JOB TITLE: Peer Support Specialist
DIVISION: Counseling Center
SUPERVISOR: Clinical Supervisor
CLASSIFICATION: Non-Exempt / Full-Time

LOCATION: Riverside Office-A Coming of Age FFA & Counseling Center

COMPENSATION: $18.00 - $20.00 per hour

ORGANIZATION MISSION STATEMENT:

To serve as a bridge between dependency, reunification and permanency for children and their families in the foster care system.

JOB SUMMARY

The Peer Support Specialist is a part/full-time, non-exempt position that provides services and support to children/youth between the ages of 0 and 21 who participate and are served by A Coming of Age Foster Family Agency & Counseling Center's Children System of Care contract. Peer Support Specialists provide a combination of services and support that include an emphasis on developing individual goals and priorities, including mental health and independent living skills and goals. Peer Support Specialists engage children/youth and assist in developing the skills and qualities needed to increase self-sustainability and independence.

· Peer Support Specialists will have at minimum a High School Diploma with proven skills to work with children/youth and family/ caregivers.

· Peer Support Specialists will have lived and stabilized experience within mental health.

· The ability to pass a thorough background investigation (i.e., Criminal Record Clearance, Child Abuse Index and FBI Background Check).

· Certified as a Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist (Preferred)

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

· Involvement and participation within supervision with Clinical Supervisor.

· Engage, inspire, and facilitate meaningful conversations with children/ youth that support the individual to explore, create, and meet goals.

· Train, equip, and empower children/ youth and family/ caregivers within client need.

· Facilitate groups with children/ youth and family/ caregivers within client need.

· Communicate, represent, and promote children/ youth and family/ caregiver's perspective within the mental health system.

· Attend and participate in special events, conferences, and workshops/ trainings within the mental health system and within the community.

· Develop activities, programs, and resources that support children/ youth and family/ caregivers within achieving client goals.

· Support and recognize, accept, and seek to understand social and multi-cultural factors within the provision of mental health services and support.

· Develop a collaborative and working relationship with agencies and organizations to advocate for individual and family/ caregiver empowerment.

· Participate in Child Family Team Meetings (CFTMs) and formal and informal hearings with clients and family/ caregivers.

· Assist individuals and family/ caregivers to articulate needs.

· Attendance within networking events and activities to support client need. · Monitor satisfaction within mental health services and support received.

· Documentation of all client contact and client care plan activities.

· Usage of technology in a proficient manner

· Work independently and within a collaborative treatment team.

· Directly assist children/ youth and family/ caregivers in the utilization of community resources.

· Provide education and information to children/ youth, family/caregivers, and the community.

· Provide basic information, training, support, encouragement, advocacy, service effectiveness assessment and related services in order to assist the children/ youth and family/caregiver in coping with immediate situations.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Peer Support Specialists shall work in a non-hostile work office environment. The Peer Support Specialists is expected not to engage in any activity that unreasonably interferes with performance of any other employee, such as sexual harassment, unlawful discrimination or any other behavior that unduly demeans or intimidates another employee. As an essential function of this position, the Peer Support Specialist must be able to handle levels of stress satisfactorily and be congenial with other employees, clients, and other agencies at all times. Work environments vary from a climate controlled office setting to working outdoors with temperatures ranging from mild/moderate to extreme cold/heat.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. The following lists physical demands an employee will perform on a regular basis:

· Hearing and speaking to communicate within normal range, give directions to small or large groups of people and exchange information in person and on the telephone.

· Read printed material and computer screens.

· Ability to conduct a verbal conversation in English or other designated language.

· Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard and other office equipment.

· Ability to push and pull objects up to (40) pounds.

· Ability to carry up to ten (10) pounds frequently, and twenty (20) pounds occasionally.

· Ability to lift up to ten (10) pounds frequently, and twenty (20) pounds occasionally.

· Ability to exhibit a full range of motion for shoulder, elbow, back, hip and knee.

· Ability to sit for extended periods of time, stand, stoop, kneel, bend, climb, and walk.
Ability to climb stairs, slopes, steps, ramps, and ladders.

· Ability to work in a wide range of weather conditions.

· Kneeling, bending at the waist and reaching overhead above the shoulders and horizontally to retrieve and store files and supplies.

· Ability to operate a motor vehicle in a safe and effective manner.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $18.00 - $20.00 per hour

Ability to Commute:

• Riverside, CA (Required)

Work Location: In person