What are the responsibilities and job description for the Peer Support Specialist COPSD [1061] position at Texas Panhandle Mental Health?
Position: Peer Support Specialist COPSD [1061]
Program: Amarillo, Texas – COPSD (Co-Occurring Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorder)
Salary: $15.66/hr.
Shift available: Full-time
At Texas Panhandle Centers (TPC), you’ll be part of a caring team dedicated to making lives better for over 10,000 individuals and families each year across the Texas Panhandle. As a non-profit, TPC provides a wide range of services from mental health and substance use support to intellectual and developmental disability care, empowering clients of all ages to achieve dignity and independence. With seven service centers located throughout the region, our staff work together with our clients to achieve our mission to create an accessible system of care that supports individual choice and truly make a difference. We invite you to join us in our vision of “Making Lives Better!”
Essential duties and responsibilities:
- Staff will maintain ethical and professional communications at all times using respectful Trauma-Informed Care language
- Peer wellness and support services will be provided in either a group or individual setting. The individuals engaged will be Justice Involved, seeking re-entry into the community while navigating the COPSD program
- Services will be provided face-to-face and/or via telehealth as outlined in materials provided by Via Hope of Austin and/or other certified recovery communities that promote wellness and recovery
- The Peer Support Specialist provides vision driven hope and encouragement to support people in their recovery and assist them in connecting to the community
- Participants in this program will qualify based on the grant statement of work eligibility criteria
- Provides opportunities for individuals receiving services to direct their own recovery process and act as an advocate for the needs and rights of people served
- Will model competency in recovery and healthy coping skills and boundaries
- Participates in staff consultation and team meetings to learn effective strategies that promote Shared Decision making and recovery
- Works with individuals one on one and in groups to provide recovery training and outreach to individuals who use the behavioral health services in the community
- Offer instruction and support to help people develop the skills they need to facilitate their individual recovery
- Meets productivity standards set forth by the program director and agency requirements
- Will collaborate with Peer Support Specialists across the agency in serving many individuals with unique needs
- Adheres to TPC Business Code of Conduct and reports concern if ethical and/or business standards defined in the code are compromised
Required qualifications to be successful in the job:
- High school diploma or GED
- One semester (12 credit hours) of accredited college work; or minimum of eighth grade reading comprehension level as evidenced by score on the Adult Basic Learning Examination (ABLE) test
- To be a candidate for Mental Health Peer Specialist, must have received mental health services/treatment for one (1) year cumulative, for a diagnosis that is treated in the target population for Texas, which include bipolar, depression, or schizoaffective disorders
- To be a candidate for Recovery Support Peer Specialist, must have had a major life disruption due to a substance use disorder, provide evidence of such (may be included in a cover letter), and be in remission/recovery from the substance use disorder
- To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty in a satisfactory manner.
- This position will require flexible work schedules to accommodate for the needs of participants in the program.
- Must pass all background clearances
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions
- Must be able to maintain composure in a crisis situation, and is able to make the necessary and appropriate community referrals to meet the needs of the individuals served
- Must be willing to work with Law Enforcement, TPC staff across all programs, and other community stakeholders
- Willing to work weekends, flexible scheduling during the week
- This is not an 8-5 position; 10-hour shifts/4days a week will be standard
- Must have a valid Texas driver’s license and be insurable under agency vehicle policy
- Must be 18 years of age or older
Preferred qualifications to be successful in the job:
- Bilingual
- Credentialed as a Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) within one (1) year of being hired
- Experience working in a crisis setting
- Experience working with Justice Involved Individuals
At TPC, passion and meaningful work is rewarded! We offer employees:
- Click here for TPC’s FY2026 Summary of Benefits
- 501(c)(3) designation – you can apply for the Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness
- Robust benefit offerings – Medical, Urgent Care visits for a low $10 co-pay, Dental, and Vision
- Employer paid life insurance (1.5 times employee’s salary)
- Staff automatically enrolled into a 457 Retirement Account at 1% of their annual salary. Employer Match 1% higher than employee’s contribution up to 6% in the 403 (b) or 457 Retirement Savings Plan
- Paid time off – PTO accrual, Holidays
- One (1) annual Mental Health Floating Holiday, one (1) annual Celebrate Diversity Floating Holiday, and one (1) annual A Day to Remember Floating Holiday available to staff after 90 days of employment
- Additional Supplemental Coverage available i.e. Disability, Accidental, Cancer, Critical Care, and Section 125 Flexible Spending Account Plan
- Teladoc – gives you or your immediate family members in the household access to a medical provider free of charge via telephone or video
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – gives you or your immediate family members in the household access to behavioral health, financial, and legal counseling in person or via telephone
Salary : $16