HOURS: Monday-Friday 10am-6pm, 1 Saturday required per month
PAY: Up to $22.50 Hourly
You must have the following experience: (Preferably in PHP)
-Professional 2 yrs minimum working in true residential setting 3.1, 3.3, 3.5, 3.7 (Not transitional housing)
-Extremely proficient with computers and technology.
-Experience doing residential groups and being creative with groups.
-Proficient with completing groups notes and individual client centered notes.
REQUIRED CERTIFICATION/LICENSE: Peer Recovery Specialist Certification
The Peer Specialist (PS) is an active member of the substance abuse treatment team and provides peer support services to clients with serious mental illnesses and in active recovery. Under supervision of the Addictions department Supervisor, the Peer Specialist will function as a consumer advocate, providing consumer information and peer support for clients in outpatient and inpatient settings. The Peer Specialist performs a wide range of tasks to assist consumers in regaining independence within the community and mastery over their own recovery process. In this role, the candidate will be required to conduct regular one-on-one support meetings, group meetings develop recovery strategies, coordinate client schedules and logistics, and respond to any emergencies as needed.
1. Meeting with clients regularly to offer one-on-one support and counseling.
2. Developing recovery plans, coping methods, and rehabilitation strategies with the client.
3. Arranging medical appointments, therapy sessions, support groups, and other resources to aid the client.
4. Monitoring the client's behavior, schedule, medication, and activities.
5. Reporting any unusual behavior, conflicts, or recovery deviations to the relevant professionals.
6. Liaising with family members and medical professionals regularly.
7. Coordinating the client's logistics such as medical appointments and therapy sessions, among others.
8. Conducting assessments and providing feedback to the client, medical professionals, and the family.
9. Generating recovery reviews and performance documents to track the rehabilitation process.
10. Assist clients in articulating personal goals for recovery through the use of one-to-one and group sessions. During these sessions the PS will support clients in identifying and creating goals and developing recovery plans with the skills, strengths, supports and resources to aid them in achieving those goals
11. Assist clients in working with their Addictions Counselor or treatment team in determining the steps he/she needs to take in order to achieve these goals and self-directed recovery.
12. Assist clients in setting up and sustaining self-help/mutual support groups, as well as means of locating and joining existing groups.
13. Independently or with periodic assistance of licensed treatment team members, utilize and teach problem solving techniques with consumers individually and in groups; discussions will be utilized where consumers will share common problems in daily living skills; teaching coping skills employed by the PS to manage and cope with these problems.
14. Serve as an advocate for mental health services, the PS will share their own experiences and what skills, strengths, supports and resources they use. As much as possible, the PS will share their own recovery story and as the facilitator of these sessions, will demonstrate how they have directed their own recovery.
15. Support clients’ vocational choices and assist them in choosing a job that matches their strengths, overcoming job-related anxiety by reviewing job applications, and providing interview tips.
16. Assist clients in building social skills in the community that will enhance job acquisition and tenure utilizing their recovery experience.
17. Teach and role model the value of every individual’s recovery experience.
18. Assist the client in obtaining decent and affordable housing of his/her choice in the most integrated, independent , and least intrusive or restrictive environment.
19. The PS models effective coping techniques and self-help strategies.
20. Serve as a recovery agent by providing and advocating for any effective recovery based services that will aid the client in daily living.
21. Assist in obtaining services that suit that individual’s recovery needs by providing names of staff, community resources and groups that may be useful. Inform clients about community and natural supports and how to use these in the recovery process. Community resources may include but not limited to: social security office, Department of Family and Children services, local YMCA, Library, PCP visits, Therapy visits/collaborations , clients’ service organizations, housing programs and other types of community supports, etc.
22. Assist clients in developing empowerment skills and combating stigma through self-advocacy. This will be accomplished through regular meetings, individual or group sessions. Through the use of role playing/modeling techniques the PS provides opportunities for others to show/demonstrate how they have handled similar problems, how to present themselves in certain situations, or how to handle problems that may arise in interactions with others.
23. With assistance from the Program Supervisor or Counselor, the Peer Specialist will work with the clients and other treatment team staff to develop a treatment/recovery plan based on each client’s identified goals.
24. Treatment/Recovery Plans will be reviewed and signed by the Supervisor and other participating treatment team staff.
25. The PS will document the following on the client’s treatment/recovery plan: a. identified person-centered strengths, needs, abilities, and recovery goals;
b. interventions to assist the client with reaching their goals for recovery
c. progress made toward goals
The PS will maintain a working knowledge of current trends and developments in the mental health field by reading books, journals, and other relevant materials. The PS will continue to share recovery materials with others at continuing education seminars and other venues to be developed to support recovery-oriented services; and attend continuing education seminars and other in-service training when offered.
Knowledge/Skills Required:
a. Knowledge of the Recovery process and the ability to facilitate recovery using established standardized mental health processes.
b. Knowledge and skill to teach and engage in basic problem solving strategies to support individual clients in self-directed recovery.
c. Knowledge of the signs and symptoms of mental illness (i.e. auditory and visual hallucinations, aggressive talk and behavior, thoughts of self-harm or harm towards others, isolation) and the ability to assist the client to address symptoms using strategies such as positive self-talk.
d. Knowledge and skill sufficient to use community resources necessary for independent living and ability to teach those skills to other individuals with severe mental illness.
e. Knowledge of how to establish and sustain self-help (mutual support) and educational groups by soliciting input from the mental health consumers on their strengths and interests.
f. A valid driver’s license is required as some driving and/or transportation may be required to take clients to medical appointments, job sites, social activities and other community resources.
SCOPE AND EFFECT:
The Peer Specialist assists and guides clients toward the identification and achievement of specific goals defined by the client and specified in the Individual Treatment Plan (ITP).
The work performed by the incumbent will promote community socialization, recovery, self-advocacy, self-help, and development of natural supports.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work is primarily sedentary. Typically, the employee will sit to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as books, papers, etc; accessing transportation and driving a company van.
POSITIONS SUPERVISED: None
REQUIRED CERTIFICATION/LICENSE: Peer Recovery Specialist Certification
Job Type: Full-Time
Salary: up to $22.50 per hour
Schedule:
- Day shift and Evening shift
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $20.00 - $22.50 per hour
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
License/Certification:
- Certified Recovery Specialist (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Baltimore, MD 21215 (Required)
Work Location: In person
