Peer Support Specialist - Assertive Community Treatment

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Job description

At Heartland Family Service, we are committed to building a culture is trauma informed and values and celebrates diversity and inclusion. We believe this allows for better service delivery and innovation, as it encourages our employees to bring various experiences and uniqueness to the workplace.

Trauma Informed Care is an approach to engaging people with histories of trauma that recognizes the presence of trauma symptoms and acknowledges the role that trauma has played in their lives. Trauma Informed Care also acknowledges the effects of working with trauma survivors on our workforce, and seeks to build collaborative and supportive working environments and relationships.

If you believe in our mission of creating healthy families and communities, and like a fast pace, collaborative and team oriented environment, then Heartland Family Service is the agency for you.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF WORK

A Peer Specialist is someone who has received or is currently receiving services for a Serious and Persistent Mental Illness and provides services to peers from a lived experience perspective. This person may also have a history of using substances. This position is a fully integrated Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team member who provides highly individualized services in the community and promotes client self-determination and decision-making from a whole health perspective. Peer Specialists also provide essential expertise and consultation to the entire team to promote a culture in which each client's point of view and preferences are recognized, understood, respected, and integrated into treatment, rehabilitation, and community self-help activities. Professionals at this level have excellent communication skills with clients, family members and community institutions. Decision-making, problem solving, and highly developed interpersonal skills are critical. This is a part time position.

Work Schedule: flexible,

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Utilizes lived experience of behavioral health treatment and recovery to support clients in their journey of recovery.
• Approach work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team and respect differing opinions.
• Consults with community agencies and organizations, including peer run programs such as self-help groups and peer drop-in centers. Facilitates client participation in peer self-help programs and activities.
• Documents client progress to maintain a permanent record of client activity according to the agency's established methods and procedures. Participates in daily staff organizational meetings and treatment planning review meetings.
• Contributes to the team's ongoing assessment of clients' mental illness symptoms and clients' response to treatment. Shares observations and concerns with the team for consultation and direction and takes appropriate action.
• Utilizes recovery-based techniques to provide direct services to clients on an individual, group, and family basis in the office and in community settings to teach symptom-management.
• Assists in skill development in the areas of personal hygiene and grooming tasks, nutrition education, meal planning, grocery shopping, food preparation, locating and maintaining a safe and affordable place to live, daily household maintenance, locating transportation services.
• Provide transportation to assist clients with gaining access to resources.
• Assist clients to obtain a primary care physician, dentist, and eye doctor.
• Assist clients to plan and carry out socialization and leisure time activities.
• Organizes and leads individual and group social and recreational activities.
• Displays a courteous and caring attitude at all times to the clientele, volunteers, and visitors of the Agency.
• Is dependable and punctual regarding scheduling and attendance.
• Abides by all specific program and Agency procedures, policies, and requirements.
• Develops personal and program related skills through participation in internal and external training opportunities.
• *Creates, maintains and shares an appropriate a dynamic self-care plan.
• *Strives to make connections between the agency and the larger community whenever possible in order to contribute to the agency's ongoing fundraising and friend-raising efforts.
• *Essential functions of this job is to be performed on company physical work site.
• Performs other program related duties as assigned.
• *DENOTES ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's Degree in Human Service Field preferred
• Two years paid or volunteer experience working with individuals with severe and persistent mental illness.
• Valid driver's license/ acceptable driving record.

COMPETENCIES

Adaptability- Demonstrates flexibility in the face of change. projects a positive demeanor and has the ability to manage multiple conflicting priorities without loss of composure.

Organization Time Management: Determines the appropriate allocation of time.

Task Management: Balances conflicting priorities in order to manage workflow, ensure the completion of essential projects, and meet critical deadlines

Communication Skills-Understands that the most important aspect of communication is the act of listening and actively works to improve those skills. Speaks with confidence using clear, concise sentences and is easily understood. Produces well thought-out, professional correspondence to project a positive image of the business.

Customer Service- Interacts professionally with clients and associates at all times. Promptly responds to requests with accuracy and a courteous demeanor,

Team Player- Works as a competent member of the team, willingly providing back-up support for co-workers when appropriate and actively supporting group goals.

Judgment- Exhibits sound judgment and the ability to make reasonable decisions in the absence of direction. Swiftly refers problems/issues to the appropriate person(s) when necessary. Works effectively without constant and direct supervision or guidance.

Proactive/Resourceful-Demonstrates the ability to foresee problems and prevent them by taking action. Utilizes analytical skills and a broad understanding of the business to effectively interpret and anticipate needs.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY SPECIFICATIONS

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

(The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions).

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

(Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions).

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is not exposed to weather conditions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.