POSITION: Youth Peer Support Specialist

START DATE: ASAP

FTE: 1

Riverview Center For Growth is seeking a Youth Peer Support Specialist to join our peer support team!

The Youth Peer Support Specialist will be responsible for providing peer-to-peer support services to clients ages 13-25. A Youth Peer Support Specialist has lived experience using mental health services and has navigated other systems, such as: juvenile justice, addiction and recovery, wraparound, housing, education, DHS, foster care, etc.

In this position, the Youth Peer Support Specialist will utilize their lived experience and specialized training to collaborate with, coach and empower individuals to view their life situations as an opportunity for growth and change. The Youth Peer Support Specialist will work with youth/young adults to move toward self –advocacy in reaching their own culturally-specific life goals. The Youth Peer Support Specialis will accomplish this through direct support of youth/young adults as a peer mentor relationship, collaborating with care teams and providers as a co-advocate with the youth/young adult, and exploring resources and activities that promote skill building and positive community connections. The Youth Peer Support Specialist functions as a role model by demonstrating competency in recovery, treatment and ongoing coping skills.

JOB DUTIES:

• Provide peer support to youth/young adults to help them navigate the system(s) they participate in such as mental health, education, addiction/recovery, juvenile justice, Oregon Youth Authority, foster care, etc.
• Meet youth where they are at. Engage with participants in-person, by phone, video, text/chat, and travel to attend one-on-one visits and activities in the community
• Provide culturally responsive assistance and resources to each participant utilizing evidence-based practices
• Empower young people to advocate for themselves, identify and set goals, and implement achievable steps towards reaching them
• Refer to community-based resources, support, care, and activities
• Organize and facilitate communication regarding support, resources, and crisis intervention alongside the youth/young adult as it may apply
• Act as a bridge between service providers and peers by advocating for treatment and improving relations, assist youth/young adults in receiving services that meet their goals, and role-model effective problem-solving skills
• Work collaboratively with program teams and care providers
• Track mileage for community-based services
• Document visits, notes and contacts in electronic health records (EHR). Will train on EHR.
• Maintain the on-site food pantry and clothing closet, including food pick up from Food for Lane County, processing clothing donations, and stocking / organizing the spaces. This is a rotating responsibility within the peer support team.
• Attend weekly staff meetings, meet with supervisor regularly and meet with peer coach monthly
• As a mandatory reporter, document and report cases of abuse or neglect to supervisor and the Oregon Department of Human Services

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Have an understanding of peer-support and youth advocacy, and the ability to discuss it intelligently with parents, caregivers, and professionals.
• Be highly organized and self-directed.
• Have strong time management skills - scheduling client appointments, maintaining a meeting schedule, submitting documentation on time.
• Be a strong verbal communicator.
• Ability to document service notes.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Capacity to communicate and work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Ability to use discretion and maintain confidentiality regarding sensitive client and agency information
• Proficiency in the use of computers, phones and electronic health record software. (i.e. Microsoft Office, Word, and Excel and Zoom, and Google applications such as Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Meet, and Google Calendar)

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum of a high school diploma or GED required.
• Age 18-27 years old (a certified Youth Peer Support Specialist cannot be more than 30 years old)
• Meet the definition of a Peer as defined by the State of Oregon Administrative Rule: a self-identified person currently or formerly receiving mental health services; OR a self-identified individual in recovery from a substance use disorder who meets the abstinence requirements for recovering staff in substance use disorders treatment and recovery programs; OR a family member of an individual who is a current or former recipient of addictions or mental health services.
• Driving is essential for this position. Must have a valid driver's license, reliable vehicle, and sufficient car insurance to transport clients.
• Hold a Peer Support Specialist or Peer Wellness Specialist certification from a state-approved training program OR be qualified and willing to become certified immediately (The Child Center can offer support with this training requirement)
• Must be able to lift 25 pounds.
• Must pass a criminal and abuse background check.

To Apply: Please submit a Cover Letter stating your LIVED EXPERIENCE and Resume to this job ad. Additionally, please apply with a formal application at www.riverviewgrowth.org

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $38,000.00 - $40,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Application Question(s):

• Do you meet the requirements of the Oregon Administrative Rules regarding lived experience (a self-identified person currently or formerly receiving mental health services; OR a self-identified individual in recovery from a substance use disorder who meets the abstinence requirements for recovering staff in substance use disorders treatment and recovery programs)
• Do you meet the requirements for age for a Youth Peer Support as required by the Oregon Administrative Rules? (18-27 years old)
• Do you have a valid driver's license with a clean driving record and personal transportation?

Work Location: In person