Peer Support Specialist or Community Support Specialist

We are looking for a Certfied Peer Support Specialist or Community Support Specialist at our Bolivar, MIssouri location.

Certified Peer Support Specialist

Job Summary

This is a responsible position delivering peer support services to consumers who suffer from substance use problems in an residential substance use treatment setting. Peer support services are defined as helping relationships between individuals served and a Certified Missouri Peer Specialist or Missouri Recovery Support Specialist-Peer that promote respect, trust, and empower individuals to make changes and decisions to enhance their lives. Peer support services are directed toward achievement of specific goals that have been specified in the individualized treatment plan. The work assignment may be at a single location or at multiple treatment sites and involve travel.

An employee in this class provides peer support services to assist consumers in their personal recovery process including addressing such issues as: overcoming denial, recognizing feelings and behavior, encouraging personal responsibility, and constructively using leisure time. Duties may include some or all of the following: promoting dialogues on recovery and resilience; teaching and modeling symptom management and problem solving skills; using the stages in recovery concept to promote self-determination; and facilitating group education sessions. All work is in accordance with the requirements of the Missouri Department of Mental Health and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), and other applicable regulatory agencies. Work is performed under the general supervision of a program manager and reviewed through direct observation, reports and staff conferences.

EXAMPLES OF WORK

Work may include, but is not limited to, the following examples:

• Remains alert during working hours; attends work as scheduled, and complies with the attendance policies.
• Provides culturally sensitive, recovery support services directed at needs identified in the individualized treatment plan.
• Monitors and records consumer participation and progress against treatment plan goals in a timely manner, maintaining clear, concise and well organized information in the consumer's electronic health record.
• Shares lived experiences of recovery, models successful recovery behaviors, and supports the use of recovery tools.
• Adheres to established professional ethical and behavioral standards of conduct and continues professional development.
• Assists individuals with identifying strengths and personal resources to aid in their setting and achieving recovery goals.
• Maintains the confidentiality of consumer information.
• Supports efforts to find and maintain competitive integrated employment.
• Develops and maintains effective professional rapport and therapeutic relationships with consumers and their family members as appropriate. Receives positive consumer satisfaction reports and positive response from consumers.
• Helps individuals connect with other consumers and their communities at large in order to develop and expand a network for information and support.
• Helps individuals to make independent choices and take a proactive role in their recovery.
• Assists with consumer's participation in health and wellness activities.
• Develops and maintains effective communication and professional, cooperative working relationships with members of staff, public assistance and social service organizations. Dresses in appropriate business attire, is well groomed, and professional in appearance.
  
  

Performs other related work, as assigned.

• Ability to establish a professional and therapeutic rapport with consumers; to assist, and exercise tact, patience, respect and understanding of others.
• Ability to act decisively, when necessary, to protect consumers; to make judgments about crisis situations and carry out appropriate course of action.
• Ability to work effectively with persons from diverse cultures and backgrounds and to respect individual differences.
• Knowledge of substance abuse recovery process and ability to apply principles in assisting others.
• Ability to collect and analyze information in making decisions concerning a consumer's treatment.
• Skill in resolving conflicts and negotiating with others.
• Ability to motivate and engage consumers in the recovery process
• Knowledge of current resources available to persons with substance use problems.
• Ability to accept constructive criticism and positive feedback.
  
  

Ability to manage a caseload of persons suffering from substance abuse problems.Ability to work harmoniously and professionally with employees, consumers, consumer families, guardians, other agencies, and the general public. * Ability to communicate effectively orally and through legible and clear writing. * Ability to maintain organized records. * Ability to handle confidential information appropriately. * Ability to recognize potential, ethical problems and address in ethical manner. * Ability to plan and organize working time effectively. * Ability to work with autonomy or with minimum direction. * Proficiency in use of computers and knowledge of basic software

Necessary Special Qualifications

Individual must be currently recognized by the Missouri Department of Mental Health as a Certified Missouri Peer Specialist or the Missouri Credentialing Board as a Missouri Recovery Support Specialist-Peer.

No candidate may be considered for employment who is, or has been for the past two (2) years under the supervision of Federal, State, County or Municipal Corrections Department nor have any pending felony or misdemeanor charges other than minor traffic charges.

Driving may be required for this position. The successful candidate must have and remain in possession of a valid current driver's license, automobile insurance, and be insurable under the agency's motor vehicle insurance policy.

All candidates for employment must meet the established minimum qualifications for employment as identified by the applicable regulatory agencies.

Community Support Specialist

Job Summary

This is a responsible position providing assistance and support to clients who are enrolled in a CSTAR substance abuse treatment program. The CSS provides services with or on behalf of a particular client in accordance with his/her individual rehabilitation plan to maximize the client's adjustment and functioning within the community while achieving sobriety and sustaining recovery, maximizing the involvement of natural support systems, and promoting client independence and responsibility.

The CSS is part of an interdisciplinary team that assists consumers suffering from chemical dependency. S/he identifies life problems with the consumer through a structured assessment process and arranges services for consumers. S/he advocates for the consumer to obtain needed services and assistance to which the person is entitled and monitors the services provided. The CSS helps the consumer when s/he has a crisis.

Work is performed under the supervision of a counselor supervisor or program manager and reviewed through direct observation, reports, and staff conferences.

Essential Job Duties

Work may include, but is not limited to, the following examples:

• Remains alert during working hours; attends work as scheduled, and complies with attendance policies.
• Attends multi-disciplinary treatment team meetings to identify strengths and needs related to development of the individual's rehabilitation plan. Provides clear and concise information regarding consumer problems, progress, and plans in a timely manner. Updates the rehabilitation plan accordingly.
• Attends periodic meetings with designated team members and the client, whenever feasible, to review and update the rehabilitation plan.
• Contacts consumers who have unexcused absence from the program in order to re-engage the person and promote recovery efforts.
• Arranges and refers consumers for services and resources and, when necessary, advocates on behalf of consumer to obtain the services.
• Monitors service delivery by providers external to the program and ensures communication and coordination of services.
• Locates and coordinates services and resources to resolve a crisis
• Provides experiential training in life skills and resource acquisition.
• Provides information and education to an individual in accordance with the person's rehabilitation plan.
• Develops plans with the consumer, for his/her discharge.
• Records and reports consumer participation, progress, and adjustment against treatment goals in a timely manner. Maintains timely, legible, clear, concise, and well organized tracking and other records of services provided.
• Develops and maintains effective communication and professional, cooperative working relationships with public assistance, social service organizations, and members of staff.
• Maintains the confidentiality of consumer information.
• Adheres to established ethical and behavioral standards of conduct and continuing professional development.
• May transport consumers to services and therapeutic activities, as required.
• Dresses in appropriate business attire; is well groomed and professional in appearance.
• Performs other related work, as assigned.
  
  

Examples Of Knowledge, Skills And Abilities:

• Basic knowledge of substance abuse
• Basic knowledge of the criminal justice system
• Basic knowledge and understanding of human behavior, attitudes, and motivation
• Working knowledge of current resources available to persons with substance abuse problems
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Skill in resolving conflicts and negotiating with others
• Skill in developing positive and productive participant relationships
• Ability to negotiate complex service systems to obtain needed services and resources for participants while not making decisions or performing activities that the participant is fully capable of performing
• Ability to develop and maintain accurate, legible, organized records, and to prepare timely reports
• Ability to plan and organize working time effectively and to meet deadlines
• Ability to work harmoniously and professionally with state and local officials, employees, consumers, consumer families, guardians, public agencies, and the general public
• Ability to work effectively with persons from diverse cultures and backgrounds and to respect individual differences
• Ability to collect and analyze information in making decisions concerning a consumer's treatment
• Ability to handle confidential information appropriately
• Ability to recognize potential ethical problems and address in ethical manner
• Ability to work with autonomy or with minimum direction
  
  

Experience And Education Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college of university in social work, psychology, nursing or closely related field;
• An intern/practicum student as defined in 9CSR 10-7.110(5);
  
  

OR

Qualifying Experience May Be Substituted On The Basis Of One (1) Year For Each Year Of The Required Educational Training. Experience Must Include Some Combination Of The Following:

• Providing one-on-one or group services with a rehabilitation/habilitation and recovery/resiliency focus;
• Teaching and modeling for individuals how to cope and manage psychiatric, developmental or substance abuse issues while encouraging the use of natural resources;
• Supporting efforts to find and maintain employment for individuals and/or to function appropriately in families, school and communities;
• Assisted individuals to achieve the goals and objectives on their individualized treatment or persona centered plans.
  
  

Necessary Special Qualifications

No candidate may be considered for employment who is, or has been for the past two (2) years under the supervision of Federal, State, County or Municipal corrections department nor have any pending felony or misdemeanor charges other than minor traffic charges.

Driving may be required for this position. The successful candidate must have and remain in possession of a valid current driver's license, automobile insurance, and be insurable under the agency's motor vehicle insurance policy.

All candidates for employment must meet the established minimum qualifications for employment as identified by the applicable regulatory agencies.