Peer Support Specialist

Why Join Unison Health?

Unison Health provides a mission-driven work environment focused on staff support, professional growth, and work-life balance. We are committed to helping our employees thrive while making a lasting difference in the lives of children and families. For over 50 years, Unison Health has proudly supported individuals, families, and communities across Ohio. From behavioral health and substance abuse treatment to primary healthcare, we are dedicated to our mission: Making Lives Better.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Pay: Starting at $23.00 / hour
• Part-Time
• Paid Time Off (PTO) Starting at 16 Days/Year
• Medical with federal minimum deductibles
• Dental and vision coverage
• Retirement planning and employer contribution
• Apply to hear more!

Position Summary:

The Peer Support Specialist serves as mentor and guide to clients living with a severe mental illness, who are unable to live independently in the community without intensive daily support and access to treatment providers 24/7. Peer support services include, but are not limited to, intensive outreach for engagement, provide emotional support, offer ongoing case management, teach recovery and coping skills, share information on local resources, and assist clients in the community. This position requires the person to share their lived experience in mental health (and possibly substance use) recovery for the purpose of empowering clients in their own recovery journey. The person in this position also provides support to non-peer staff by offering unique perspectives on potential unseen barriers that negatively impact a person’s engagement in treatment.

Key Responsibilities & Role Highlights:

• Be able to assess a person’s needs, in conjunction with their past and present mental health symptoms and treatment to provide appropriate interventions.
• Participates in the development of and implements the care plan on all Crisis Team clients.
• Documents all services provided and maintain records utilizing the electronic record in accordance with agency policy/procedure.
• Intervenes, stabilizes and manages crises.
• Assist clients in accessing services or assists them in developing the skills to access them when the client’s mental illness or physical health impedes their ability to access them alone.
• Provide interventions that promote recovery, improve interpersonal relationships and communication skills, and support community integration (or reintegration) and independent living skills.
• Provides advocacy and outreach services on behalf of the client.
• Provides education and training regarding illness, recovery and wellness management to the client, parent, guardian family and/or significant other when appropriate within the individual’s scope of practice.
• Shares one’s lived experience of living with a mental illness and/or substance use disorder and the journey in recovery for the purposes of empowering clients in their own treatment process and to provide hope that recovery is possible.
• Provide community-based support, using a client-centered, recovery-oriented, culturally competent, and trauma-informed approach.
• Monitors and records symptoms
• Uses good clinical judgment when assistance is needed to resolve a client issue and seeks out supervision when unsure of how to best assist a client.

Education & Experience Requirements:

• Preferred Two- or four-year degrees in social work, psychology, LPN, or QMHS status.
• Must meet requirements and become a certified peer supporter within six months of hire.
• Must demonstrate knowledge of mental illness and the recovery process. (Knowledge of co-occurring disorders and treatment is preferred.)
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule that will include evenings, weekends and holidays.
• Must demonstrate the ability to identify and react appropriately to a person in crisis for the purposes of de-escalating or linking with the appropriate level of care for treatment.
• Must provide services within the person’s scope of practice and commit to seeking continuing education to further enhance service delivery skills.
• Must be able to establish and maintain effective working relationships, including therapeutic relationships with clients and to represent the agency in a professional, positive manner always.
• Must demonstrate the ability to define problems, analyze data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions and make recommendations.
• Must demonstrate a positive attitude, commitment to provide superior service, and enthusiastic support for the mission of the agency.

Unison Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).