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Employment Requirement: City employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. All persons offered a position will be required to provide valid proof of vaccination prior to starting employment. Refer to the COVID-19 Employee Vaccination Mandate Candidate Q&A for additional information.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible because this posting may close without advanced notice.

NOTE: This is a time-limited position, with an end date of 8/31/22. The pay for this position is $21.28 - $25.00/per hour, based on education and experience.

Diversity in the City

The City and County of Denver is committed to cultivating a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion. This commitment is woven into our values and belief that we are strongest when we embrace and celebrate our differences. We aim to have employees who are as diverse as our residents, with different perspectives and unique ways of thinking. If you share these values and our enthusiasm for equity, we encourage you to apply to join our team.

The Denver Office of the Municipal Public Defender (OMPD) is seeking a Peer Navigator to expand the office’s new program, Denver’s Front Door to Procedural Justice, that provides support services for the indigent clients that the office represents. This program will use a collaborative approach with Outreach Case Coordinators, Peer Navigators, and a Behavioral Health Navigator. The Client Support Team provides wraparound services to OMPD clients, including behavioral health navigation, comprehensive case management and peer support to clients to improve engagement with mental health, substance misuse and other support services, to support reduced recidivism and improved court outcomes.

The Denver Office of the Municipal Public Defender is a comprehensive public defender office that is client-centered, independent, and innovative in representation of defendants who face jail time for violating municipal ordinances and traffic cases in the Denver County Court System. The office has been in operation since January 1, 2015 and is overseen by the City's Chief Municipal Public Defender. This office ensures that the City and County of Denver is on leading edge of other municipalities by providing quality in-house Public Defense services for indigent clients.

The Client Support Team serve as part of the defense team and are bound by the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct including rules regarding attorney-client privilege and client confidentiality. Peer Navigators perform duties and assume responsibilities for case assignments under the specific direction, instruction and guidance of the defense attorney.

The duties of the Peer Navigator will include, but will not be limited to:

• Performs outreach to build relationships with clients using a trauma informed peer support model, offer emotional support and/or crisis support from shared experiences focusing on connection, empowerment and validation, while maintaining appropriate boundaries with clients adhering to the International Association of Peer Supporters’ National Practice Standards.
• Facilitates Wellness Recovery Action Plan workshops with participants
• Actively participates in connecting clients to services by supporting the client to make phone calls, accompanying client to court and/or other appointments, and coordinating services with client in multiple systems as directed by the client with the goal of client empowerment. This may involve client education and advocacy as well as systems navigation.
• Monitors and tracks client’s participation and successes. Follows up on challenges that arise encouraging client to take personal responsibility for client identified tasks. Provides coordination of services across systems.
• Builds professional relationships and networks with community resources and service providers across systems for the populations served. Facilitates access to services with knowledge of eligibility and program requirements to ensure expedited and continued services and resources for client to succeed.
• Collaborates with multi-disciplinary team, including defense attorneys, outreach case coordinators, and a behavioral health navigator to support clients.
• Travels to individual locations, court, jails, other agencies, and community resources for the purpose of supporting and providing services to clients.
• Gathers and maintains data for grant reporting requirements, including documenting progress, client contacts, and updating case records.
• Assists attorneys with mitigation statements and improved court outcomes

About You

Our ideal candidate will have:

• Wellness Recovery Action Plan facilitator training, Peer Support Specialist Training, knowledge of SAMSHA’s 10 Guiding Principles of Recovery, National Practice Standards for Peer Supporters, and Trauma Informed Peer Support.
• Knowledge of the Denver Criminal Justice system, court processes, and public defense
• Bi-lingual in Spanish
• Passion for and experience working with people experiencing marginalization, including people who use substances, people living with mental health challenges, and people with unstable housing
• Excellent and diverse communication skills and comfortable working one-on-one with clients.
• Knowledge of mental health services, substance misuse services, reentry services, and community resources
• Complex Problem-solving skills, experience in de-escalation with conflict or when rapid response is needed. Prefer strong critical thinking and analytical skills that value empathy and compassion.
• Ability to work closely with the Client Support Team, which includes a Behavioral Health Navigator and Outreach Case Coordinators.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications and experience with data entry, case management tools, and court related data bases.
• Ability and desire to participate in continuing education

As part of your application, please include a cover letter that addresses the following:

• Description of your volunteer or professional experience providing peer support and navigation
• Knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide peer to peer navigation and support to clients involved in the criminal justice system

We realize your time is valuable so please do not apply if you do not have at least the following required minimum qualifications:

• Education Requirement: Graduation from high school or the possession of a GED, HiSET or TASC Certificate.
• Experience Requirement: One (1) year of experience providing peer support as a volunteer or professional.
• Education and Experience Equivalency: No substitution of education for experience is permitted.
• License/Certification Requirement: Requires a valid Driver's License at the time of application.

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The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.