Peer Support Specialist

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data, and resources they need to feel their best.Come make an impact on the communities we serve as we help advance health equity on a global scale. Here, you will find talented peers, comprehensive benefits, a culture guided by diversity and inclusion, career growth opportunities and your life's best work.SM

This position works with the clinical team to implement care coordination when requested, which may include Peer Support Specialist as well as other community-based services designed to stabilize the consumer's condition. They collaborate with Care Managers, providers, and community agencies and organizations to facilitate access to and transition between services. The Peer Support Specialist is instrumental in assisting in reducing higher levels of services such as ER admissions or Inpatient psychiatric admissions. The Peer Support Specialist will work with the 65 Senior Care Options (SCO) population as well as One Care Members aged 21 to 64 years of age. The goal is to help address loneliness among this membership. Loneliness is a SDOH that is prevalent in this age group and difficult to address outside of a peer model.  Adding a peer to both the SCO and One Care memberships offerings will expand the ability to engage difficult to reach members allowing for greater impact with affordability goals.

Schedule: Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Standard time. A 40-hour work week, the schedule to be determined by hiring manager upon hire. This position is a field-based position with a home-based office. You will work from home when not in the field.

Location: Boston, Massachusetts, and surrounding areas. Local travel up to 75% and mileage is reimbursed at current government rate.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Use his/her own Recovery LIVED experience and training to assist families and consumers with defining their Recovery goals, and developing the skills and knowledge needed for the consumer's recovery
• Experience working with consumers that have co-occurring Disorder, i.e., Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder.
• Support the creation and assist with the implementation of a comprehensive Training and Education program with peers, families, Providers and staff
• Establish and maintain strong collaborative relationships with existing Consumer and Family organizations, so members of those organizations become actively involved with Optum/Health Plan activities
• Communicate Plan information to consumers and Consumer-operated organizations and with families and family organizations. In addition to communicating, a wide array of other topics including Clinical policies, analysis of data and Program evaluation
• Identify and outreach to community and leaders of ethnic minority groups to identify and develop programs that are both culturally competent and also use recovery and resiliency
• As directed, serve as a designated member of Internal subcommittees
• Participate in Optum and Health Plan Quality Review processes
• Enable us to communicate effectively with consumers and their families about all aspects of the Mental Healthcare Delivery system as well as their rights and responsibilities
• As requested, provide support to consumer or family members in making needed appointments
• Work with the Clinical Program Managers and the Clinical team to implement intensive, enhanced care coordination when requested, which may include Peer Support as well as other community-based services designed to stabilize the consumer's condition, including working with the consumer in the development of a WRAP plan and a Crisis plan
• Be available to provide direct support to consumers being discharged from 24-hour care or to refer them to a support group
• Assist and support consumers and family members with Grievance processes
• Collaborate with Care Managers, Providers, and Community agencies and organizations to facilitate access to and transition between services
• Collaborate with Care Managers, providers, and community agencies and organizations to identify consumers who may benefit from Peer Support
• Respond to concerns and questions from consumers and families
• Participate in Treatment planning with consumers and families who request that support
• Work with community agencies along with and/or on behalf of consumers and families
• Provide feedback about Treatment planning development based on their interactions with other consumers and families
• Advocate on behalf of the consumers and families
• Provide Peer Support to consumers and family members at critical points in their treatment process
• Enter documentation of all interactions into the documentation platform
• Serve as liaison between Optum, the Health Plan and those who use services
• Recruit and support consumers, parents and family members to participate in all phases of the operation of Optum and the Health Plan, from the Governing Body and Mental Health Advisory Board to Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement (QA/PI) Committees and all other critical initiatives
• Performs other duties as assigned

What are the reasons to consider working for UnitedHealth Group?  Put it all together - competitive base pay, a full and comprehensive benefit program, performance rewards, and a management team who demonstrates their commitment to your success. Some of our offerings include:

• Paid Time Off which you start to accrue with your first pay period plus 8 Paid Holidays
• Medical Plan options along with participation in a Health Spending Account or a Health Saving account
• Dental, Vision, Life& AD&D Insurance along with Short-term disability and Long-Term Disability coverage
• 401(k) Savings Plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Education Reimbursement
• Employee Discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Referral Bonus Program
• Voluntary Benefits (pet insurance, legal insurance, LTC Insurance, etc.)
• More information can be downloaded at: http://uhg.hr/uhgbenefits

You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

• High School Diploma / GED (or Higher) OR 4 years of case management experience
• Active/current Certified Peer Recovery Specialist or Certified Peer Support Specialist in the state of Massachusetts or ability to obtain certification within 12 months of employment
• 1 years of experience / working knowledge of community resources 
• 1 years of experience with the Medicaid population 
• 1 years of experience demonstrating an understanding of the principles of recovery and resiliency and lived experience
• Reside in the state of Massachusetts within a commutable distance to Boston and surrounding communities in Massachusetts
• Current, unrestricted state of Massachusetts driver's license and state-required insurance as well as access to reliable transportation and the ability to travel 75% of the time within 60 miles of territory assigned
• Intermediate level of proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook) and ability to access multiple web applications
• Access to a designated quiet workspace in your home (separated from non-workspace areas) with the ability to secure Protected Health Information (PHI)
• Live in a location that can receive a UnitedHealth Group approved high-speed internet connection or leverage an existing high-speed internet service

Preferred Qualifications:

• Completion of Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Program
• Completion of Whole Health Action Management Training 
• Ability to facilitate training events 

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location, and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups, and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug - free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.

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