Peer Support Specialist-ACT/Criminal Justice

Job Description

Job Description

GULF COAST CENTER - JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:  ACT Criminal Justice Peer Support Specialist

Location: Brazoria and Galveston Counties

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Working Status: Full Time with Benefits

Summary:

The Peer Support Specialist will provide mental health and substance use disorder peer support services to clients with mental health and substance use disorders on the ACT Criminal Justice Program and the regular ACT team.  The Peer Support Specialist will work with ACT qualifying customers that are at risk for arrest and jail recidivism. 

The Peer Support Specialist may also work with customers that are court ordered for Mental Health specialty court supervision.  As directed by the Mental Health Court Clinician, the Peer Support Specialist will co-facilitate court groups including ?Thinking for a Change? and other groups topics suggested by the Court Clinician.  The Peer Support Specialist will work with the Mental Health Court team to assist customers with Psychiatric Advance Directives.  The Peer Support Specialist will also support court participants with achieving the goals in their Re-Entry plans.

The Peer Support Specialist will function as a role model to peers; exhibiting competency in personal recovery and use of coping skills; serve as an advocate, providing consumer information and peer support for clients in outpatient setting. Will assist peers in regaining independence within the community and mastery over their own recovery process. Recovery resources such as booklets, tapes, pamphlets and other written materials will be utilized by the Peer Support Specialist in the provision of services. 

The Peer Support Specialist will facilitate peer groups, complete daily electronic health record notes on individuals in an outpatient program and provide oversight of the day-to-day groups held at a peer support program. The Peer Support Specialist may work with group members to create a personal recovery plan which is instrumental during their recovery process. 

Gulf Coast Center is committed to fostering an open, inclusive, and supportive environment that welcomes and embraces diversity in all forms. Gulf Coast Center defines diversity broadly including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, abilities (mental/physical), gender, gender identity, immigrant status, language, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, veteran status, and age. Gulf Coast Center embraces trauma sensitive and informed practices, provides suicide safer care, and fosters a safe and compassionate environment that promotes racial and health equity.

Job Duties: (To be performed with or without accommodation as based on ADA requirements)

The ACT Criminal Justice Peer Support Specialist will be responsible for the following:

Essential Job Duties:

• Delivers services in accordance with organizational service delivery standards, maintaining a minimum of 50% of time worked in direct service provision. A graduated ramp-up is expected for new hires: 30% in the first month, 40% in the second month, and 50% by the third month, to support quality, consistency, and client-centered outcomes.
• Completes accurate, collaborative documentation that is entered and electronically signed within 24 business hours in accordance with regulatory and organizational expectations.
• Assist clients in articulating personal goals for recovery by supporting clients in identifying and creating goals and developing recovery plans with the skills, strengths, supports and resources to aid them in achieving those goals.
• Assists clients in formulating a Wellness Plan that identifies the eight dimensions of wellness: spiritual, emotional, physical, occupational, financial, environmental, intellectual, and social that can assist the client in achieving their recovery goals.
• Coordinating transportation and pick up/drop off to assist clients to get safely to scheduled appointments and admissions.
• Assisting with follow up phone calls to ensure that clients have been able to receive appropriate services from designated referrals.
• Provide support to the clients within the outpatient setting, identifying needs and meeting with clients as scheduled.
• Facilitate peer support groups as scheduled utilizing resources from Peer Recovery Coach training and identifying ways to support clients.
• Maintains compliance with all documentation in the Smartcare electronic health record as assigned and required by the GCC policies and procedures
• Actively participate in daily team meeting meetings as evidenced by discussion that is not only specific to assigned caseload. 
• Maintain contact with designated staff on a daily basis regarding current work area and retrieval of messages.
• Encourage client to remain connected to the community by providing support, empowerment and guidance during the initial and continued participation in treatment.
• Act as liaison between the client and the clinical staff, encouraging the client to communicate needs to the treatment team.
• Attend clinical supervision groups for both mental health and substance use disorder peer services.
• Attend staff meetings as required
• Will be responsible and accountable for the adherence to and promotion of the agency compliance policy and will require communication with various departments to foster, develop and continue our community partnerships as it relates to the position.
• Treat all individuals with the utmost courtesy, decency and respect.
• Provide responsive, and efficient services.
• Interact with staff, consumers, local entities and advocacy groups to provide a service that meets local needs.
• Provide highest level of Customer Service for both internal and external customers.
• Required to report personnel leave; flex time and emergency leave to assigned supervisor.
• Strict adherence to the professional, ethical, and legal requirements set forth in GCC's Business Code of Conduct as well as the Corporate Compliance Plan.
• Consistent adherence to the Center's Dress Code.
• Consistent adherence to Center safety guidelines and expectations.
• May be required to travel within Brazoria and Galveston Counties.
• Out of region travel may be required to attend trainings.
• Must maintain a clear driving record and driver's license in accordance with our Driver Policy.
• Requires current Texas Driver's License, reliable transportation and must maintain current auto liability insurance.

Non-Essential Job Duties:

• N/A

Supervision:

• Receives direct supervision from Program Manager-ACT & Program Manager-Galveston Recovery.

Required Education:

• High School Diploma or GED completion.

Preferred Education/Licensure/Certifications:

• N/A

Required Licensure/Certifications:

• Must have attended and completed substance use disorder and mental health peer trainings through Via Hope within 1 year or hire. 
• Must maintain continuing education credits for the PRS certification.

Required Experience:

• Must have at least 2 years of personal recovery. 

Preferred Experience:

• Preferred but not required: experience with electronic records system(s).

Abilities/Traits:

• General knowledge of substance use and mental illness.
• Knowledge and skill to teach and engage in basic problem-solving strategies to support individual clients in self-directed recovery.
• Must be able to work independently and organize work effectively using time management tools. 
• Possess knowledge of local community resources.
• Must be able to be non-judgmental of clients, develop productive relationships with the diverse client population; and have good interpersonal communication and teaching skills with the diverse client population.
• Must be able to articulate clearly, using good grammar verbally and in writing, as well as ability to make constructive use of professional supervision
• Must be able to make sound decisions within the parameters of the scope of practice as a peer recovery coach.
• Facilitate weekly peer support groups to promote the importance of recovery support systems within the community and as part of the treatment program.
• Engage with community partners and attend meetings and events with Drug Court, or additional probation or additional community referral sources
• Ability to express self clearly and effectively, orally and in writing.
• Requires ability to work within a team approach.
• Requires proficiency with computer skills, programs and email.

Working Conditions:

• Work will be performed in the Office, Field and/or Remotely setting(s).
• May require varied work hours depending on need of clients.
• Out of region travel may be required to attend trainings.
• May require travel to various locations within Brazoria and Galveston Counties. Requires current Texas Driver's License, reliable transportation safe and current with all state requirements, and liability insurance.

Special Projects:

• Assist supervisor when requested to complete special projects and complete all assignments within a time frame negotiated with the supervisor. Completion of other duties as assigned by supervisor as it relates to the program and position.

Job Related Physical/Mental Requirements & Environmental Conditions:

Physical:

• Ability to transport, adjust and/or move items up to 55 lbs.
• Ability to ascend/descend stairs.
• Ability to remain in a stationary position for long periods of time.
• Ability to handle objects.
• Ability to operate office equipment.
• Ability to move around within an office setting and/or other locations as needed; may include ability to bend/twist, kneel/stoop and/or reach for items.
• Ability to push/pull, crawl/squat as it relates to SAMA requirements; may be required to perform SAMA restraints as it relates to program requirements.
• Ability to detect and write effectively.
• Ability to hear (with or without aid).
• Ability to have visual acuity to operate a motor vehicle and observe objects within work setting.

Mental:

• Ability to accept constructive criticism.
• Ability to maintain regular attendance.
• Ability to understand, communicate and comprehend accurate information with others in English.
• Ability to reason and analyze effectively.
• Ability to solve practical problems as it relates to position.
• Required to pass and maintain all Center mandated trainings.

Work Site/Environmental Conditions:

• Ability to work alone.
• Ability to work closely with others.
• Ability to work closely with clients and/or family members with poor hygiene. Ability to work long and/or irregular hours.
• May be subjected to hostile environment.
• May be subjected to high crime environment.
• Potential exposure to tobacco products.
• May be subjected to both inside and outside environmental conditions.
• Subject to standard noise levels within working environment.
• Travel by motor vehicle, van, bus or plane may be required.

Qualified individuals must be able to perform these functions with or without reasonable accommodations as based on ADA requirements.