Peer Specialist

Under the supervision of the Program Manager, provides peer recovery and care coordination services on the Integrated Care Team (ICT). This multi-disciplinary team is designed to provide, outreach and comprehensive treatment and support services for a population of youth and adult family members struggling with mental illness and co-occurring chronic health conditions, or substance use.

In collaboration with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and other community providers, the goals of the Integrated Care Team are: 1) To promote the full integration and collaboration in clinical practice between primary and behavioral healthcare; 2) Identify and provide early intervention for youth and their families who are experiencing or at risk of developing chronic health issues, serious emotional disturbance or mental illness, or substance use disorder; and 3) Promote, improve and sustain the overall wellness and physical health of the target population.

Brown University Health employees are expected to successfully role model the organization's values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence as these values guide our everyday actions with patients, customers and one another.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide opportunities for individuals receiving services to direct their own recovery process.
• Teach and support acquisition and utilization of skills needed to facilitate individual recovery.
• Promote the awareness of available services, options and choices.
• Promote the identification and utilization of natural resources and support systems within the community.
• Facilitate the development of a sense of wellness, self worth, and personal control over one's life and recovery journey
• Act as a role model to persons in recovery to inspire hope; share life experiences and lessons learned as a person with lived experience
• Model/mentor recovery process and demonstrate coping skills.
• Assist in the orientation process for persons who are new to receiving mental health and/or co-occurring treatment
• Demonstrate cultural sensitivity and competence in trauma informed care, as relevant to the needs of individuals in recovery.
• Identify recovering person's abilities, strengths and assets and assist them to recognize and use them.
• Assist individuals to identify their personal interests and goals
• Support the individual in seeking to connect/reconnect with family, friends, and significant others and in learning how to improve or eliminate unhealthy relationships
• As appropriate, foster spiritual connections with faith based organizations, and/or participation in self-help and mutual support groups.
• Assist individuals in develop and practicing the skills identified in his/her recovery/treatment plan. This may include coaching sessions while the individual is attending appointments or activities in the community
• Educate and engage individuals in the Wellness Recovery Action Plan process

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Have completed and passed a Peer Specialist certification program approved by the Department
• High school diploma or GED
• Have maintained, within the last three (3) years, at least 12 month of successful full or part time paid or voluntary work experience (not necessarily consecutive); OR one year post-secondary education totaling 24 credit hours.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Be self identified current or former user of mental health or co-occurring services who can relate to others who have not utilized those services
• Have personal experience and knowledge of recovery
• Have demonstrated proficiency in reading and writing.
• Attend trainings on relevant topics such as behavioral health, substance use and chronic health conditions

JOB KNOWLEDGE, SKILL, AND ABILITY

• Ability to establish trusting relationships with peers.
• Ability to work independently and also as an integral part of multidisciplinary team
• Be able to recognize early triggers and signs of relapse
• Be able to use computer to record services or be willing to learn

ETHICS:

• Uses and accesses information in client's health information record or about a client only as necessary to actual duties and then only in accordance with access levels assigned to this position by Gateway Healthcare Inc
• Comply with agency ethics and codes of conduct in all contacts with clients, coworkers and the community.
• Observe all agency policies and procedures.

INTERPERSONAL FACTORS:

• Must be able to appreciate the sensitive/private nature and legal status of information about individual clients obtained, maintained, or used by Gateway Healthcare Inc. and to not access, use, disclose, or request such information about a client unless necessary to the performance of his/her job.

PHYSICAL/ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the main duties and responsibilities of this job.
• Other duties with different demands may also be assigned by the employee's supervisor.
• Gateway complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and analogous state statutes.
• Therefore, to the extent required by law, Gateway will make reasonable accommodations to allow qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions, duties and responsibilities of their positions.
• Employees and applicants should discuss requests for reasonable accommodations with Human Resources at any time.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, office equipment or controls, and talk or hear.
• The employee frequently is required to walk, sit, reach with hands and arms, and climb.
• The employee is occasionally required to stand; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; and taste or smell.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the abilities to adjust focus.
• The employee will occasionally work in outside weather conditions.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

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EEO Statement:

Brown University Health is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and maintaining a work environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment.

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