Wise Peer Support Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

WE OFFER EXCELLENT BENEFITS:

• FREE Employee Medical Insurance
• FREE Employee Dental Insurance
• FREE Employee Vision Insurance
• Sick leave (8 hours of paid sick leave per month)
• Vacation (Minimum of 2 weeks paid vacation)
• Discounted health memberships
• Retirement (Employer contribution - 3% contribution and an additional 3% employer match)
• FREE Long-Term Disability Insurance
• FREE Life Insurance
• 13 Paid Holidays

Mission of Catholic Charities

Feed the hungry, heal the hurting, welcome the stranger.

CCEW is an equal opportunity employer. All employees and potential employees will be recruited, selected, trained, promoted, compensated and, if necessary, disciplined or terminated without regard to sex, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, religious affiliation, marital status, military veteran status, age, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, genetic information, or any other basis protected by law.

Program Summary

The Mission of Washington State’s WISe (Wraparound Intensive Services) Workforce Collaborative is to advance best practices for youth and their families and to strengthen relationships among youth, families, and their community’s resources and support. Our team is a program of Catholic Charities Eastern Washington’s Behavioral Health Services. By serving family systems, our aim is to reduce trauma in children, decrease the rates of out-of-home placements, enhance existing strengths, solidify support systems, and remove barriers that traditionally prevent success in treatment. We walk alongside and support vulnerable families as they seek to change their stories.

Job Description

The WISe Peer is a member of the WISe team serving children and their families. This role incorporates all aspects of Peer responsibilities including implementing developmentally appropriate behavior interventions for youth and parents, helping problem solve, and providing support to promote family well-being. Additionally, this position requires the ability to work under stressful conditions at times and the ability to use discretion and effective judgement to keep families and staff safe. This position will also be responsible for covering some evening and weekend hours.

Job Duties/Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each of the essential duties/responsibilities listed below.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties/responsibilities of this job. 

1. As a member of a multi-disciplinary team, assist other WISe team members in the development of treatment objectives and interventions for clients enrolled in WISe services.
2. Participates as a member of the treatment team providing outreach, engagement and support of on-going services to enrolled youth and families.
3. As part of the clinical team, assess family needs for community resources to ensure safety and child-centered support.
4. Model and teach appropriate social behavior, self-awareness, and developmentally appropriate coping skills.
5. Promote family advocacy across involved systems.
6. Building and maintaining community living skills.
7. Assist in the planning and implementation of appropriate curriculum.
8. Observation, assessment, and documentation of youth and family progress.
9. Collaborate with other providers to assist with the implementation of treatment recommendations and other youth and family support.
10. Maintain caseload (individual one-on-ones) and groups as assigned, including appropriate and complete documentation, according to the ethics and Certified Peer Support standards of practice.
11. Coordinate Positive Childhood Experience events in collaboration with the team to foster a healthy family environment.
12. Follow all Community Behavioral Health Policies and Procedures.
13. Participate in all mandatory training including agency-required training and state WISe training.

Other Related Duties:

1. Actively participates in staff meetings and multi-disciplinary meetings with other team members.
2. Maintain state requirements for Certified Peer Support Specialist credentials.
3. Maintain required state training for WISe service providers.
4. Actively participate in team and/or individual supervision as stated in agency policy.
5. As a mandated reporter, follow all procedures outlined in agency policies and procedures to report to the proper agency when there is a suspicion and/or confirmation that a child or adult has been a victim of abuse or neglect.
6. Uses appropriate administrative, fiscal, physical, and technical safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and security of CCEW client protected health information (PHI), per regulations outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), and 42 CFR, Pt 2.
7. Will regularly utilize all forms of communication (email, text, phone, etc.) and database practices necessary for this position and as directed by supervisor.
8. Perform as a team member to ensure that productivity outcome measures are achieved.
9. Abide by CCEW WISe Policy and Procedures concerning transportation of clients.
10. Adhere to the tenets of Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Doctrine.
11. Perform related functions necessary to support the mission and core values of Catholic Charities.

Job Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must meet the minimum qualifications listed below. These qualifications are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required to perform this job. 

Education/Experience:   to perform this job successfully, an individual must have a High School Diploma or equivalent or higher.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Must have an active Certified Peer Support Specialist/Trainee (CPSS) credential.
• Must have an unrestricted and valid driver’s license, be able to pass a motor vehicle screening and driving test, have active car insurance, and be willing to use their personal vehicle in the course of work.
• Must be able to work evenings and weekends.
• Ability to work flexible hours (evenings, nights, weekends)
• Operate from a strengths-based perspective
• Possess good written and verbal communication skills and excellent documentation skills
• Ability to work independently and as a team member
• Working knowledge of community resources
• Ability to represent the agency in a professional manner within the community and develop collaborative community relationships
• Computer proficiency, especially with Electronic Medical Records systems

Preferred Skills:

• Demonstrated experience working with culturally diverse populations and/or demonstrated life experience which qualitatively improves service delivery (i.e., diverse health perspectives).
• Experience working with issues of homelessness, substance abuse/addiction, mental health and/or poverty preferred.
• Knowledge of Spokane City and Spokane County community resources.

Certificates/Licenses:   To perform this job successfully, an individual must:

• Possess valid WA State driver’s license and clean driving abstract.
• Successfully pass background check applicable to position.
• Eligible for Agency-Affiliated Counselor registration required.

Highly recommended that the applicant continues to seek out further training and education while in this position.

Physical Abilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to:

• Frequently sit, stand, walk, lift, pull/push, carry, grasp, reach, talk, and hear.

Mental & Other Skills/Abilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must have the:

• Adaptability: ability to adapt to changes, delays, or unexpected events in the work environment; ability to manage competing demands and prioritize tasks; ability to change approach or method to best fit the situation.
• Attendance: ability to consistently arrive and be able to work as scheduled.
• Computer/Technical Ability: working knowledge of: Word Processing software & Internet software. Upkeep documentation in an appropriate and timely manner and in accordance with CCEW policies and procedures.
• Dependability: Ability to follow instructions, both in written and verbal format; ability to respond to management direction; ability to complete tasks on time or notify the appropriate person with an alternate plan when necessary.
• Interpersonal Skills: Has outstanding interpersonal skills, excellent customer service skills and a good overall understanding of appropriate human relations. Awareness of and sensitivity to the service population’s culture and socioeconomic characteristics. Ability to effectively maintain composure in a stressful or crisis-oriented environment.
• Judgment: Ability to make prudent and timely decisions; ability to exhibit sound and accurate judgment; ability to explain reasoning for decisions.
• Language Ability: Intermediate Ability: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals; ability to write routine reports and correspondence; ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.
• Mathematical Ability: (choose the level that applies): Basic Ability: ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals; ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
• Problem Solving Ability: Intermediate ability to identify and/or prevent problems before they occur; ability to formulate alternative solutions to problems when necessary; ability to transfer learning from past experiences to new experiences of similar nature.
• Reasoning Ability: Basic Ability: ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions; ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

Workplace Environmental Conditions

While performing the essential duties/responsibilities of this job, the employee will be:

• Noise Conditions: exposed during a shift to constant or intermittent sounds at a level sufficient to cause hearing fatigue.
• Exposure to Trauma : Employees of Catholic Charities Eastern Washington provide direct services to vulnerable community members including those who have behavioral health challenges and those who have been exposed to trauma.
• Client Population may include persons involved in gangs, with substance abuse concerns, homelessness and/or tendencies towards violent behavior.
• Potential for exposure to illicit drugs and air-borne contaminants (proper PPE provided).