DANIEL’S PLACE

PEER SPECIALIST

REPORTS TO : Program Manager/Assistant Program Manager

HOURS : Full-Time, 40 hours/week

CLASSIFICATION : Non-Exempt

SUMMARY : Daniel’s Place programs provide intensive mental health services to the Transition Age Youth (TAY) and young adult populations through drop-in, community, field, and clinic-based settings. Members are generally homeless or at risk of homelessness at enrollment or discharging from a hospital or jail mental health setting prior to enrollment. Step Up’s Daniel’s Place is a Department of Mental Health (DMH) contractor with MHSA (Prop 63) funded programs. Step Up embraces evidenced based practices of Mental Health Recovery, Housing First, Trauma Informed Care, and Motivational Interviewing. The team is an interdisciplinary structure and positions are a combination of on-site and field-based. The team provides services to all members on the census with “whatever it takes and is appropriate” including adequate outreach and engagement services prior to enrollment to ensure services will be successful.

The Peer Specialist is a member of the Daniel’s Place interdisciplinary team, a drop-in and resource center for homeless and non-homeless TAY/Young Adults, ages 18-28, experiencing early symptoms of or diagnosed with mental illness. The Peer Specialist serves as a stable, positive role model to help the client achieve stability and success with their individually stated goals using personal experiences and trained knowledge.

DUTIES : The following reflects essential functions for this job but does not restrict other tasks, which may be assigned:

Leadership, Administration, Oversight

· Develop rapport with new drop-in clients and screen to refer for mental health services.

· Attend all staff and community meetings as requested by the Program Manager.

· Engage in all scheduled supervision with management to consult about drop-in members and discuss any pertinent issues related to consumer care and/or documentation.

Direct Service and Support

· Interact with DMH-enrolled and general members in the milieu one-to-one or in groups to provide peer support and case management services.

· Assist with drop-in services, including meals, showers, laundry, and linkage to necessary resources.

· Assure clients have access to local resources, including psychiatric and medical care/appointments, housing, benefits establishment, community rehabilitation and socialization activities, providing transportation and accompanying the client using personal or public transportation when necessary.

· Within Scope of Practice and knowledge base, engage both assigned and drop-in clients to achieve their goals and objectives and report to the team and clinically qualified staff regarding changes in clients’ level of functioning, support networks, adequacy of living arrangements, financial status, physical health, level of self-care.

· Use personal experience and successes to promote wellness and hope in the recovery process.

· Provides DMH rehabilitation and case management interventions to improve level of functioning, to reduce defined distress or stressors, and to create positive community linkages and relationships.

Documentation and Data Collection

· Complete all program-required paperwork such as HMIS or DMH/Medi-Cal and maintain documentation according to those program standards of practice in Electronic Health Record – Welligent or HMIS within prescribed timeframes as outlined in Step Up documentation policy.

· Meet required billing quota as presented by Program Manager.

· Other duties as assigned or desired with guidance support and approval of the clinical staff and management.

SKILLS : Able to engage and work effectively with the young adult population. Ability to work independently and collaboratively with others on a team. Works within skills and scope of practice asking for support and training to improve abilities when needed. Ability to work as a team member in milieu and with other homeless community providers. Understands and promotes safety first to self and team members.

QUALIFICATIONS : Must be a consumer of mental health services or a family member of someone who has experienced mental health issues. Good working knowledge of mental health concerns and the progression of mental illness among our population. Familiarity with public transportation and local resources is essential. Completion of a Consumer/Peer or NAMI Family-to-Family Certificate is desired but not required. California Driver’s License and insurance is preferred.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION : Work with people experiencing homelessness whether on the streets, in shelters or other places of habitation or services, may present inherent challenges and difficulties such as: exposure to bed bugs or other infestations, unpleasant smells or odors, individuals who may have poor hygiene or unclean homes due to homelessness, mental health symptoms, or poverty. Additionally, in working with our members, employees may encounter instances of profanity, sexually explicit or derogatory language, or verbal or physical expressions of anger and trauma. Very rarely do these situations ever escalate to physical contact, and negative or derogatory communication patterns can often be negotiated successfully. All direct care staff are provided adequate training to develop skills to deescalate crisis situations that may arise and Step Up has established procedural safeguards for all employees to mitigate (but not eliminate) these inherent risks of employment.

Please Note: This position is part of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU721) Bargaining Unit.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands and fingers; handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk; and hear. The employee is frequently required to walk, balance, stoop, kneel, and/or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Keyboard data entry required.

Step Up utilizes the principles of trauma-informed care and mental health recovery. These principles inform our Core Values of Hope, Wellness, Voice and Choice, Respect, and Collaborative Relationships. As representatives of Step Up, employees agree to adhere to these values in their interactions with members, colleagues, supervisors, and associated community members.

STEP UP CORE VALUES

HOPE – We believe all people have the capacity for positive growth and change. We use hope to inspire and motivate ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

WELLNESS – We believe in promoting a culture that supports healthy and fulfilling lives. We use a supportive environment to foster well-being for ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

VOICE AND CHOICE – We believe in the right to choose and be heard. We use voice and choice to create meaningful outcomes and empowerment for ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

RESPECT – We believe in promoting interactions that are non-judgmental, transparent. We use respect to guide all of our words and actions with ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS – We believe in forming partnerships to share resources, knowledge, and experiences. We use collaborative relationships to strengthen accomplishments for ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

Step Up is committed to providing quality services that adhere to the highest ethical standards and principles. All Step Up employees agree to adhere to the ethical policies and codes of conduct, as outlined in the Employee Handbook and those specified for this grant.

I can perform the functions of this job as described with or without reasonable accommodation.

Employee Name (Print):___________________________________________

Employee Signature: ________________________________________________

Date:_________________________________

Step Up provides equal employment opportunities without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, mental or physical disability, marital status, medical condition, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.

STEP UP IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER