Certified Peer Specialist

Summary:  The Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) has a profound impact on crisis care.  The CPS bridges the gap between individuals in crisis and the crisis team drawing on your lived experience.  The CPS is an integral part of the crisis team that provides immediate, high-quality compassionate care and support to individuals and their supports in need through a team approach.  The CPS offers practical guidance, emotional support, and encouragement to individuals experiencing active crisis.  The CPS provides in-community follow-ups addressing the social determinants of care through linkage and referrals.

 Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Responds to adults in crisis as part of a two-person response team in the home or community
• Utilizes recovery coaching, peer support, and/or mentoring to assist individuals in providing trauma-informed emotional support for individuals and their other supports to reduce isolation, feelings of stigma, blame, and hopelessness
• Provides in-community follow-ups within 24-72 hours/as needed. Report on the individual's progress and response to crisis support and communicate with the crisis team
• Assists individuals/families to learn and implement strategies recommended by the crisis team
• Serves as an advocate, mentor, or facilitator to support the resolution of barriers.
• Accompanies individual appointments for mentoring and support when needed.
• Maintains effective professional relationships with other service providers and community organizations in the interest of clients and program goals.
• Carries out agency policies and procedures.
• Completes all necessary written reports, crisis summaries, statistics, case files, and in a timely manner and by program and agency standards.
• Performs other duties, responsibilities, and related tasks as assigned.
• Ability to integrate data from information gathered during crisis calls to formulate an accurate assessment

       • Ability to work collaboratively with callers to create a plan of action

       • Ability to multitask efficiently and remain calm under pressure

       • Ability to express genuine empathy, care, and concern for each caller

       • Demonstrate flexibility and ability to work hours that need coverage

       • Ability to work well as a member of a team, effectively communicating with other crisis workers and staff

       • Exercises cultural competence and understands and is sensitive to personal values and beliefs expressed through gender, culture, age,               ethnicity, spirituality, and sexual diversity

       • Excellent oral and written communication skills

       • Proficient in typing and navigating an online database

       • Completion of required Agency training hours

       • Ability to maintain a positive disposition, remain enthusiastic, dependable, reliable, and professional

       • Attends and participates in team meetings and case conferences providing feedback to the team about people in recovery (PIR), their                perspective; utilizes input from meetings to work effectively with individuals. 

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.

• High school diploma or GED, and Certified Peer Specialist Certification required which must be maintained.
• Demonstrated proficiency in reading and writing.
• Ability to establish positive relationships with peers enrolled in service.
• Must be able to travel 60% of the time.
• Required valid driver’s license with acceptable driving record.

Salary : $47,000 - $49,000