Peer Support Specialist (Wellness Center)

Job Description

Job Description

Organization and Mission:

Founded in 2003, AMI Housing is a California-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to house and support the most vulnerable residents of the Sierra Region by enhancing the lives of people with mental illness by providing housing, employment, and supportive services

Position Summary:

The Peer Support Specialist (Aftercare Team) provides recovery-oriented, person-centered support to individuals transitioning from locked facilities, inpatient treatment, and other acute care settings back into the community. Using lived experience with mental health and/or substance use recovery, the specialist builds trusting relationships, supports clients in developing individualized recovery plans, and helps them connect to long-term care, housing, medical services, and other resources. Responsibilities include maintaining an active caseload, collaborating with hospital and county partners to ensure smooth transitions, conducting post-discharge outreach to reduce readmissions, offering transportation and appointment accompaniment, and documenting services in accordance with agency and county standards. The role participates in multidisciplinary team meetings and consistently upholds ethical, trauma-informed, and recovery-focused practices.

This position is employed by AMIH, but is co-located within one of Placer County’s facilities Roseville, CA. Under the supervision of AMIH Program Supervisor and ASOC Program Supervisor, this position serves as a core member of Placer County’s multidisciplinary teams within the Adult System of Care, providing specialty mental health, substance use disorder, and community outreach services. They also provide individualized advocacy, mentoring, education, and peer support, using their personal lived experience to establish credibility, rapport, and trust with their clients. Finally, ASOC Peers represent the perspective on the system level, helping to shape Placer County’s programs, services, and policies in response to community needs and concerns.

The ideal peer is someone:

- With personal lived experience recovering from a mental illness and/or substance use disorder OR

- With lived experience as the primary family member or caretaker of someone with a mental illness and/or substance use disorder AND

- Is enthusiastic, eager to learn, and passionate about using their lived experience to help others

Job Responsibilities (but not limited to):

• Advocate for client needs within a multi-disciplinary team
• Remain up to date on community resources and link clients to appropriate resources
• Document client progress utilizing an electronic health record system
• Facilitate support groups
• Evoke hope, recovery, and wellness
• Provide some amount of client transportation in personal vehicle, dependent on team needs and part of scope of service, and reimbursable by AMIH
• Ability to share lived experience when appropriate while maintaining professional boundaries
• Report to multiple supervisors and manage position on multiple teams
• Manage workplace stress and remain calm, especially while dealing with client crises

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation is required.
• Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certificate is preferred and pay differential is offered. (AMIH can fund and facilitate the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certificate to active employees.)
• Lived experience recovering from a mental illness and/or substance use disorder OR lived experience as the primary caretaker for someone with a mental illness and/or substance use disorder
• Strong computer proficiency (i.e., Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Microsoft Teams/Zoom, SurveyMonkey, Google Docs, internet, and Calendar) and use electronic records systems with little to no direction.
• Strong desire to help others through the recovery process and provide advocacy and support.
• Compassion, patience and tolerance for working with vulnerable populations
• Excellent time management skills and ability to work independently
• A positive attitude and ability to work well with different personalities

Pay Structure and Peer Certification

PSS I start at $21.50 per hour ($23.00 per hour with Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certificate)

AMIH will fund and facilitate the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certificate upon employment and offer a pay differential when certificate is obtained.

AMIH is an equal opportunity and drug free employer.