The Certified Peer Specialist actively engages high-risk youth and their family by providing peer counseling to assist individuals in learning skills and strategies to reduce crisis episodes and hospitalization of youth at risk of suicide, unsafe behaviors, or in need for out of home placement. Provides peer counseling, utilizing lived experience, as described in the treatment or care plan. May work with youth or families that have aggressive behaviors, low social skills, gang involvement, trauma history, developmental and mental challenges and involved in multiple systems. The Certified Peer Specialist amplifies the youth and family voice in care planning and service delivery. This position involves diverse settings such as homes, courtrooms, hospitals, and schools, reflecting our commitment to comprehensive support. You'll play a pivotal role in establishing rapport, offering peer support, and guiding families through the wraparound process. Join us in making a meaningful impact on individuals' lives, contributing to crisis response, and fostering natural support systems. 

Personal experience as a parent, guardian, or caregiver who participated in the recovery and stabilization of a child who received counseling or supportive services related to mental health, substance abuse/recovery, incarceration/juvenile justice, and/or foster care is required. 

Wraparound with Intensive Services, or WISe, is an approach to helping children, youth, and their families with intensive mental health care. WISe helps youths and their families who meet the requirements of a specialized screening and need a higher level of care to deal with complex behavioral health needs. WISe offers services through a team-based approach to youth with severe emotional and behavioral issues. WISe clients often have issues in other systems such as school or legal and have not had success with other mental health services.

What We Offer

• $18.60-$20/hour DOE.
• 100% employer-paid health insurance for employees including Medical, Dental, Vision, Rx, 24/7 telemedicine; profit sharing, 403(b) retirement plan, generous paid time off, paid holidays, and more.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities/Duties 

• Establishes and maintains rapport with individuals to encourage participation and retention in the treatment program. Meets with youth, family members or guardians to identify interests or motivators.
• Works individually and as part of a team.
• Provides peer support to youth and their families, individually and in support group engagements, and assists them to successfully engage with the wraparound process and program staff. Services may be provided in the home, during meetings, courtrooms, hospitals, schools, etc.
• Completes required written narrative, Strengths, Needs, Cultural Discovery, with family input, and update throughout the program.
• Utilizes lived experience to provide guidance on areas such as health and wellness, stabilization, recovery, self-advocacy, development and engagement of natural support systems, and the development and maintenance of community living skills. Amplify family voice and choice as part of planning and service provision.
• Shares personal experiences to develop trust and provide encouragement to program participants.
• Ensure youth/families are present when decisions about them are made and encourage them to take an active role in their care planning.
• Monitors patient condition during visit and initiates appropriate crisis response if problems are encountered. Works closely with crisis stabilization centers, managed care organizations, and other community providers to develop a relationship with the local crisis systems that allows for effective support of individuals in need.
• Assists individuals with action steps according to the plan of care.
• Provides feedback to the team regarding family interactions and instructs and models appropriate behaviors.
• Provides encouragement, emotional support, and feedback to program participants and redirects individual behavior when necessary.
• Participate in on-call rotation, including after-hours coverage.
• Uses agency-approved de-escalation techniques and skills.
• Provides specific training, skill building and support to assist in attaining goals as defined in the individual plan of care.
• Provide assistance to the Care Coordinator in support of coordination for the youth and families in the program.
• Support and increase of the “natural support” available to a family by strengthening interpersonal relationships and utilizing other resources that are available in the family’s network of social and community relationships.
• Completes all needed documentation, including individual records of activities, concerns and behaviors, according to YVFWC and all applicable standards.
• Meets all productivity and service-specific requirements.
• Participates in program meetings as required or assigned.
• Purchases food and supplies as needed following all policies and procedures.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Performs responsibilities in alignment with The Joint Commission (TJC), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and YVFWC requirements.

Qualifications

• Education: High School Diploma or General Education Diploma (GED). 
• Experience:Must self-identify as a person with lived experience as the parent or legal guardian of a child who received mental health or substance use services. One year’s relevant experience working with families and children in a therapeutic or educational capacity preferred. 
• Professional Licenses/Certificates/Registration: Application for registration as an Agency Affiliated Counselor in the State of Washington must be submitted within one month of hire. Basic Life Support (BLS) certification within 45 days of hire. Registration for WISe Certification Training within two weeks of hire. Washington State Certified Peer Counselor (CPC) certification obtained within one year of hire. Valid Driver’s License and proof of automobile liability insurance coverage.
• Knowledge/Skills/Abilities Required: Knowledge of childhood development. Knowledge of Yakima county services and resources for youth and families. Knowledge of cultural differences and impact on support provided to clients. Conflict resolution skills and ability to diffuse stressful situations. Effective verbal, written and listening communication skills. Ability to exercise independent judgment and solid decision making. Ability to apply coping skills when exposed to vicarious trauma. Ability to assess learning capabilities of individuals and family members. Ability to work in a team-oriented, collaborative environment. Ability to establish rapport with youth, participate in physical activities, and redirect negative behavior. Basic proficiency with a variety of computer programs including Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel. English/Spanish bilingual proficiency in written and verbal communication is preferred. Must demonstrate the ability to communicate at level 9 on the ALTA language proficiency scale to receive bilingual differential pay. If working with Spanish-speaking clients, English/Spanish bilingual proficiency is required.

About YVFWC

We serve more than 197,000 patients across 28 medical clinics, 15 dental clinics, 11 pharmacies, and 49 program sites in Washington State and Oregon. We are Level 3 Certified as a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH). With integrated services including medical, dental, pharmacy, orthodontia, primary care nutritional counseling, autism screening, and primary care behavioral health, YVFWC’s patient-centered model of care offers patients the full spectrum of care and shelter assistance, energy assistance, weatherization, HIV and AIDS counseling and testing, home visits, and four mobile medical/dental clinics.

Working at YVFWC

Working in our organization means being the passionate champion for those who have no voice. It means having the opportunity to work with underserved populations and with peers committed to the same work.

At Farm Workers Clinic

• We will consistently trust one another to work for the common good.
• We will foster integrity by demonstrating ethical behavior and insisting on doing what we say we will do.
• We will demonstrate transparency by being candid and truthful no matter the risk.
• We will create partnerships to strengthen ourselves and our community.
• We will fight for just treatment for all individuals.
• We will let joy in.
• We have the courage to be an agent of change and refuse anything short of excellence.

Our mission celebrates diversity. We are committed to equal opportunity employment.