Peer Supervisor – Street Crisis Response Team

About the Company: Richmond Area Multi-Services (RAMS) is a private, non-profit mental health agency that is committed to advocating for and providing community based, consumer-guided services. RAMS offers behavioral health, social, vocational, and educational services that aim to meet the needs of the diverse communities in the City. Our agency is recognized by the local and national social service community as having expertise in providing culturally competent mental health services to the underserved, with expertise in working with the Asian & Pacific Islander and Russian-speaking populations.

Program Overview: The Street Crisis Response Team (SCRT) is comprised of a San Francisco Fire Dept. (SFFD) Community Paramedic, an SFFD EMT, and a RAMS Peer Counselor, who respond to 911 calls of non-violent behavioral health (mental health and/or substance use) crisis in public and private settings. In the year 2023, SCRT diverted more than 14,000 behavioral health emergency calls from law enforcement in the City & County of San Francisco. In addition to behavioral health assessment and de-escalation, the Street Crisis Response Team is qualified to provide basic medical treatment (such as wound care, prevention of infection) to reduce the need for hospitalization care and decrease the chances of furthering mental health decompensation. Depending on the level of care needed, individuals may be transported to behavioral health, medical, or shelter referrals or to a safer location as applicable to their health needs. SCRT may also provide “on-view” support in the community unrelated to 911 dispatch when encountering an individual requiring crisis intervention.

Job Summary: The Peer Supervisor role is critical in providing guidance, training, and mentorship for peers working directly on SCRT. By helping empower peer counselors to provide peer support and compassionate care to clients as part of the Crisis Response Team and acting as a liaison between SFFD and RAMS for day to day scheduling and team support, the Peer Supervisor is essential in ensuring that services are effective, efficient, and trauma-informed. The Peer Supervisor is also instrumental in providing program feedback and advocacy as part of the SCRT leadership team. Peer Supervisors also generally cover 1-2 shifts/week on an SCRT unit in order to stay in touch with the direct service workflow and client care that the program provides. Peers on SCRT utilize peer counseling training and lived experience as applicable to help assist in the de-escalation of crisis calls.

Primary Responsibilities Include:

· Provide direct role modeling, training and supervisory support (group and individual) of Peer Counselors working on team assignments & utilize the principles of wellness and recovery in supporting peers.

· Providing effective and empowering feedback to Peer Counselors when necessary during individual supervision support sessions or group supervision

· Coordinate with RAMS & SFFD leadership team with facilitating staff needs with supplies, timesheet preparation support, schedule and coverage calendar oversight; providing/documenting accurate information in a timely manner

· Must be able to provide direct service coverage for peer counselors as applicable, with a minimum of one shift/week in the field with an SCRT unit

· While on shift providing direct services, work with other team members in quickly assessing the needs of individuals experiencing mental health crisis in public settings and creating a response plan in collaboration with SFFD partners.

· Utilize and model for staff all safety and situational awareness protocols while working in the community.

· The Peer Supervisor will be competent in harm reduction principles, crisis-de-escalation techniques, CPR & First Aid (optional) and Electronic Health Records (AVATAR, Epic, ONE System) documentation and other trainings as required.

· Must have excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to use multiple means of communication (virtual, email, in-person); with an emphasis on strength-based communication style with clear and compassionate boundaries and language,

· Work collaboratively with SCRT team partners, with emphasis on strengthening work relationships, communication and work flow, providing services to individuals in crisis through a trauma-informed response lens, support team building and morale building efforts as applicable

· Represent RAMS and SCRT teams professionally in assigned community outreach and engagement activities, media relations and interviews

· Lead and effectively facilitate team meetings

· Monitor the quality and timeliness of staff’s administrative and service delivery documentation and records, in accordance to standards as specified by regulatory entities including SFDPH and RAMS. Additionally, maintain and submit accurate program reports including service utilization and other statistical data as per established deadlines and procedures

· In collaboration with RAMS Peer Division management team, support the overall coordination of the SCRT teams in guiding the peer services component, including the outreach and facilitation of programming, and the provision of culturally responsive and strengths-based services to clients

· Participate and support the planning, implementation, and evaluation of program services; Pro-actively search out and identify tasks and program-related needs

· Develop and maintain clear, open, timely, cooperative, and diplomatic communications and working relations with all staff, clients, and partner agencies

· Participate in supervision meetings, case conferences, staff meetings, in-service training and other staff development activities

· Work collaboratively with the team on de-briefing procedures and team self-care protocols.

· Must be able to maintain regular attendance to assigned shifts

· Must be able to demonstrate a high level of resilience, emotional regulation, and practice of self-care as part of maintaining wellness in a high intensity and emotionally demanding role.

· Perform other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

· At least a High School Diploma (or GED) required. Associate of Arts (AA) degree or higher from an accredited institution, highly preferred

· At least 2-3 years of direct personal experience with the community behavioral health system or drug treatment program/services preferably in San Francisco

· Completion of an addiction or drug counseling certificate program, mental health certificate or equivalent education AND/OR at least two years of peer counseling or related experience, particularly working with diverse constituencies. Familiarity with homeless populations is highly preferred

· Must be able to travel to and from worksite and other locations within San Francisco

· Must be able to safely enter and exit SFFD vehicle and ride with the mobile SCRT unit for up to 100% of shift

· Must be able to physically walk/stand in San Francisco neighborhoods up to 75% of any assigned shift, as applicable

· Must be able to also lift and carry up to 25 pounds, must be in fair physical condition to work outside in the community, in areas where the environment could change frequently (weather, traffic, crowded sidewalks, overall situational awareness of surroundings)

Other Preferred Qualifications:

· Demonstrated experience in outreach/engagement to targeted at-risk populations, very strongly preferred

· Professional or lived experience working with people struggling with mental health conditions and opioid or other drug use

· Excellent communication and organization with the ability to present feedback in a positive and empowering manner

· Ability to organize, manage, and/or work effectively with diverse program staff, community partners, and behavioral health clients

· Strong knowledge and experience with service delivery documentation (including counseling planning), HIPAA standards, utilization review, and data management

· Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times

· Familiarity with community behavioral health systems of care in San Francisco, including the philosophy of care, levels of care for clinical services, and the delivery of such services, highly preferred

· Familiarity with the San Francisco community resources/services (may include health, mental health, substance abuse, vocational, housing, etc.), highly preferred

· Strong commitment to the philosophy, goals, & mission of RAMS in providing community-based, culturally responsive, and person-centered mental health services to the community

· Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively, function independently, and interact professionally with a diverse, multicultural, and interdisciplinary staff of all levels

· Individuals with ability to provide services in a threshold language (Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Russian, Tagalog, Arabic) highly encouraged to apply

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $76,900.00 - $91,984.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Evening shift
• Night shift

Ability to Relocate:

• San Francisco, CA 94118: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person