Purpose:

UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital’s Psychiatric Emergency Services department (PES), located in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, is open 24 hours a day for people of all ages. We offer a safe and secure treatment setting. Our team includes Psychiatrists, Nurses, BH Navigators, and Peer Specialists who are committed to providing the best emergency care for our patients. The schedule consists of varying/rotating shifts including day, evening, overnight.

Peer Specialists I are individuals with lived experience who provide non-clinical support as a fully integrated treatment team member and educator for staff. Peer Specialists I are role models of recovery values and principles by helping to identify and remove barriers and triggers to treatment for individuals receiving services from inpatient or outpatient programs.

Responsibilities:

·Provide feedback as appropriate to client, family members, and clinical staff.

·Assist clients/patients in recovery management including identifying recovery goals, barriers to achieving goals, and strategies to meeting goals.

·Assist clients/patients in identifying natural supports and resources in the community and educate individuals on how to utilize them in the recovery process.

·Advocate for clients/patients by actively participating in staff meetings, treatment team meetings, etc. and appropriately voicing the clients'/patients' viewpoint and recovery goals while maintaining alignment with the team.

·Accompany clients/patients to various community engagement and reintegration activities as appropriate; provide follow-up services to clients/patients in a 1:1 or group setting, by phone, virtually, or by mobile visits; facilitate recovery and wellness related groups; provide individual support.

·Monitor progress with completing goals and provide feedback as appropriate to clients'/patients', family members, and clinical staff.

·Utilize crisis support to help individuals develop and use action plans for prevention and recovery, wellness recovery action plans, mental health advanced directives, and other crisis and crisis prevention plans.

·Maintain all required paperwork and documentation in a timely manner, as directed by Supervisor.