Peer Support Specialist - Youth/Tay

POSITION:Peer Support Specialist – Youth/TAY

REPORTS TO: Mental Health Program Manager

STATUS: Non-Exempt/Full-Time

COMPENSATION:$21-$23/hourly

BENEFITS: Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance; Employee Assistance Program; 403(b) Retirement Plan; Paid Holidays, Sick, and Vacation

LOCATION: Sacramento, CA (This position is not eligible for full-time remote work)

JOB SUMMARY: The Peer Support Specialist provides recovery-oriented, LGBTQ+ affirming, and culturally appropriate mental health and substance use support services, including supportive listening, healing circles, information and referral, community resource navigation, and advocacy. The Peer Support Specialist will work closely with the Mental Health Clinicians and Mental Health Program Manager to ensure coordinated access to a continuum of services that meet the unique, whole-person needs of each client. This position requires flexible hours including possible weekend and evening hours.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES:

• Collaborate with Center program staff and community-based organizations to facilitate coordinated access to a continuum of services that are culturally appropriate, LGBTQ+ affirming, and meet the unique, whole-person needs of each client.
• Conduct client intakes and provide appropriate referrals for mental health, substance use disorder, and other service needs in coordination with the Mental Health Clinicians and Mental Health Program Manager and consistent with the client’s self-determined recovery goals.
• Plan and coordinate informational and therapeutic workshops and other programming that destigmatizes help-seeking, is LGBTQ+ affirming, and supports mental health wellness.
• Contribute to the completion of progress reports and other grant deliverables, as assigned.
• Contribute to the Center’s efforts to raise public awareness combat stigma around mental health and promote harm reduction.
• Proactively seek opportunities to collaborate with partnering agencies on activities and events to further the Center’s mission and impact.
• Handle a variety of special projects and other related duties, as assigned.

Prevention & Outreach

• Establish a schedule to provide ongoing outreach at access points including at the Center’s Youth Respite spaces, STEP, and in South Sacramento at the Marsha P. Johnson Center South.
• Nurture an atmosphere where clients feel understood and seen.
• Develop innovative outreach strategies to reach those most at risk and may otherwise avoid more traditional care settings and increase internal program participation.
• Evaluate and develop accurate lists of referral sources and relationships with mental health and substance use disorder providers throughout the community
• Collaborate with other organizations, case managers, and healthcare providers to achieve common goals of our mission, values, and strategic plan through meetings, training, and other events.
• Create systems, processes, and tools to better facilitate, collect, and share knowledge, data, and program success stories.
• Assist in the planning of logistical, budgetary, and staffing needs for health programs.
• Analyze trends within programs, identify issues, report outcomes, and recommend changes as appropriate.
• Ensure ongoing programmatic excellence by establishing benchmarks, timelines, and the resources needed to achieve strategic goals, proactively driving improvements as necessary; set standards for accountability and measurements of success.
• Research and attend continuing education via webinars, seminars, and community learning events.
• Accurate, timely data entry in alignment with organizational policy and program requirements.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Passion for the Center’s mission and work to create a region where LGBTQ+ people thrive and a commitment to follow all policies and procedures of the organization.
• Experience working with the LGBTQ+ community and familiarity with issues of relevance to LGBTQ+ people including social justice movements and civil rights policy.
• Minimum of 1 year of experience (paid or volunteer) working in community-based mental health, health, or substance use disorder service delivery. Lived experience is preferred.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed care, Positive Youth Development, and Harm Reduction models.
• Experience with group facilitation, collaborative decision-making, and conflict resolution.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills; public speaking, facilitation, and coalition-building capabilities to balance interests, negotiate, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Highly organized and able to work independently to manage multiple program components simultaneously and integrate with a larger team.
• Understanding of grant project management including activity design and data collection to ensure contract deliverables.
• Must have a strong knowledge of and connection with the South Sacramento BIPOC communities.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Education: Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree in social work, human services, public health, education, or a related field is required; 3 years of directly related experience may be substituted for formal education.
• Experience: Minimum of 1 year of experience (paid or volunteer) working in community-based mental health, health, or substance use disorder service delivery. Lived experience is preferred.
• Language Skills: Fluency in English is required. Bilingual individuals who are able to speak/read/write/translate in Spanish are encouraged to apply.
• Computer/Office Equipment Skills: Superior proficiency working with Microsoft Office, particularly Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, and Teams, database systems, and social media tools.
• Access to reliable transportation with a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance is required, if applicable. This position may sometimes be required to drive rented vehicles and/or our Mobile Outreach Unit RV.
• Work Schedule: 9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and may require flexibility from time to time based on program needs.
• Offers of employment may be contingent on satisfactory results of a criminal history background check.
• Employees must be legally permitted to work in the United States.
• The Sacramento LGBT Community Center is a drug-free workplace; employees may be subject to a drug test.
• Vaccination Requirement: All employees are required to be vaccinated for COVID-19 and are encouraged to stay up to date annually or obtain an approved medical or religious exemption. Documentation will be required before your first day of work.
• This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION:

The Sacramento LGBT Community Center works to create a region where all LGBTQ people can thrive. We support health and wellness, advocate for equity and justice, and work to uplift a culturally rich LGBTQ+ community.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY:

The Sacramento LGBT Community Center is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All individuals, including those of color, women, persons with disabilities, and persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex are encouraged to apply. The Center maintains a policy of non-discrimination with respect to employees, volunteers, interns, and applicants. No aspect of employment will be influenced in any matter by actual or perceived race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, sex, age, national origin, marital status, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, physical or mental disability (including HIV or AIDS), medical/mental condition, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by statute; nor as to any individuals associating with an individual of any legally protected class.

TO APPLY:

Please submit application materials through our career portal at saccenter.org/careers. No phone calls please. Posting will remain up until the position is filled.