PORTIA BELL HUME BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND TRAINING CENTER (aka The Hume Center) has a rewarding opportunity for a qualified Peer Specialist under the leadership of The Hume Center’s Clinical Program Manager. This is an exciting opportunity to help our organization to grow by continuing to develop this department.

MISSION: The Hume Center strives to create an environment of psychological well-being both internally for our work community and externally for the community we serve, with special consideration for the under- and un-served, through practicing an enabling consultation process. We believe in serving our community through strengthening existing and developing new resources; providing the highest caliber of culturally sensitive behavioral health services, professional training, and clinical research; and focusing on consistent improvement through outcomes, data-based quality assurance, and program evaluation.

DESCRIPTION OF JOB RESPONSIBILITES AND DUTIES:

Provide comprehensive care coordination and rehabilitation services to adults with diagnosed or suspected mental health disorders. This is an exciting position within a multidisciplinary team. The Peer Specialist will work closely with clients and their families to provide resources, guidance, and support to the family system. The Peer Specialist will provide rehabilitation, linkage, and care coordination services to these individuals in their natural settings (community, homes, shelter, park, hospital, etc.) and at the office.

Our clients experience psychiatric hospitalizations, housing instability, homelessness, severe and acute mental illness, and money management difficulties. This program will work to support those we serve to find hope, stability, and recovery.

MINUMUM REQUIREMENTS:

1. Lived experience as a consumer in the Adult Mental Health; Alcohol and Other Drug; and/or Health, Housing, and Homeless service domains.
2. S.P.I.R.I.T. or P.E.T. Graduate, Certified NAMI Peer to Peer Instructor, or equivalent knowledge and training required
3. AA, BA, or Masters in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology or related field with several years professional experience in behavioral health preferred but not required
4. Experience being a consumer advocate preferred
5. Speaking, writing, and reading fluency in Spanish is preferred but not required.
6. Experience at The Hume Center is a plus but not required
7. Demonstrate flexibility to handle diverse and changing organizational needs
8. Must be willing to work full-time, minimum 40 hours/week, five days a week, and be present at The Hume Center.
9. Must be willing to work some evenings and weekends when needed.
10. Demonstrate primary professional commitment and knowledge for representation of The Hume Center.
11. Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel, Google Apps, and Adobe Reader/PDFs
12. Proficiency in Electronic Health Records preferred
13. Experience working effectively with culturally, socio economically, and ethnically diverse populations.
14. Possess a valid California Driver’s license. Must be willing to use own vehicle and valid car insurance for work related travel and transportation of patients.
15. Strong commitment to respecting consumers and their family members and having concrete ideas about how to improve the meaningful involvement and participation of consumers in the program’s services.
16. Strong commitment to community-based services for persons with high needs and low resources.
17. Some knowledge of psychiatric disability and the navigation of the system of care for those with mental illness in the local area
18. Be willing to use own cell phone to be accessible and willing to be available to receive calls for crisis and/or emergency situations.
19. Familiar with and/or able to work within the Family Partner and Consumer Empowerment shift in Psychology.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES:

1. Demonstrates high professionalism and strong organizational skills
2. Ability to maintain confidentiality
3. Excellent verbal and written skills
4. Detail oriented, proactive, reliable, and flexible
5. Comfortable working in close emotional proximity
6. Optimistic: Shows respect, seeks strengths, and believes that consumers can change, stabilize, and recover
7. Ability to establish rapport and maintain effective working relationships with individuals served, agency staff, and other agencies in the community is essential.
8. Non-punitive and non-judgmental toward consumers and families
9. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively on teams with prescribers, case managers, therapists, community supports, programs, families, and consumers

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

1. Consult with staff on clinical and program matters as the need arises.
2. Some understanding of alcohol and other drug addiction and recovery.
3. Some understanding of resiliency, recovery and wellness approaches.
4. Competence in basic interpersonal skills (e.g., attending & listening, exploring thoughts and feelings, curious questioning)
5. Knowledge about educational, judicial, health care, housing, shelters, emergency, and other social service systems in community preferred
6. Knowledge of clinical documentation and billing standards

DIRECT SERVICES:

1. Act as a role model for consumers -- showing that recovery is possible – and assist consumers and families to navigate services and systems
2. Assist consumer and family members with specific, unique case management needs
3. Assist in implementing treatment/service plans.
4. Maintain contact with family members and consumers to a degree sufficient to monitor and assess progress with wellness recovery
5. Provide supportive housing services
6. Provide comprehensive services in service program(s), included, but not limited to, evaluation, rehabilitation, case management, collateral, crisis intervention, and consultation.
7. Complete case records, including progress notes, discharge/transfer summaries, etc.
8. Complete initial screenings and gather information for evaluation
9. Perform all evaluations, interventions, and outcome measurements on-time, including data entry of the results as needed.
10. Help link consumers to SSI, SDI, Food, Housing, Transportation, Primary Care, Psychosocial Rehab, Educational and Employment Supports and Opportunities, and all other services that will help support the consumer’s progress in treatment.
11. Fulfill additional responsibilities as needed.
12. Staff the crisis phone on a rotating basis with other staff
13. Engage in community organizing for mental health.

OTHER:

1. Support and cover for other team members as necessary.
2. Meet billable hours set by The Hume Center.
3. Attend weekly staff meetings, trainings, group and individual supervision.
4. Participate in quality assurance processes within the program and department and ensure all documentation meets all relevant internal and external standards.
5. Participate in program development, implementation and evaluation.
6. Community outreach.
7. Fulfill any additional duties specified by assigned Supervisor and/or the President.
8. Transport clients between Hume clinics, satellite clinics, community and county partners, and various community organizations and supports.