Peer Support Specialist - EVOLVE Clackamas

Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon (MHAAO)

EVOLVE Clackamas PSS/CRM Job Description

 

Pay Scale: $25 per hour.

FTE: 1.0 FTE (40 hours per week) Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm

Benefits: This is a benefited position as outlined in the MHAAO Employee Handbook                                                                                

TITLE: PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST/CERTIFIED RECOVERY MENTOR

REPORTS TO: EVOLVE Peer Delivered Services Program Supervisor

DEPARTMENT: EVOLVE Peer Delivered Services 

 

Persons of color, LGBTQIA+ and members of all other underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.         

 

JOB SUMMARY:

The Peer Support Specialist (PSS)/Certified Recovery Mentor (CRM) offers addiction and/or mental health recovery peer support to individuals residing in Clackamas County as a peer who has similar life experiences and acts as a positive role model of living in recovery.  

 

The PSS/CRM provides community-based, holistic, person-centered, trauma-informed and strength-based support to individuals with addiction and/or co-occurring mental health challenges. Support may be provided to individuals involved in a wide variety of systems involvement including but not limited to Clackamas County Criminal Justice and/or Child Welfare System at any point from initial contact with law enforcement/child welfare to incarceration/inpatient treatment program/hospitalization, or court involvement and are working toward getting reestablished with home and community.

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

Expectations: MHAAO strives to honor cultural and spiritual diversity in the communities we serve as well as honoring Voice and Choice through trauma-informed practices. Being committed to Social Justice means being committed to constantly assessing our organizational values and the extent to which we are modeling or falling short of them. It also means listening to feedback from our stakeholders and others who have interacted with our organization and taking the time to understand and reflect on those interactions. This commitment is extended from the organization, as well as each employee of MHAAO.

 

Education:  High school diploma or equivalent required.  

 

Background Check:  A criminal background check will be conducted by MHAAO in accordance with the MHAAO background check policy. A criminal record does not necessarily exclude an individual from employment with MHAAO.

 

Experience:  It is an essential function of the position to identify as having lived experience of addiction and/or co-occurring mental health challenges and navigating a life of recovery. Candidates with lived experience with Substance Use Disorder/addiction are required to have 2 years of sustained, continuous recovery at time of hire. It is also vital to understand the effect of trauma on health, coping, and other aspects of individual needs as well as the principles of recovery, self-direction, and trauma-informed care.

 

Qualities:

• Possess an absolute belief in every person’s ability to learn, grow and recover
• Value a person’s right to make their own decisions
• Value people as the “experts” in their own lives
• Possess insight pertaining to personal biases and worldview and how they may interfere with effectively working with individuals representing a variety of cultural, ethnic, language and life experiences

 

Licensure/Certification:  Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Peer Support Specialist (PSS), Peer Wellness Specialist (PWS) certification and/or MHACBO Certified Recovery Mentor (CRM) certification (depending on lived experience) is required but may be applied for within 1 month of hire. 

 

Valid Oregon Driver’s License and proof of automobile insurance required. Have reliable transportation preferred.

 

Skills:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team.
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Ability to multitask & prioritize job functions independently.
• Computer/technology skills applicable to job functions.

 

GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITIES AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• To provide 1:1/group peer support to person/s being served with a performance expectation of 50-60% of the PSS FTE in the direct provision of peer support and the other time spent in documentation, supervision, community partner meetings, etc.
• Collaborates with people being served to create a person-directed plan. Person-directed planning tools such as REAL Recovery, MHAAO’s Initial Recovery Exploration, PATH*, MAPS*, and/or other models including assistance with developing their own Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)* will be utilized. Training will be provided in the use of these tools.
• Participates in regular MHAAO peer support supervision sessions. 
• EVOLVE group support offerings will include but are not limited to peer-led Seeking Safety, SMART Recovery, and Hearing Voices/Extreme States support groups.
• Assistance and support with health and recovery planning and community integration upon release from hospitalization including meeting with person being served prior to discharge from hospitalization if applicable.
• Assistance and support accessing and navigating physical and behavioral health services.
• Introduction and connection with local recovery groups and activities.
• Crisis Support with introduction and connection to the Clackamas County Mental Health Clinic (MHC) as a crisis resource.
• Support in developing community roles/natural supports.
• Learning and practicing self-advocacy.
• Support with reconnecting/visiting with family/children.
• Addressing basic needs of shelter/housing, food, physical wellness, and entitlements/benefits.
• Supporting successful outcomes with PSRB and transitioning to lower levels of care/housing.
• Support when/where needed in navigating any systems involvement and resource connection.
• Adheres to and practices the core values and principles of peer support.
• Support with physical health related goals and connecting to community resources and programs that work toward this aim.
• Education and employment support.
• Documents support services in a program database in a non-clinical manner that assures compliance with policies, program procedures and local, state, and federal regulations.  Maintains accurate and up-to-date documentation as required by program deliverables.
• As appropriate, openly identifies as a person who has lived the experience of mental health and/or co-occurring addiction issues and is able to appropriately share own recovery story with individuals being served.
• Acts as a positive role model for individuals being served and exploring their own path to wellness and recovery.
• Acts as an advocate for individuals being served when appropriate, both within the organization and also with other entities.
• Respects and honors the person being served rights and responsibilities and demonstrates professional boundaries and ethics.  Adheres to mandatory abuse reporting laws and HIPAA requirements. 

 

The above accountabilities represent work performed by this position and are not all-inclusive.  The omission of a specific accountability will not preclude it from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical extension of the position.

Employment with Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon is "at-will." This means employees are free to resign at any time, with or without cause, and Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice. As an at-will employee, it is not guaranteed, in any manner, that you will be employed with Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon for any set period of time. 

Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment opportunities at Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon are based upon one's qualifications and capabilities to perform the essential functions of a particular job. All employment opportunities are provided without regard to race, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, national origin, age, Veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.