Forensic Peer Support Specialist - Volunteer Opportunity

The mission of Behavioral Treatment Services is to provide accessible, integrated, and inclusive behavioral health services supporting clients throughout the criminal justice system. Behavioral Treatment Services provides a continuum of specialized adult offender substance abuse and mental health treatment. Being a part of the BTS team means being a part of the forefront of Colorado’s behavioral health and criminal justice programs and initiatives. Our goal as an agency is to provide a space toward client healing, to reduce criminal recidivism, assist clients in working towards personal growth, and collaborating with the system and client to work towards mutually agreeable goals.


Behavioral Treatment Services provides a continuum of specialized adult offender substance abuse and mental health treatment to those involved in the criminal and social services systems, including community corrections.

Overview: Provides individual peer support, drawing on common experiences as a peer, to validate participants’ experiences and to provide guidance and encouragement to clients to take responsibility and actively participate in their own recovery process.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Helps clients identify, understand, and combat stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness, substance use, among other concerns, and develop strategies to reduce self-stigma.
• Helps other team members to identify and understand culture-wide stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness and substance use and works to develop strategies to address stigma within the group.
• Maintains a work environment that is marked by respect for others; that values inclusiveness, and that fosters cooperation and teamwork.
• Appropriately responds to crises as they arise and, in a trauma-informed manner.
• Solicits, listens and responds to client feedback about services.
• Assist participants in problem solving courts from initial entry, until after completion of the problem solving model.
• Works to create a supportive working environment that encourages trauma-informed and culturally competent interactions that build collaboration and create a kind and respectful atmosphere.
• Provides group peer support, drawing on common experiences as a peer, to validate clients’ experiences and to provide guidance and encouragement to clients to take responsibility and actively participate in their own recovery.
• Provides information and assists clients in skill-building activities, including Wellness Recovery and Action Planning (WRAP), goal setting, and problem-solving.
• Maintains and ensures confidentiality of all client information.
• Attends required meetings and regular supervision, focusing on mastering the core competencies of the Peer Support Specialist profession.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent required, some college preferred
• Peer Support Specialist initial training
• Excellent communications and interpersonal skills
• Ability to enter data into variety of computer software
• Ability to remain calm in stressful situations

Preferred Additional Qualifications:

• Experience providing substance abuse treatment to adult offenders;
• Familiar with evidence-based treatment models;
• Specialty court knowledge 

In addition to this rewarding, meaningful, and exciting work, we offer:

• BTS is a qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
• Paid peer support specialist exam
• PSS trainings
• PSS supervision and mileage reimbursement

**This is a volunteer opportunity

Location: Golden, CO

Click here to learn more about BTS or go to www.btxs.org/employment

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