Peer Health Navigator

The Peer Health Navigator (PHN) assists individuals who are experiencing serious mental illness with health and wellness goals. The focus is on obtaining health care services & activating participations to engage in healthcare, including through the use of tele-health. The Peer Health Navigator utilizes and discusses personal experiences regarding their recovery from mental illness when providing services to promote recovery and healthy living. This role engages participants by compassionately and collaboratively assessing participant needs and goals, personal strengths, addressing barriers to wellness, providing linkage to services and resources, and developing plans to achieve wellness goals.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:

• Utilizes a total team approach, works as part of a team to engage with participants in the communities where they live and work; at least 50% of time is spent traveling throughout the northside Chicago.
• Empowers participants to find solutions for health problems and concerns.
• Collaborates with participants in creating a plan to address the participant's physical health and wellness goals.
• Compiles and shares healthcare and wellness resources in participant communities.
• Assists participants with obtaining access to healthcare resources, especially navigating through systems of healthcare and social services, including scheduling appointments, reviewing test results, monitoring mediation refills, connecting and using healthcare portals, and other relevant activities.
• Accompanying participants to appointments.
• Works with participants through peer support and frequent communication, utilizing relationship building, selective self-disclosure, motivational interviewing, and a strengths-based approach.
• Participates in weekly supervision, meetings, conferences, and committees as assigned.
• Assists participants in collaborating with community health and social service providers and partner agencies to identify barriers, service gaps, schedule & maintain medical and specialty appointments.
• As needed, works with all members in the cohort to assure appointments are kept and prescriptions are filled.
• Document in the Thresholds electronic health record.
• Maintains a shared caseload of participants.
• Performs other duties as assigned by PHN supervisor.
• Coordinates individual participant services with other Thresholds clinical teams.
• Ability to engage individuals who are experiencing mental illness and substance use using a recovery informed approach.
• Willingness to share lived experience as part of engagement & intervention.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; basic computer skills sufficient to document services and navigate electronic health systems and resources.
• Must be able to multi-task, have initiative, and be self-directed. Ability to endure periods of heavy workload or stress.

POSITION IS 20 HOURS A WEEK - DAYS ARE FLEXIBLE

MARGINAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Use of a personal vehicle is required. Must obtain and maintain $100,000/$300,000/$100,000 bodily injury and liability insurance for their car. Subject to validation every six months.
• Works flexible schedule including work on weekends or evenings as required.
• The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION:

• High school diploma or equivalent, required.
• Six months of previous volunteer or work experience providing support to people with serious mental illness is required.
• Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) licensure preferred.

EXPERIENCE:

• Life challenges from mental illness (including trauma) and experience with treatment for these challenges.
• Willingness to disclose life challenges from mental illness in order to help program participants.
• Strong digital literacy skills in navigating & advocating for communication through various technologies/platforms (phone, text, email, websites/apps).
• Experience utilizing phones, smartphones, tablets and/or computers to access healthcare services & healthcare platforms (My-Chart, Health Apps)
• Experience with and appreciation of the health and human service needs of vulnerable populations.
• Experience with successfully navigating community and health care system resources.
• Personal experience with physical health challenges is preferred.

WHAT WE OFFER:

• Competitive Base Pay $43,160 - $48,100
• Generous Paid Time Office Policy (Vacation, Sick, and Personal Days)
• 4 Medical Insurance Plans
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• 403(b) with 3% employer match
• Mileage Reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Supervision for Clinical Licensure at no cost (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC)