Peer Support Specialist

Peer Support Specialist

Since 1993, The Pathfinder Network (TPN) has been providing justice-system impacted individuals and their families the tools and support they need to be safe and thrive in our communities. We serve individuals experiencing incarceration, those reentering the community, those on forms of community supervision, their families, and their children, within 9 of Oregon's 11 corrections facilities and in the community in Multnomah, Jackson, Marion, and Clackamas Counties. We develop and deliver a comprehensive scope of evidence-based, trauma-, gender- and culturally-responsive cognitive behavioral-based programs, including our proprietary, evidence-based curriculum Parenting Inside Out, which is the highest-rated parenting skills curriculum for parents involved with the criminal justice system. Our community programs feature holistic wraparound individual and group support and services. We serve an average of 3,000 people a year agency-wide.

We show up for our employees by providing support and resources in six key areas that make up our total package, and we always strive to expand on what we offer: compensation, development, wellness, benefits, recognition and service. This includes:

• Generous paid time off (12 accrued vacation days + 12 accrued sick days during your first year of employment, mental wellness hours)
• 17 paid days of significance each year
• Extended holiday days of significance with a week off at the end of the year and 3 4-day weekends
• Paid 30-minute lunch breaks
• Employer-paid employee-only medical, vision and dental coverage starting first day of employment
• Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care Assistance Program, and employer-funded Lifestyle Spending Account
• 401k retirement plan with 3% employer match, fully vested immediately
• Employer-paid short-term disability and accidental death and dismemberment
• Supplemental virtual healthcare for employees and dependents
• Employment with TPN may mean you are eligible for Public Service Student Loan forgiveness
• Employee recognition program, staff appreciation awards and swag store
• Bilingual pay differential for eligible positions
• Shared Leadership model and opportunities to contribute to agency success and growth
• Development opportunities and trainings

We are intentional about building a healthy and thriving organizational culture and envision a community of staff, partners, volunteers, and donors who are deeply committed to equitable, just and anti-racist practices in every facet of our organization. We engage in continual learning and seek ways to operationalize equitable and inclusive practices. We believe every member on our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions.

At TPN, we envision communities that welcome all people, provide second chances, and create pathways to change. We believe all people have the capacity to change. We honor the dignity and worth of every individual, engage our clients and employees with compassion, and bring excellence to all we do.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a parent, marital status or political affiliation. We also take seriously the idea that our work benefits from a genuine commitment to diversity, by considering applications from individuals representing all kinds of backgrounds.

As a Peer Support Specialist, you will provide one-on-one and group peer support services to justice system-involved individuals who are in need of support and services. You will provide wrap-around support to peers with services, referrals, resources and assist them in removing barriers to their recovery and resilience. You will provide drop-in-services to peers and facilitate cognitive-behavioral classes, adhering to the curriculum in its intended format while maintaining fidelity through a standardized evidence-based delivery model. You will work to support the mission, vision and values of the Pathfinder Network and engage with clients in a holistic, strengths-based, trauma-responsive, person- and healing-centered way.

Your lived experience, relational and collaborative skills, capability to work well under high-stress emotional experiences, high-level of empathy and ability to keep strong boundaries will enable you to thrive in this position and consistently deliver high quality services with impact and excellence.

Support Services

• Provide wraparound and drop-in support to peers at the Transition and Resource Centers and other locations.
• Work with parole and probation officers, DHS workers and/or other community providers to ensure participant compliance and success.
• Provide information and referral for employment, housing, food, clothing, and transportation.
• Coordinate services with other providers, including child welfare, mental health, substance use treatment providers, and other social services. Maintain communication with other providers, as necessary.
• Support participants in engaging in positive recovery activities and events. Build relationships within the recovery community.
• Assist in planning for and hosting of quarterly peer support positive recovery community events.
• Transport clients, as necessary, in the community to appointments and/or services.
• Complete all required documentation and track participant attendance and participation. Complete thorough and timely case notes.

Group Facilitation

• Facilitate classes and support groups using standardized curriculum and delivery model. Substitute in classes and/or facilitate support groups. Plan, review, and prepare materials for facilitation of classes.
• Facilitate program informational and orientation sessions.
• Teach, coach and model positive recovery, cognitive and social skills individually and in groups. Reinforce positive behaviors and progress. Utilize incentives to motivate behavior.

Participation in Shared Leadership ( = 5% of your time)

• Be a champion in the shaping and sustaining of a diverse, equitable, inclusive and just workplace, with a focus towards creating racial equity.
• Participate on cross-departmental teams or committees regarding organizational policies, processes and work environment
• Participate in Temporary Teams, Equity Team, Employee Resource Groups, and other teams
• Contribute individualized skills, knowledge, experience and expertise to help the agency reach its mission

Required Cultural Values: Staff are expected to embody certain cultural values to support TPN's mission: communicate effectively, value one another, show respect, demonstrate accountability, display a high level of self-awareness, participate in shared leadership and continuous growth and learning, live values of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging and engage in personal work to further DEIJB values and impact.

Commitment to Racial Justice. Staff are expected to interact effectively across racially diverse teams, partners, and experiences, apply a racial equity lens in their work and commit to the ongoing work required to move TPN toward a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive and just organization.

Experience and skills we are interested in:

• Lived experience with addiction and recovery and criminal justice involvement
• Certification or eligibility to be certified as a Certified Recovery Mentor, Peer Support Specialist or Traditional Health Worker
• Released from prison/jail and completed all forms of community supervision no less than two years ago
• Must be in recovery from substance use dependence and have a minimum of 2 years recovery
• A high school diploma or equivalent is required
• Experience delivering peer support services
• Awareness of Trauma-Informed practices and approaches
• Experience working with mental health and substance abuse treatment agencies
• Experience facilitating groups
• Basic level computer capabilities in use of web-based environments, word processing, email, and spreadsheet data entry
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and ability to present and work with diverse audiences, specifically racial, ethnic, gender expression, socioeconomic, education, spiritual and other cultural backgrounds
• Must possess a valid driver's license and have access to a motor vehicle during work hours that is covered by adequate car insurance
• Must be at least 21 years of age to gain access to Correctional Facilities
• Must pass a criminal history background check (a criminal record is not automatically disqualifying), employment verification, and drug screen (which does not include testing for marijuana).

Working Conditions/Travel Requirements

This job operates within a community service delivery setting. This is largely a sedentary role and this role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

The Pathfinder Network follows public health guidance for any public health emergencies and will remain in compliance with any vaccination or isolation requirements from partner agencies.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to