Peer Support Specialist

Who We Are:

Established in 1975, Non-Profit Yakima Neighborhood Health Services serves patients in the areas of Behavioral Health, Family Dentistry, Internal Medicine, Women’s Health, Primary Care, Pediatrics, Vision Care and Pharmacy. Our mission is to improve the quality of life and equity in our communities by providing accessible and integrated health and social services, ending homelessness and offering unique learning opportunities for students of health professions.

Why Work at Yakima Neighborhood Health Services?

YNHS offers great compensation for this position, with a starting wage of $20-$23 an hour, along with high value benefits of employer provided medical, dental, vision, life, disability and retirement insurances. To support our team, we also provide ten paid holidays, flexible amounts of paid leave and/or cash-out options, and retention bonuses to reward commitment to our mission.

Our Ideal Candidate: We are looking for a team member that is passionate about serving our community of patients and enjoys working in a team! Some technical requirements for this position are:

• Knowledge of community services, social services, and community resources required.
• Working command of Spelling and punctuation required.
• Skills in data-entry.
• Ability to speak clearly and concisely.
• Required bilingual in English/Spanish preferred; convenient if ability to sign.
• Peer Support certification preferred.
• Driver's license and auto insurance preferred.
• Candidate must not have been sanctioned or excluded from participation in federal or state health care programs by a federal or state law enforcement, regulatory, or licensing agency. 
• Ability to successfully pass a background check in relation to the position applied for.
• Must have valid driver's license and car insurance.

Day to Day:

• Assist patients, clients, and community members in learning about and applying for resources, including state and federal assistance programs. Examples of programs include TANF, SNAP, WIC, Apple Health, ECEAP, Working Connections Childcare, Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA), Kinship Care, Expanded Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, Developmental Disabilities, SSI / SSDI, Rental Assistance, Homeownership Funds, Coordinated Entry and other Housing Engagement, legal aid programs etc.

• Participate outreach assistance as directed targeting low-income populations, including BIPOC individuals, seniors, youth transitioning from foster care, LGBTQIA+ individuals, urban & tribal Indians, single parents with young children, and immigrants/refugees, agricultural workers, and people experiencing homelessness.

• Work closely with YNHS Navigators and Community Health Workers to connect patients and community members to services, including health insurance, health care, telehealth and housing.

• A Partner with YNHS Navigators and Community Health Workers to comprehensively address client needs.
• Attend case conferences or morning huddles as needed to address the comprehensive needs of the client.
• Client contacts may be conducted in the clinic, client dwellings, streets, or other outdoor settings.
• Document contacts and interactions in Electronic Health Records.
• Record activity as required additional databases for reporting purposes.
• Participate in quality assurance activities and peer review as requested.
• Maintain organized, clean, efficient and confidential work area.
• YNHS in local meetings as requested.
• Perform related work and other tasks as requested.