clothing, transportation, access to primary health care, psychiatric services, substance use treatment, and other services as identified.
• Follow-up with program participants in the community when there is indication of disengagement.
• 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.
• Support the individual in developing skills to facilitate trust-based relationships, develop strategies for maintaining wellness and develop skills to support relationships.
• Assist the Individual in developing a life structure, including skills for daily living such as visits to coffee shops, use of local transportation, opening a bank account, work effectively with a payee if needed, understand benefits, budget planning, shopping and meal preparation, access leisure activities, find a church or faith home, attain, and maintain housing, etc.
• Support the Individual in developing skills to schedule, track and attend appointments with providers.
• Explore supportive employment that aligns with recovery goals which may include connecting to additional training and education to help the individual become employable.
• Attend all required meetings and collaborate, as part of the New Journeys team, regarding treatment planning for identified participants.
• Attend all required meetings and collaborate with appropriate jail staff regarding transition plans for identified participants.
• Complete monthly/quarterly outcome reports in accordance with contract requirements for programs
• Maintain familiarity with and handle client information in accordance with Federal Regulations (42 CFR, Part 2), the Revised Code of Washington (RCW 71.05.390 and RCW 71.24), and other applicable laws pertaining to confidentiality of client and staff information.
• Maintains physical security of confidential materials and assigned Agency property.

SECONDARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Ability to work in a cooperative and collaborative manner as a team member with jail staff, Behavioral Health Agencies, MCO/SBH-ASO staff, and program participants.
• Attend program team meetings, trainings, and regional/state required meetings as requested and participate in program development.
• Collect and provide data points as required by program guidelines.
• Develop and maintain participant files for assigned caseload according to program, contract, and state requirements.
• Maintain a high standard of professional conduct through interactions with program participants, staff, and other community members.
• 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 the following principles:

       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 vulnerable populations. Street outreach requires the ability to easily navigate city streets on foot and tolerate a variety of weather conditions. Street outreach experience a plus.
• Demonstrate experience developing positive, collaborative relationships with law enforcement and social services providers to effectively serve mutual individuals.
• Has an understanding of substance use disorders and harm reduction strategies along with a demonstrated 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 has been in recovery for at least the last two consecutive years from a substance use disorder.

Other:  Valid Driver's License (must have 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, 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.
• Familiarity with the criminal court system.

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.
• Must have competence using computer, photocopier, fax machine, smartphone and entering data into electronic database.

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.