Peer Support Specialist - Pendleton Place - Full Time
Hiring Range: $20.07 - $24.58 per hour

Benefits:

• Comprehensive and generous health, dental and vision benefits
• Up to 19 days of PTO, 2 mental health days and 9 paid holidays your first year (pro-rated for part-time)
• Company paid short-term disability, long-term disability and life insurance
• Student loan payment assistance and extensive training
• An incredible team approach that is dynamic and collaborative

Description

The Peer Support Specialist (Pendleton Place) has experience as a recipient of mental health services for severe and persistent mental illness and is willing to use and share his or her personal, practical experience, knowledge, and first-hand insight to benefit the team and its clients.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Draw on common experiences as a peer to validate clients’ experience and to provide guidance and encouragement for clients to take responsibility and participate in their own recovery. Promote hope and empowerment designed to help clients attain recovery goals and maintain the highest possible level of independence, even during periods of instability.
• Housing: Assists clients to maintain a safe and affordable place to live, landlord negotiations, cleaning, furnishing and decorating, and procuring necessities. Provides practical help and supports, mentoring, advocacy, coordination, side-by-side individualized support, problem solving, direct assistance and supervision to help clients obtain the necessities of daily living.
• Employment: Assists with referrals to job training, Foundation Community Supports’ Supported Employment Program, and DVR. Provides work-related supportive services, such as assistance securing necessary clothing and grooming supplies, wake-up calls, reasonable accommodation requests as needed and transportation.
• Activities of Daily Living Services: Provides ongoing assessment, problem solving, side-by-side services, skill teaching, support, and environmental adaptations to assist clients with activities of daily living. Assists and supports clients to organize and perform household activities, including house cleaning and laundry. Assists and supports clients with personal hygiene and grooming tasks.
• Social and Interpersonal Relationships and Leisure Time: Provides side-by-side support, coaching and encouragement to help clients socialize, going with a client to community activities, including activities offered by consumer-run peer support organizations.
• Maintains appropriate professional boundaries while balancing the sometimes-conflicting demands of being both a peer to clients and an employee of the agency. Seeks appropriate clinical supervision where necessary, particularly around boundary issues.

Minimum Qualifications:

This position requires driving clients in a personal vehicle on behalf of the agency; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a motor vehicle history check, possess and maintain a current, valid driver's license in the state of Washington, and have reliable, insured transportation.

LICENSURE: Agency Affiliated Counselor Registration. Completion of the Washington State Mental Health Division’s Peer Counselor Training and the subsequent certification as a Peer Counselor within six months of employment.

Preferred Qualifications: