Certified Peer Support Specialist: Crrs

Access Services is looking to welcome a Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPS)to our Community Residential Rehabilitation Support team. The CPS will assist individuals with mental illness in a group home setting as well as the community through improved wellness and attention to their personal recovery goals.  Their work will motivate, coach and assist individuals to achieve their personal goals, make connections, and improve their overall sense of wellness.  

Why work for Access Services?

• We offer a supportive, inclusive work environment with opportunities for professional development and learning.
• You will have the potential for career growth within the organization.

• You will be working with people who truly care about the people we serve and that strive to make a difference every day
• Our values: person centered, passion for service, innovation, collaboration, and authenticity

Essential Functions of the Peer Support Specialist

• Work shifts as assigned by the supervisor/team leader with the highest degree of dependability. 

• Support program alumni in managing crisis and connecting with a social network. 
• Maintain a cooperative and caring attitude toward others. 
• Meet with supervisor/team leader for supervision on a regular basis. 
• Demonstrate/use principles and methods of recovery and habilitation. 

• Demonstrate/use behavior management principles as appropriate.  Demonstrate/use principles of program planning. 
• Assist residents in daily living activities which includes household duties, meal prep and community participation

• Report medical concerns and unusual incidents immediately through an on-call system. 
• Assist with community involvement and establishing positive relationships with members of  
•  the community. Run errands when necessary. 
• Attend and participate in staff meetings and in-service training.  Complete yearly training requirements. 
• Accompany residents to various appointments as needed. 

• Write daily progress notes and keep communication logbooks current with information  needed to ensure continuity between shifts in the EHR.  Communicate all important information to staff when shift change occurs.  
• Promote outside activities for the residents. 
• Develop wraps with clients. 

• Respond to emergency situations as per department instructions. 
• Maintain effective working relationships with personnel from the support teams, state and local agencies to coordinate the delivery of services for individuals. 

• Follow incident management procedures for reporting concerns.
• Provide accurate and timely communication to the supervisor/team leader regarding the individual. 

• This position requires the ability to travel during a normal workday to successfully carry out the expectations of this position including attending offsite meetings, providing services in the community, and providing service oversight and supervision.  Therefore, employees will need to drive their personal vehicle and/or an agency owned vehicle to meet these expectations. Employee is expected to always drive in a safe manner, meet eligibility criteria outlined in our Motor Vehicle Policy, be available and willing to drive during work schedule, and successfully pass the agency’s substance abuse screening at any time during employment. There may be limited exceptions, which should be identified and worked through with the supervisor.

Requirements

Education: High school diploma or GED required. 

Certification: Certification as a Peer Specialist required. 

Experience: Two years or more of direct care experience with individuals with a primary mental health diagnosis as well as personal experience with chronic mental health issues required. Previous Certified Peer Specialist experience preferred. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to maintain a working knowledge of current trends and developments in the mental health field.
• Ability to establish trusting relationships with people served.
• Commitment to consumer choice and empowerment.
• Ability to exercise judgment and discretion in applying and interpreting laws, rules, and policies governing Access Services.
• Ability to express ideas succinctly, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to work independently.
• Excellent organizational and oral/written communication skills.
• Ability to effectively interact with all levels of staff.
• Proficiency in, or ability to learn and use, workplace applications, platforms and technologies
• Ability to navigate network drives and basic hardware use and troubleshooting.

Benefits

Schedule and Compensation

• The hourly rate starts at $17.50, with increases based on experience.
• There are both full-time and part-time positions available with multiple shift options

All employees receive the following benefits:

• Mileage Reimbursement, paid travel time between worksites
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Referral Bonuses
• Ongoing Training

• Discounts on various services, perks with local Credit Unions, college tuition discounts

If working 20 hours or more, benefits also include:

• Paid Time Off, Tuition reimbursement, 401k match.

If working 30+ hours per week, benefits also include:

• Health, Vision, Rx, & Dental insurances
• 401k match, Tuition Reimbursement, Student Loan Assistance
• 20 Days Paid Time Off plus additional time with continued service. Paid Holiday Time. Catastrophic Sick Leave (CSL)
• Company Paid Life Insurance, Short & Long Term Disability

Essential Working Conditions/Physical Demands: Work in program sites and the community routinely providing direct care and support with individual(s). Stand, sit or run by self, or to provide proper care and supervision with an individual. Able to move and stay with an individual to keep them safe, both in home environment and community, both at near and far distances, even when an individual may struggle to meet identified expectations. Able to assist an individual who has fallen, regardless of weight or size. Walk, climb stairs by self, or to provide direct care ensuring individual’s safety, or to complete household and community tasks. Perform household tasks or tasks within the community such as laundry, cleaning, completing meal routines, shopping or dining out and, at the same time, ensuring individual’s safety and proper direct care and compliance with ISP.

Access Services is an equal opportunity employer.