Peer Support Specialist

Summary

The Peer Support Specialist provides peer support services and targeted case management to

individuals and families receiving behavioral health services. Peer Support Specialists use their

lived experience with mental illness, recovery, and systems of care to promote hope, self-determination, engagement, and recovery-oriented goals.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Uses lived experience of recovery to provide peer support that fosters hope, empowerment, and self-advocacy for clients and families.
• Establishes supportive, trusting relationships with clients through shared experience, mutuality, and recovery-oriented practices.
• Models recovery-oriented behaviors, coping strategies, wellness practices, and self-management skills.
• Supports clients in identifying recovery goals, strengths, natural supports, and meaningful community connections.
• Provides an average of 5-6 hours of direct client service per workday to ensure community access to care and meet established performance standards.
• Provides peer-based support during key transition times, including engagement in services, changes in level of care, or following crisis or hospitalization.
• Provides targeted case management services to address specific, identified needs that interfere with engagement or recovery.
• Assists clients in accessing resources related to social determinants of health, such as housing stability, food access, transportation, benefits, education, and employment supports.
• Participates on inter-disciplinary teams with other behavioral health providers including therapists, case managers, care coordinators, and other providers based on client need.
• Screens clients for mental health needs, substance use needs, social determinants of health needs, suicide risk, and other needs and engages clients or assists with referral to resources as needed.
• Provides peer support and targeted case management services that reflect person-centered and family-centered, recovery-oriented care, attending to the cultural and social needs of each client and family.
• Learns and implements evidence-based models of engagement, peer support, and case management as determined by client need and PCH standards of care, which may include Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP).
• In collaboration with clients/families and inter-disciplinary care teams, determines frequency, duration, and intensity of treatment, and develops actionable treatment plans.
• Provides coaching and support to build clients' self-management skills, natural and community resources, and unique strengths to bolster recovery and adaptive relationships.
• Completes documentation in accordance with Behavioral Health and organizational policies and procedures, established timelines, and meeting quality standards.
• Provides accessible services by meeting clients in their homes and other community locations; provides or arranges transportation as needed to assist clients in accessing resources and entitlements.
• Works in collaboration with Care Teams across the organization (medical, dental, SA/DV), as indicated, to effectively serve clients.
• Responds to clients and/or family needs outside of regularly scheduled session times.
• Provides mission-focused care and support towards improving the health of our communities and empowering individuals through compassionate, whole-person care. Embodies the values of PCH, including access, community, diversity, inclusivity, and respect, and service excellence, in all work operations.
• Participates in team meetings, consultation, staffings, and ongoing communications towards coordinated and collaborative care.
• Participates in required meetings, in-service and other trainings, and consultations.
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  

QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education And Experience

High School Diploma or equivalent (GED) preferred. Must be at least 21 years of age (per DHS Title 59, part 132). At least one (1) year of experience working in behavioral health, social services, human services or other related field. Peer support and case management experience preferred. Must have lived experience with mental health and/or substance use recovery and a desire to share that experience to support and engage our clients in their recovery journeys.

LANGUAGE

Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills required for 1 of the 2 positions.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) Certification preferred*. (Certification obtained through the Illinois Certification Board) or ability to obtain this certification within 12 months of initial date of employment

Required Skills

• Ability to work independently
• A passion for advocacy and caring for others in need.
• Willingness to draw from personal experiences and relate with other consumers and staff.
• Ability to set clear boundaries with clients and recognize appropriate time to share personal experiences
• Excellent organizational skills with attention to detail.
• Public speaking skills for presenting information to individuals and parents on mental health topics
• Basic writing and computer skills
  
  

Other

Must maintain a safe driving record and have current valid Illinois Driver's License. Personal vehicle needed. Peer Support Specialists may transport clients and their belongings in their personal vehicle. Mileage for authorized work-related purposes is reimbursable.

SCHEDULE AND PCH OFFICE LOCATIONS:

This position will work primarily in the community. At least 4 in-person days with at least 8 weekly client-facing hours after 4pm. The Fillmore office in Berwyn will be the home office when working on-site but may work at other local PCH sites in close proximity to community based interventions.

PAY & BENEFIT INFORMATION

$19.00 - $24.00 per hour*

• Wage is based on one's experience, qualifications, and bilingual language skills as compared with our position requirements and other similar employees within the organization.
  
  

Medical, dental, vision, short/long term disability, life, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, FSA, Employee Assistance Program, 401(k) retirement plan, paid time off for vacation, sick, personal time, holidays, & wellness day. Professional development membership to Relias Essential Learning.

• CRSS Information The Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) is a credential for those who provide mental health or co-occurring mental illness and substance use recovery support to others. A person with the CRSS credential uses unique insights gained through personal recovery experience to facilitate and support the recoveries of others and to help shape systems of care.
  
  

Persons with their CRSS infuse their work environments with hope and empowerment, and improve opportunities for others to:

• Develop hope for recovery
• Increase problem solving skills
• Develop natural support networks
• Participate fully in life in the community
  
  

The CRSS requirements are outlined in "Illinois Model for Mental Health Certified Recovery Support Specialist". To obtain the CRSS within 12 months of employment, the following is required:

• High school diploma or GED
• 2,000 hours (one year full-time) supervised work experience, which can include any combination of paid or volunteer work
• 100 hours supervision in the CRSS performance domains
• 100 hours training and education related to CRSS domains, professional ethics and responsibility, and other core functions
• Successful completion of a written exam for CRSS