Peer Specialist

• Carrying out rehabilitation and support functions and assisting in treatment
• Providing education, support, and consultation to families
• Providing crisis intervention under the clinical supervision of staff with professional degrees
• Provide mentor and outreach services to ACCS clients
• Provides peer counseling and support, drawing on common experiences as a peer, to validate clients’ experiences and to provide guidance and encouragement to clients to take responsibility and actively participate in their own recovery
• Provides expertise and consultation from a mental health consumer perspective to the entire team concerning clients’ experiences on symptoms of mental illness, the effects and side-effects of medications, clients’ responses to and opinions of treatment and client’s experiences of recovery
• Collaborates with the team to promote a team culture in which each clients’ point of view, experiences, and preferences are recognized, understood, and respected, and in which client self-determination and decision-making in treatment planning are maximized and supported
• Assists clients identify, understand, and combat stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness and develop strategies to reduce self stigma
• Assists other team members to identify and understand culture-wide stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness and develop strategies to eliminate stigma within the team
• Increases awareness of and support client participation in consumer self-help programs and consumer advocacy organizations that promote recovery
• Serves as the liaison between the team and consumer-run programs such as self-help groups and drop-in centers
• Organizes and leads individual and group social and recreational activities to help clients structure their time, increase social experiences, and provide opportunities to practice social skills

• Current or previous experience as a consumer of mental health services required
• High School Diploma required
• Peer Specialist Certification required within 6 months from date of hire
• Valid driver’s license and access to personal vehicle required
• Must have a strong commitment to the right and ability of each person with a severe and persistent mental illness to live in normal community residences
• work in market jobs
• and have access to helpful, adequate, competent, and continuous supports and services
• Skills and competence to establish supportive trusting relationships with persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses and respect for client rights and personal preferences in treatment are essential
• Has experience with recovery from psychiatric disabilities

• Bilingual skills and/or experience with multicultural populations preferred
• May have related training (e.g., certified occupational therapy assistant, home health care aide) or work experience (e.g.,teaching) and life experience

Competitive package of compensation and benefits