Peer Support Specialist - BHRC Outreach Team

Job Description

Job Description

The Peer Company (TPC)

Peer Support Specialist – Behavioral Health Resource Center (BHRC) 

Outreach Team Job Description

Pay: $25.00 Per Hour

Schedule: 1.0 FTE (40 hours per week)

Hours & Location: 

Sunday – Wednesday, 7:00AM – 3:00PM

Home Office: BHRC - 333 SW Park Ave Portland, OR 97205 

Benefits: This is a benefited position as outlined in TPC Handbook

Title: Peer Support Specialist

Reports to: BHRC Program Manager

Department: Behavioral Health Resource Center (BHRC)

Note: This position is out in the field and in all types of weather conditions.

Job Summary

The Peer Support Specialist (PSS) provides peer support as someone who has similar life experiences and acts as a positive role model for living in recovery. The PSS is a member of interdisciplinary teams participating in collaboratively supporting an individual’s self-defined and self-directed care. The PSS supports the individual being served by creating their own person-directed recovery plan and accomplishing goals towards their self-defined recovery journey plan. They provide a listening, nonjudgmental presence and connect individuals being served with a full range of community resources.

 

The Multnomah County Behavioral Health Resource Center (BHRC) is an innovative model that has been led by peers and centers its values in being trauma informed and equity based. The BHRC is a project of Multnomah County in collaboration with many community partners. The BHRC includes a Peer Run Day Center, 33 bed shelter with stays up to 30 days and a 19-bed bridge to housing program with stays up to 90 days for people experiencing homelessness and behavioral health challenges. The Day Center is run by The Peer Company and currently is open from 8:00AM to 8:00PM daily.

 

As a part of the multidisciplinary team, this PSS engages directly with people experiencing homelessness around the BHRC to facilitate connection and engagement with health and social services and other services and supports the people being served are seeking. Peers support people in taking the next step in the care continuum by talking directly with people in the field, finding out what they need, identifying programs, resources, and services that will best meet those needs, and removing barriers to accessing those programs, resources, and services. Goals include helping people experiencing homelessness access the BHRC; enter shelter; develop trusting relationships with their medical or behavioral health home; and access food and material resources.

Qualifications

Education: High school diploma or equivalent required.

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

Pre-Hire Drug Screen: As part of The Peer Company's commitment to fostering a safe, productive, and professional workplace, we require pre-hire drug screenings for all potential employees. The screening will be conducted in accordance with The Peer Company's drug screening policy, as well as applicable state and federal laws.

Experience:

• Identifies as having lived experience in recovery with substance use disorder (SUD) and/or mental health challenges. Has at least 24 months of continuous, sustained recovery with SUD and/or mental health challenges before employment
• Understands the principles of trauma-informed care, recovery, consumer-involvement

Maintaining Continuous Recovery:

Employees serving in recovery-focused roles who have lived experience with substance use disorder (SUD) must maintain continuous recovery and remain abstinent by not engaging in substance or alcohol use (illegal, legal, and recreational) during their employment with TPC.

Licensure/Certification:

• Peer Support Specialist (OHA Traditional Health Worker certification) or MHACBO CRM certification required or able to be obtained within 90 days of hire

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
• Typing and general technology skills to easily and efficiently navigate electronic systems (e.g., email, Microsoft Teams, etc.)
• Ability to push/pull/lift/carry items up to 50 pounds

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provides 1:1 peer support to diverse individuals being served in accordance with The Peer Company’s values alignment and principles of peer support
• Meets TPC’s peer support services performance expectations outlined in TPC’s Operations Handbook
• Collaborates with individuals to create Person Directed Plans (PDPs) to support their individualized recovery journey
• Participates in regular peer support supervision sessions
• Collaborate with other service providers and interdisciplinary teams to support participant PDPs and recovery journeys
• Attend meetings, as applicable, to gain knowledge, communicate program objectives, and advocate for the needs of the participants being served
• Implements the regulations, policies, and procedures which pertain to peer-delivered service, The Peer Company, and community partners
• Following the direction of the participants served, assist participants in exploring strategies that increase satisfaction with the eight dimensions of wellness
• Travels to visit community partners and participants, occasionally transporting participants to relevant community partners
• Support participants in crisis by helping them to deescalate and identify next steps in their recovery journey
• Assist participants in identifying and engaging various community resources and supports
• Documents support services in a program database in a manner that assures compliance with policies, program procedures and local, state, and federal regulations
• Meets TPC’s metric-based performance expectations based on organizational standards and contract deliverables.
• Maintains accurate and up-to-date documentation as required by program deliverables