Job Summary
The Peer Support Specialist uses lived experience with mental health, substance use, co-occurring, and other life challenges to support, engage, and advocate for individuals and families in services. Through peer support training and certification, or completion within one year of hire, this role serves as a coach, mentor, and role model promoting hope, recovery, wellness, self-advocacy, and community involvement. Peer Support Specialists build on individual and family strengths, enhance skills, support problem- solving and crisis management, help navigate systems of care, and promote active partnership to improve quality of life and long-term outcomes.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
1. Provide 1:1 peer support to individuals and families in homes and other community-based settings, using lived experience to build trust, engage participants, and role- model recovery.
2. Support participants and caregivers in navigating substance use, mental health, behavioral health, child welfare, and other systems of care so their needs are addressed and their voice is heard and respected.
3. Help individuals and/or their families to identify strengths, barriers, needs, goals, and priorities.
4. Partner with participants, families, and care teams to ensure continuity of care to develop strategies, plans of care, crisis plans, and recovery supports.
5. Provide coaching, education, and practical support to strengthen wellness, crisis management, problem solving, and self-advocacy skills.
6. Link participants and families to services, natural supports, and community resources to help build sustainable support networks.
7. Promote engagement in services and recovery activities by accompanying participants to appointments, meetings, and community-based activities as needed.
8. Complete required documentation, case records, and progress notes in a timely, accurate, and strengths-based manner in accordance with agency, funding, and regulatory requirements.
9. Attend and actively participate in supervision, staff meetings, trainings, and other required meetings.
Program-Specific Duties
- Caseload of approximately 15 adults experiencing substance use needs. Many individuals also identify as needing support with mental health needs in addition to their substance use needs.
- Travel to Emergency Departments primarily in Milwaukee County (one hospital in Racine County, one hospital in Ozaukee County), to provide peer support services to individuals requesting support after an overdose.
- Provide weekly (minimum) follow-up to individuals following their discharge from the hospital. Follow-up contacts include assistance with recovery-related goals and other needs and goals that may be identified by the individual (family, legal, physical/dental care, education/employment, etc).
