Job Description
Description Forensic Programs - Peer Support Specialist FHARPS Hiring Range: $20.07 - $24.58 Benefits: - Comprehensive and generous health, dental, and vision benefits
- Up to 19 days of PTO, 2 mental health days, and 9 paid holidays your first year (pro-rated for part-time)
- Company-paid short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance
- Student loan payment assistance and extensive training
- An incredible team approach that is dynamic and collaborative
General Summary of Duties : The Outpatient Competency Restoration ProgramCertified Peer Counselor (CPC) provides peer support services; serves as an individual advocate; provides person's enrolled in the Outpatient Competency Restoration Program (OCRP) information and peer support for people determined by the court as not competent to stand trial and assist in their own defense and are appropriate for community-based services. This program works closely with the Health Care Authority as well as DSHS Forensic Navigators in regaining control over their own lives and over their own recovery process. The CPC will role model competency in recovery and ongoing coping skills.
The Peer Counselor has experience as a recipient of mental health services for severe and persistent mental illness and is willing to use and share his or her personal, practical experience, knowledge, and first-hand insight to benefit the team and its clients.
- The Peer Counselor provides the team with expertise about the recovery process, symptom management, and clients' persistence to lead a satisfying life.
- The Peer Counselor is responsible for advocating for client choice, self-determination, and decision-making in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of treatment, rehabilitation, and support services.
- The Peer Counselor provides consultation to clients, families, and team staff in community resources, treatment planning, crisis intervention, and substance abuse services.
Supervisory Responsibilities : None
Major Responsibilities/Tasks :
- The CPC manages a caseload of individuals participating in the OCRP program.
- Draw on common experiences as a peer to validate clients' experience and to provide guidance and encouragement for clients to take responsibility and participate in their recovery. Promote hope and empowerment designed to help clients attain recovery goals and maintain the highest possible independence level, even during periods of instability.
- Housing: Assists clients find and maintain a safe and affordable place to live, apartment hunting, finding a roommate, landlord negotiations, cleaning, furnishing and decorating, and procuring necessities. Identify type and location of housing with an exploration of access to natural supports and avoidance of triggers. Provides practical help and supports, mentoring, advocacy, coordination, side-by-side individualized support, problem-solving, direct assistance, and supervision to help clients obtain the necessities of daily living, including medical and dental health care; legal and advocacy services; financial support such as entitlements, housing subsidies; money management services: transportation, and reasonable accommodation requests as needed.
- Employment: Assists with referrals to job training and DVR. Performs mentoring, problem solving, encouragement, and support on and off the job site. Provides work-related supportive services, such as assistance securing necessary clothing and grooming supplies, wake-up calls, reasonable accommodation requests as needed, and transportation.
- Activities of Daily Living Services: Provides ongoing assessment, problem-solving, side-by-side services, skill teaching, support, and environmental adaptations to assist clients with daily living activities. Assists and supports clients in organizing and perform household activities, including house cleaning and laundry. Assists and supports clients with personal hygiene and grooming tasks. Provide nutrition education and assistance with meal planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation. Ensures clients have adequate financial support teaches money-management skills, and assist clients in accessing financial services. Help clients' access reliable transportation. Assists and supports clients to have and effectively use a personal primary care physician, dentist, and other medical specialists as required.
- Social and Interpersonal Relationships and Leisure Time: Provides side-by-side support, coaching, and encouragement to help clients socialize, going with a client to community activities, including activities offered by consumer-run peer support organizations. Assists clients to plan and carry out leisure time activities. Organizes and leads individual and group social and recreational activities to help clients structure their time, increase social experiences, and provide opportunities to practice social skills.
- Other coaching, guidance, and transition support: Provides transition services from hospital to community, including medication management. Assist in providing ongoing assessment and direct services to clients, responding to such challenges as an increase in suicidality, the need for substance abuse education and treatment, and the clients' readiness for meaningful daily activity, including employment.
- Act as an interpreter to the rest of the team while providing expertise and consultation from a client perspective in areas such as symptoms, effects and side effects of medications, client opinions of treatment, and client recovery experiences.
- Help clients and staff to identify, understand, and combat stigma, discrimination and assist clients in locating self-help and consumer advocacy groups that promote recovery while acting as the liaison between the team and such groups.
- Collaborate with staff and clients on awareness of client rights, including grievance and complaint procedures; support clients with filing, mediating, and resolving complaints.
- Assist in providing ongoing assessment and direct services to clients, responding to such challenges as an increase in suicidality, the need for substance abuse education and treatment, and the clients' readiness for meaningful daily activity, including employment.
- Provide practical help and supports to help clients gain access to health care services. As well as other necessary services such as legal services, housing subsidies, and funding alternatives.
- In addition to the above, any other responsibilities appropriate to the position and not specifically listed in the job description.
Minimum Qualifications :
EDUCATION: High School Diploma or GED
EXPERIENCE: Entry level (no prior related work experience)
- This position requires driving clients in a personal vehicle on behalf of the agency; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a motor vehicle history check, possess and maintain a current, valid driver's license in the state of Washington, and have reliable, insured transportation.
- This position may require staff to enter the jail to engage with clients. The incumbent staff must be able to obtain jail access by passing background check annually.
LICENSURE: Agency Affiliated Counselor Registration. Completion of the Washington State Mental Health Division's Peer Counselor Training and the subsequent certification as a Peer Counselor within six months of employment.
Preferred Qualifications: EXPERIENCE: Relevant experience working with clients with severe and persistent mental illness.
Capacity to work well with children and families.
Performance Requirements: KNOWLEDGE:
- Maintain a working knowledge of current trends in community mental health, including health care reform and automation of job tasks using computer technology.
- Maintain a working knowledge of mental health rehabilitation standards.
SKILLS:
- Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with other employees, clients, organizations, and the public.
- Communication - Communicates clearly and concisely.
- Computer skills - The ability to operate a personal computer, fax machine, printer, and copier proficiently.
Abilities:
- Demonstrated ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries while balancing the sometimes conflicting demands of being both a peer to clients and an employee of the agency. Seek appropriate clinical supervision where necessary, particularly around boundary issues.
- Demonstrated ability to meet or exceed productivity standards.
- Ability to provide oral and written feedback on consumer progress to the treatment team, including the timely completion of e-cet based clinical notes.
- Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively as a team member.
Equipment Operated: Standard office equipment including computers, fax machines, copiers, printers, telephones, etc.
Work Environment : Frequent mobility and/or sitting required for extended periods.
Mental/Physical Requirements : While performing the job duties, the employee is required to walk, sit, use hands and fingers, reach with arms, talk, or listen. Peripheral vision is also required for this position.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER
Our recruitment processes are designed to prevent discrimination against our people regardless of gender identity or orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, citizenship, or any aspect which makes someone unique.
Job Tags
Holiday work, Temporary work, Part time, Work experience placement,