Position Summary:

The Trauma Informed Peer Specialty (TIPS) program will blanket the City of Philadelphia with population health focused and trauma informed peer services. The Trauma Informed Peer Specialist position will work as part of a specialty workforce of Certified Peer Specialists, Certified Recovery Specialists, Community Autism Peer Specialists, Community Health Workers, and Certified Family Peer Support Specialists to address the growing needs of those in Philadelphia who have been impacted by multiple layers of trauma. This is a new model for reaching individuals in Philadelphia’s underserved communities and connecting them to appropriate resources and services. The connection and support provided in the highest at-risk neighborhoods would serve multiple purposes, including on the ground wellness support, connection to treatment, and inviting those with trauma lived experiences to become peers themselves, providing economic opportunity and further infusing their communities with this much-needed support. TIPS peers will be deployed to the most trauma impacted neighborhoods in Philadelphia, many of whom will have come from those impacted communities.

This position will be focused on communities in Philadelphia at risk of experiencing multiple incidents of trauma; specifically: (1) communities impacted by high rates of gun violence, and (2) immigrant and refugee communities. This position may work more than 50% out of the office and in various culturally diverse communities.

This is a grant-funded position through December 2027. Additional funding will be sought to extend the position, but funding cannot be guaranteed.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Attend community meetings and develop targeted community partnerships.
• Assist individuals in the community with identil3’ing recovery and wellness resources within the community.
• Assist with identifying bathers and identifies appropriate support system and trainings.
• Provide information and aid in accessing supports on community agencies.
• Make recommendations to supervisor regarding the needs of the community.
• Participate in training and in-service opportunities to enhance knowledge of DBHIDS and wellness and behavioral health resources at the community level.
• Organize and assist in preparing outreach materials and maintain documentation of encounters.
• Present at various workshops and events in the community partnered with DBHIDS.
• Attend and support peer professional development networking meetings.
• Assist in skill development of DBHJDS/PCCI interns and peer volunteers.
• Organize and facilitate peer focus groups.
• Work a flexible schedule that allows for evening and weekend hours as needed.
• Provide monthly written reports.
• Duties not otherwise specified.

Skills Required: 

• Provide and advocate for effective recovery-based services, teach techniques for identifying strengths-based supports.
• Attend networking meetings to provide support and information on peer services and wellness initiatives.
• Support staff in identifying environments that are conducive to wellness and recovery.
• Lend unique insight into wellness.
• Coordinate and communicate with team and department staff to discuss ongoing issues regarding access and treatment.
• Knowledgeable of behavioral health systems transformation, peer culture in Philadelphia, and the Peer Support Toolkit.
• Understanding of the Philadelphia Transformation Practice Guidelines for Recovery and Resilience Oriented Behavioral Health Services.
• Knowledge of community resources, peer culture principles and practices, the meaning and role of peer support at each stage in the recovery process, definition of dynamics of recovery, and the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP).
• Ability to interact with staff and people at all levels in a fast-paced environment, sometimes under pressure, remaining flexible, proactive, resourceful, and efficient, with a high level of professionalism.
• Good written communication skills.
• Able to work well independently and within a team.
• Good verbal skills that will be required to conduct presentations, surveys, telephone contacts and focus groups.
• Any equivalent combination of education and community engagement experience determined to be acceptable.
• Individuals who have prior lived or professional experience working with multicultural/multilingual groups are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Demonstrating sensitivity to mental health and substance use challenges.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Education and Experience: 

• Minimum of a high school diploma or GED.
• Individuals who are bi-literate or bilingual in the following languages are strongly encouraged to apply (Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, Haitian Creole, Arabic. or Spanish).
• Current certification as a Certified Peer Specialist (CPS), Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS). Certified Community Health Worker (CHW) or other related peer certification by the Pennsylvania Certification Board (PCB) is preferred but not required (newly hired individuals in this position will be required to obtain certification within the first year).
• Obtain Trauma Informed Peer Support certificate of competency once training is developed.

Essential Functions:

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for at least one hour at a time
• Frequently operate computer and other office productivity machinery such as copier and printers
• Transportation or able to navigate public transportation and Philadelphia neighborhoods
• Ability to work a flexible work schedule that may require weekend and evening work at various locations citywide
• Ability to share their story of recovery and hope in public settings

Equal Opportunity Employment:

PMHCC. Inc. is committed to equal opportunity. It is our policy to support equal employment for all employees and applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual preferences, age, national origin, disability, behavioral health status, military status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Americans with Disabilities Act: 

Employees as well as applicants who are currently, or become disabled, must be able to perform the functions of the job with either reasonable accommodation or unaided. PMHCC, Inc. will examine reasonable accommodations on a case by case basis in accordance with the law.