Peer Support Specialist - Denver

General Description

The Peer Support Specialist provides Peer Support services alongside the Clinical Care Management Team by assisting clients with their stabilization and recovery. Peer Support Specialists work individually with clients to help with skill building, goal development, advocacy, information, and encouragement while those clients transition into the community from intensive behavioral health treatment settings. Active client contact is a primary objective of this position. The peer will provide support services to persons with behavioral health and substance use disorders as they transition into their home community and engage in treatment services that help to stabilize their condition. Working collaboratively with the treatment team for each client, to include the Clinical Care Managers, Community Mental health Centers and Primary Care Provider, the Peer Support Specialist assists clients across all stages of the recovery process including transitioning back to their home communities. 

Essential Duties

Peer Support Services  

• Meet with identified clients to provide a calm and reassuring presence and begin working with clients on their goals for transition to their home community.
• Travel to various treatment and community settings to meet members for initial and ongoing Peer Support.
• Respond to requests from staff for Peer Support for a client, including timely outreach to the client, and follow-up with the staff on the outcome of the request. 
• Attend regular team meetings to discuss client cases and provide feedback to the team.
• Attend and participate in regular supervision
• Build relationships with clients using peer specialist and other training (e.g. Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP); supporting clients as needed to promote recovery presenting personal recovery experiences in a positive and therapeutic manner, without glorifying problem experiences.
• Works with a team and individually to provide necessary support to clients and assist them in the development of problem solving, decision making, and realistic goal setting. Support includes advocacy, education, and mentoring, as needed.
• Present educational programs to providers or clients as needed.

Documentation

• Ensure that client contact is documented in a timely manner as required by the contract.
• Complete paperwork as required by the Community Transitions programs.
• Write and submit reports, as needed in a timely manner.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

The Peer Specialist must model recovery-oriented behaviors, encourage client engagement, seek opportunities to coach social skills, foster optimism, and bolster hope. Additionally, the Peer Specialist will assist in the development of problem-solving skills, constructive negotiation, decision-making skills and realistic goal setting. The vehicle for fostering these skills are built upon the common factors of trust, empathy, and rapport, all the while maintaining appropriate boundaries commensurate with the Peer Support Specialist paraprofessional role.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent (required).  
• Personal lived experience with mental health issues and recovery.
• 2 years experience working in a Peer Support Specialist or similar role.
• Certificates, Licenses, Registrations: Peer Specialist Training Certificate that includes the Colorado State Core Competencies. Wellness and Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) Training Course. Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI), Mental Health First Aid, CPR/AED and motivational interviewing (required within six months of hire)

Preferred Qualifications

• Associates degree or higher in behavioral health field preferred.
• Previous experience working in behavioral healthcare.  
• Bilingual- Spanish