Certified Peer Specialist - Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team - Gwinn/Rockdale/Newton Co.

View Point Health

Job Title: Certified Peer Specialist (CPS)                

Job Code: SST012/Client Support Worker 3

Shift: Full-Time (40 hours per week on average)

Job Hours: Times May Vary

Base Location: Gwinnett/Rockdale/Newton/Dekalb/Fulton Counties (Based on area of assignment)

Division/Department/Program: Assertive Care Treatment Program (ACT)

View Point Health is a community behavioral health center utilizing a team of psychiatrists, nurses, licensed counselors and social workers, as well as other professionals to provide services to individuals who need treatment and support to cope with mental illness, substance abuse, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. View Point Health serves uninsured, underinsured, low-income Medicaid, Medicare, war veterans and some private insurance across multiple locations with a full continuum of behavioral health services and support.

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) uses a multidisciplinary team approach to provide intensive mental health treatment services to individual with severe and persistent mental illness in their homes and other community settings—24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. ACT’s goal is to keep individuals in hospitals, jails, emergency rooms, and other institutions.

ACT teams are comprised of psychiatrists, nurses, licensed therapists, care coordinators, substance abuse treatment counselors, vocational specialists, and certified peer specialists who work closely together to provide integrated and outreach-oriented services to address all aspects of the individual’s health and productivity in the community. Team members stay in close contact with individuals; 3 to 4 visits a week and are able to respond quickly with additional services and support if circumstances arise with specific needs. ACT Team members receive specialized training on how to identify crises before they arise and to immediately respond accordingly to ensure the safety of the individual

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Provides intensive case management services for consumers with severe and persistent behavioral health disorders.  Typically, the goal is prevention of hospitalization or other out-of-home placements. 
• Provides services primarily in community settings: home, school and other service settings.
• Conducts face-to-face comprehensive assessments to identify problems and service needs.
• Utilize their personal recovery experience as a tool in providing support to consumers in meeting daily recovery goals and during crisis episodes. 
• Function as part of an interdisciplinary team to provide indirect and direct clinical and supportive services. 
• Provides and bills only those consumer services that are authorized in the service plan.
• Arranges appointment schedule at optimal intervals to maximize use of work time. 
• Monitors consumer progress and compliance with the service plan. 
• Writes timely progress notes that relate directly to the treatment outcomes described in the service plan. 
• Assembles, analyzes and interprets new/updated information about the consumer in order to reassess treatment needs. 
• Identifies unmet needs, reviews available resources, and modifies the treatment plan as indicated. 
• Requests treatment authorizations and re-authorizations within required time frames.
• Provides resources for services ,linkage and monitoring. 
• Establishes linkages and coordination of services with community agencies. 
• Develops and maintains cooperative working relationships with community service providers. 
• Informs consumers and families of the availability of community advocacy and support groups.
• Other critical services provided include symptom management, behavior management planning, teaching of relevant skills, supportive community-based interventions, and crisis intervention services. 
• Participates in interdisciplinary case staffing and staff meetings.
• Other related duties as assigned. 

Minimum Qualifications:

High school diploma/GED and three (3) years of job-related experience in a social services-related position; or one (1) year of experience at the lower-level Social Svcs Tech 2 (SST011) or equivalent position.

Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) Certification or eligible to obtain a CPS certification based on personal lived experience. 

Preferred Qualifications (in addition to minimum)

• Experience working with the Severe and Persistently Mentally ill population, ACT teams, or individual identified as being frequent users of ERs, Psychiatric Hospitals, Crisis Stabilization Units, and the criminal justice system.
• Case management experience
• Experience working in a high stress, fast-paced environment with a very emotionally and physically changing population.
• Experience working in multi-disciplinary teams.
• Ability to multi-task and manage time.

Requirements/Competencies:

• Must be able to lift 20 pounds.
• Requires long periods of sitting/standing.
• Must have valid Georgia driver’s license and Motor Vehicle Record in accordance with company policy.
• Candidates for selection must pass a criminal background check (including fingerprinting).
• Must pass a pre-employment drug screen and subject to random drug screens.

Note: Some positions may require a valid driver's license.

Benefits (for qualified employees):

• State Health Benefits Package (medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, long-term care, legal services, flexible spending accounts)
• Paid New Hire Training
• Company contributes additional 7.5% of salary to 401(a) Retirement Plan
• No employee deduction for Social Security
• Additional benefits such as legal services, Employee Assistance Program and discounted tickets to attractions, shopping, technology, and travel
• Supervision, training, and continuing education opportunities available

View Point Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer:  View Point Health recruits qualified candidates for positions in View Point Health programs throughout its service area. It is the policy of View Point Health to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination or harassment of any type without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.