What are the responsibilities and job description for the HOST Peer Specialist position at DESC?
Job Title: Peer Specialist
Days Off: Saturday, Sunday
Pay Range: $22.48 - $24.82 per hour
Shift: Office Day
Insurance Benefits: Dental, Life, Long-term Disability, Medical
Other Benefits: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), ORCA card subsidy, Paid Time Off (34 days per year), Retirement Plan
Pay Range: $22.48 - $24.82 per hour
Shift: Office Day
Insurance Benefits: Dental, Life, Long-term Disability, Medical
Other Benefits: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), ORCA card subsidy, Paid Time Off (34 days per year), Retirement Plan
Job Definition:
The Peer Specialist/Counselor is a member of multi-disciplinary team responsible for providing long-term case management services to adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses. Many of our consumers are homeless or were formerly homeless, many have co-occurring disorders, one half are minority group members, and most are male. Peer specialists/counselors are individuals who self-identify as persons with mental illness. They are well established in their own recovery and provide expertise that professional training cannot replicate. Peer specialists/counselors provide consultation to the team to promote a culture in which each client's point of view and preferences are recognized, understood, respected and integrated into treatment, recovery and community self-help activities.
Peer Counselor is a temporary position available to qualified individuals who have not yet obtained Washington State Peer Counselor certification. The goal for each individual hired into this position is to complete the Washington State Peer Counselor Training and obtain certification within 1 year of employment at DESC. Meeting this goal will enable Peer Counselors to move into the Certified Peer Specialist position.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Assist with monitoring and day-to-day operations of the consumer Drop-In Center as scheduled.
- Participate as a member of a multi-disciplinary team providing outreach, engagement and support of on-going case management services to housed and homeless mentally ill adults.
- Integrate personal experience with mental illness into work with program participants.
- Utilize a Recovery based approach to assist consumers to reach their fullest potential.
- Assist case managers in coordinating consumer supports and linkage. This includes facilitating access to food, clothing, hygiene services, medical care, community resources and services.
- Plan and facilitate consumer meetings with the purpose of eliciting consumer input regarding mental health program performance and to assure the consumer perspective is well-understood and reported back to the team and the Recovery Plan Review Group.
- Participate in the Bar Review Committee, crisis intervention and safety management tasks.
- Assist consumers with voicing their interests and goals through a variety of channels including: Goal Plans, Crisis Plans, WRAP and other methods of expressing individual preference for their recovery goals.
- Participate in the planning, organizing and co-facilitating of self-help and educational group treatment services for consumers served by the mental health program. These could be located at the drop-in or in housing program sites.
- Travel locally to outreach consumers in their homes, shelters, and in the community.
- Work with the case manager to stabilize and maintain consumers in housing. This encompasses a range of skills including modeling, teaching, coaching and assisting the consumer in the upkeep of their apartment.
- Work with case managers, employment staff, and clients, providing a role model and support for those clients interested in gaining and maintaining employment.
- Assess consumers ADL's (Activities of Daily Living), working with the case manager and housing CSS to plan for gaps in the consumers' skill base.
- Participate in psychiatric consultation, supervision, program meetings and in-service trainings; participate in clinical reviews and case conferences for consumers as scheduled.
- Comply with the agency's clinical accountability policies and procedures; maintain current and complete clinical and administrative records; participate in quality assurance reviews when assigned.
- Comply with applicable program research and evaluation procedures.
- Other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Personal experience with mental illness as a consumer of mental health treatment services.
- High school diploma or G.E.D. Experience working with mentally ill, homeless and/or substance abusers.
- Interest or experience in working with consumers who are difficult to engage and maintain in traditional mental health programs.
- Knowledge of Recovery focused, strengths based work in mental health.
- Ability to communicate and work effectively with consumers and staff from various backgrounds.
- Subscribe to the philosophy of cooperation and continuity across programs and of consideration and respect for consumers.
- Washington State Driver’s License and ability to drive small-medium passenger vans.
- Tolerance of unusual or unpleasant behavior.
- Acceptance of DESC harm reduction philosophy.
- Certification by the Washington State Peer Counselor Training Program (employees hired without this certification as peer counselors are expected to obtain it within 1 year of employment at DESC.)
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred.
- Bicultural background/experience and/or Qualified Minority Mental Health Specialist designation is helpful.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
DESC is committed to diversity in the workplace, and promotes equal employment opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The Agency will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability in any employment practice, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.
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