Peer Specialist

Peer Support Specialist

Are you looking for a purpose-driven career? At Metrocare, we serve our neighbors with developmental or mental health challenges by helping them find lives that are meaningful and satisfying.

Metrocare is the largest provider of mental health services in North Texas, serving over 55,000 adults and children annually. For over 50 years, Metrocare has provided a broad array of services to people with mental health challenges and developmental disabilities. In addition to behavioral health care, Metrocare provides primary care centers for adults and children, services for veterans and their families, accessible pharmacies, housing, and supportive social services. Alongside clinical care, researchers and teachers from Metrocare's Altshuler Center for Education & Research are advancing mental health beyond Dallas County while providing critical workforce to the state.

Job Description

General Description: The mission of Metrocare Services is to serve our neighbors with developmental or mental health challenges by helping them find lives that are meaningful and satisfying. We are an agency committed to quality gender-responsive, trauma-informed care to individuals experiencing serious mental illness, development disabilities, and co-occurring disorders. Metrocare programs focus on the issues that matter most in the lives of the children, families and adults we serve. The Peer Specialist is an individual in recovery who has been trained to effectively share their lived experience and recovery story to help and support other individuals with their recovery. They provide flexible, community based services that are designed to promote the empowerment, recovery, and community integration of individuals who have severe mental health challenges by facilitating opportunities for individuals receiving service to direct their own recovery and advocacy process, by teaching and supporting the acquisition and utilization of skills needed to facilitate the individual's recovery, promoting the knowledge of available service options and choices and the utilization of natural resources in the community, and helping facilitate the development of a sense of wellness and self-worth.

The Peer Support Specialist performs a range of tasks through individual and group sessions to assist consumers in their own recovery process. They are responsible for working with adults and families in treatment in a manner that is trauma-informed and responsive to needs, culture, gender, and military status. The Peer Support Specialist is responsible for collaborating with individuals and teams in the development of a person-centered recovery plan/family centered recovery plan aimed at helping every individual and family achieve their goals and objectives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: The essential functions listed here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the job.

1. Applies general knowledge of Recovery services to complete small projects or conduct a series of tasks with a limited degree of supervision.
2. Works with individuals in service to identify, develop, and access support to increase their success in community integration and community inclusion.
3. Supports and teaches recovery and recovery tools and models personal responsibility, self-advocacy, and hopefulness.
4. Facilitates the individual's self-review of progress upon each encounter.
5. In partnership with each participant assess their hopes, strengths, accomplishments and challenges in order to achieve his/her stated goals.
6. In partnership with each participant develops the recovery plan and his/her support system in order to support him/her in becoming self-sufficient.
7. Supports participants in the self-management of critical or crisis situations.
8. Supports participants in coordinating with or in choosing his/her significant and relevant supports in order to arrange services or resources to achieve his/her goals.
9. Outreach to individuals that have missed appointments with the goal to engage in treatment.
10. Assists the individual in preparation and recording of the peer support recovery plan, encounter notes, and other documents that verify service delivery using person-first language, in a timely manner according to established quality and regulatory standards.
11. Continues to engage new individuals into services, assisting and navigating services.
12. Capability training to model, coach, support and advocate with participants.
13. Escorts participants when necessary and ensures participants safety when participating in events, visits, and other interactions.
14. Provides linkage to other services within Metrocare.
15. Transport individuals as needed: Current good driving record and maintaining good driving record.
16. Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies/Skills:

• Strong interpersonal and engagement skills
• Strong organizational and time-management skills
• Ability to problem solve, exercise good judgment, and make sound decisions.
• Ability to support the agency's mission and demonstrate sensitivity to cultural diversity and workplace.
• Ability to juggle multiple projects with accuracy.
• Exceptional customer service skills, over the phone and in person, with individuals in service and internal/external partners.

Qualifications:

Education and Experience: The qualifiers listed here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Required: GED or high school equivalent
• Required: Individual in recovery.
• Preferred: Active Certified Peer Specialist certification but can consider candidates pursuing certification within one year.
• Preferred: The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of active involvement in personal recovery without any incident of relapse or crisis.

Driving Required: Yes

Mathematical Skills: Basic math skills required.

Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out duties.

Ability to remain organized and prioritize work assignments based on urgency and client needs.

Ability to correctly identify client needs and assist in acquiring services accordingly.

Ability to give and receive any corrective feedback.

Computer Skills: Use computer, printer, and software programs necessary to the position (i.e., Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint). Ability to utilize Internet for resources.

Certifications, Licenses, Registrations: Current State of Texas Driver License or if you live in another state, must be currently licensed in that state. If licensed in another state, must obtain a Texas Driver License within three (3) months of employment. Liability insurance is required if an employee will operate a personal vehicle on Center property or for Center business. Must be insurable by Center's liability carrier if employee operates a Center vehicle or drives personal car on Center business. Must have an acceptable driving record. Certification as a Certified Peer Specialist within 1 year of employment.

Benefits Information and Perks: Metrocare couldn't have a great employee-first culture without great benefits. That's why we offer a competitive salary, exceptional training, and an outstanding benefits package:

• Medical/Dental/Vision
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program
• Retirement Plan, including employer matching
• Health Savings Account, including employer matching
• Professional Development allowance up to $2000 per year
• Bilingual Stipend – 6% of the base salary
• Many other benefits

Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Tobacco-Free Facilities - Metrocare is committed to promoting the health, well-being, and safety of Metrocare team members, guests, and individuals and families we serve while on the facility campuses. Therefore, Metrocare facilities and grounds are tobacco-free. No Recruitment Agencies Please