Certified Peer Support Specialist

Certified Peer Support Specialist

Location: Atlanta, GA ( Dekalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett C ounties)

The Peer Support Specialist will perform a range of tasks to engage, motivate and inspire members to participate in their recovery, regain independence within the community and promote optimal wellness.

This position is both telephonic and field-based. You will support our members with approximately 50% of field work in the Dekalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett Counties Territory. When you are not in the field, you will work remotely from home. Work will be completed during standard business hours, with flexibility to meet business needs.

The Peer Support Specialist is an active member of the corporate Peer Support and Recovery program and provides peer support services to clients with serious mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders through telephonic and field-based operations. The Peer Specialist will function as a role model to members; demonstrating expertise in personal recovery and use of coping skills; serves as a consumer advocate, provides consumer information and peer support for members.

How you will make an impact:

• Teach and role model the value of the member's recovery experience.

• Models effective coping techniques and self-help strategies.

• Serve as a recovery agent by providing and advocating for recovery-based services to assist the members in daily living.

• Identify opportunities for engagement of members in forming a supportive, peer recovery network.

• Assist members in working with their case manager or treatment team in determining the steps he/she needs to take to achieve these goals and self-directed recovery.

• Assist members in setting up and sustaining self-help (mutual support) groups, as well as means of locating and joining existing groups.

• Initiates and maintains contact with assigned members to determine members' engagement and response to services.

• Assist members understand Peer Recovery resources available within the local community.

• Assist members in identifying recovery resources, supports, remove barriers, and facilitate connections in the local community.

• Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams as a member advocate in discharge planning education, resolution of barriers, and service transitions.

• Acts as a resource for staff on decision making and problem-solving as it relates to the peer role.

• Utilize tools such as the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) to assist clients in creating their wellness and recovery plans.

• Assist clients in developing empowerment skills and combating stigma through self-advocacy.

• Located in the assigned territory with the ability to support our members with approximately 50% of field work.

Minimum Requirements:

• Requires AA/AS and minimum of 2 years of experience in health services or behavioral health field or in a peer support services role; or any combination of education and experience, which would provide an equivalent background.

• Peer Specialist Certification required.

Preferred Skills, Capabilities and Experience:

• Knowledge of care-coordination and case management concepts strongly preferred.

• BA/BS or MBA preferred.

• One year experience working as a Peer Support Specialist, after receiving certification, or related equivalent experience.

• Located in the assigned territory with the ability to support our members with approximately 50% of field work.

• Experience working with computers toggling back and forth through multiple screens.

• Experience with researching resources.

• A valid driver's license.

• Telephonic and field-based customer service

• Knowledge of the Recovery process and the ability to facilitate recovery using established standardized mental health processes.

• Knowledge and skill to teach and engage in basic problem-solving strategies to support individual clients in self-directed recovery.

• Knowledge of the signs and symptoms of mental illness & substance use disorders.

• Knowledge and skills sufficient to use community resources necessary for independent living and ability to teach those skills to other individuals with severe mental illness.

• 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.