Peer Support Specialist

Welcome to Pathways of Californias career website! If you are passionate about helping others and enthusiastic about your future, we want you to join our team!
Our company is known for an unwavering commitment to exceptional value and recovery-focused, quality care. We are experts in the field of behavioral health care, providing cutting-edge mental health and substance use community-based services and offer a dynamic employment experience! Pathways offers competitive salaries and benefits, comprehensive on-boarding and job training, a supportive learning environment, ongoing education in the use of evidence-based, promising practices and much more! We have over 30 outpatient behavioral health locations nestled throughout our communities located in Kern County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Diego County.
Pathways is seeking an innovative and purpose driven individual to join our team as a Full-TimePeer Support Specialist
for our Catalyst Program.
Catalyst is an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program. Catalyst provides full service partnership services to Transitional Age Youth (TAY) ages 16 to 25 with a serious mental illness, and who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless in San Diego County. Catalysts ACT team provides comprehensive, individualized services in an integrated and continuous manner. Services are collaborative and recovery-oriented, and treatment includes: psychiatric assessment, medication management, individual therapy, substance abuse treatment, co-occurring disorders treatment, supportive housing, resource linkage, advocacy, family psycho-education and therapy, supportive employment and education development, legal assistance, community integration services, Peer Support and group counseling.
SUMMARY
A Peer Support Specialist/Mentor has been a recipient of lived experience. Peer Specialists/Mentors are fully integrated team members who provide highly individualized services in the community and promote consumer self-determination and decision-making. Peer Specialists/Mentors are also peers to the consumers and they have the innate ability to build trust and relationships with consumers. The insight resulting from this relationship is extremely useful in encouraging continued consumer growth and recovery, as well as a valuable tool that can be brought to the treatment team in gaining insight for the treatment of each individual consumer.
EDUCATION/LICENSING REQUIREMENTS

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED) required with computer or business courses
• Bachelors degree preferred but not required
• Consumer of Mental Health Services; Persons with a history of being consumers of mental health service or individuals with lived experience (i.e. living with a relative, significant other, or other support person who is a consumer of mental health services)
• Proof of: valid California drivers license and auto insurance, as well as proof of education are required

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Carry out duties as a member of the team, under the direction of the team leader. Specific job responsibilities will vary depending on education and experience
• Provide work-related supportive services, such as transportation. Use of personal vehicle is required
• Perform mentoring and problem solving as well as offer encouragement on and off the job site
• Support and communicate with clients timely to answer questions, while making a difference in our clients relationships
• Provide practical help and mentoring, advocacy, coordination, side-by-side individualized support, problem solving and direct assistance to help consumers obtain the necessities of daily living
• Coordination of social activities
• Facilitation of groups and/or assignments as required by Lead Peer Specialist/Mentors, Clinical Manager and/or Program Director
• Develop effective working relationships with agencies and organizations to advocate for consumer and family/caregiver empowerment
• Document all activities as required
• Maintain and ensures HIPAA, ethical standards and professional boundaries with all staff and clients
• Other duties as assigned or necessary to support your department and/or the company

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• At least one or more year(s) of experience equivalent as a Peer Specialist/Peer Mentor
• Understand the concepts of self-help, Peer Support and recovery model
• Understand the principles of the mental health system and effectively work within the system
• Ability to develop and maintain strong working and professional relationships with a wide range of community agencies and organizations
• Knowledge of how to obtain and record accurate information for case documentation and other reports
• Willingness and ability to carry a caseload of consumers and provide field-based services
• Lived experience with a mental health condition, whether a family member or personal
• Knowledge of community resources and connections and experience working with peers
• Excellent organizational skills, interpersonal skills, and communication skills are preferred
• Intermediate computer skills
• Ability to effectively prioritize and manage time to meet schedule, goals, and deadlines

PERKS OF WORKING WITH PATHWAYS CALIFORNIA:
*NOW OFFERING DAILY PAY TO OUR EMPLOYEES*
PERKS OF WORKING WITH PATHWAYS CALIFORNIA:

Paid Vacation Days (1st year 12 days; increases with tenure)
Paid Sick Days (Accrual per pay period)
9 Paid Holidays (including Day after Thanksgiving)
Medical, Dental, Vision including a Health Savings Account or FSA
Health, Dependent and Transportation Flexible Spending Accounts
Basic and Optional Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse and/or Dependents
401K
Perks @ Pathways (student loan refinancing, pet insurance, Verizon wireless discount, movie, hotel, concert and sporting event discounts)
Are you interested in working with a company that values people and has a passion for service? Do you want to become part of an organization that cares about your personal and professional growth? If you have answered YES to these questions, then you should consider working for Children's Behavioral Health!
If you're #readytowork PATHWAYS CA is #readytohire!
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Pathways is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic.
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Pathways is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic.