PACT Peer Support Specialist - Temporary

PURPOSE: This member of the PACT multidisciplinary team has experience as a recipient of mental health services for severe and persistent mental illness and is willing to use and share his or her personal, practical experience, knowledge, and first-hand insight to benefit the team and its clients. The Peer Support Counselor functions as a fully integrated team member to provide expertise about the recovery process, symptom management, and the persistence required by clients to have a satisfying life. Collaborates to promote a team culture that recognizes, understands, and respects each client’s point of view, experiences, and preferences. Responsible to maximize client choice, self-determination and decision-making in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of treatment, rehabilitation and support services. Provides peer counseling and consultation to individual clients, families, and team staff; acts as a liaison with community resources; carries out rehabilitation and support functions; and assists in treatment, substance abuse services, education, support and consultation to families, and crisis intervention under the clinical supervision of staff with professional degrees. When the Peer Support Counselor has appropriate professional credentials, he or she may perform professional duties and clinical super-vision.

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS / JOB RESULTSProvide peer counseling and support, drawing on common experiences as a peer, to validate clients’ experiences and to provide guidance and encouragement to clients to take responsibility and actively participate in their own recovery.  Serve as a mentor to clients to promote hope and empowerment.Act as an interpreter to help non-mental health consumer perspective to the entire team concerning clients’ experiences on symptoms of mental illness, the effects and side-effects of medications, clients’ responses to and opinions of treatment, and clients’ experiences of recovery.Collaborate with the team to promote a team culture in which each clients’ point of view, experiences, and preferences are recognized, understood, and respected, and in which client self-determination and decision-making in treatment planning are maximized and supported.Help clients identify, understand, and combat stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness and develop strategies to reduce self-stigma.Help other team members identify and understand culture-wide stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness and develop strategies to eliminate stigma within the team.Collaborate with the team to help clients learn about pertinent grievance procedures and support clients with filing, mediating, and resolving complaints.Increase awareness of and support client participation in consumer self-help programs and consumer advocacy organizations that promote recovery.Serve as the liaison between the team and consumer-run programs such as self-help groups and drop-in centers.Shared duties in the provision of treatment and substance abuse services.

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  Must possess Washington State certification as a Peer Support Counselor and as a Registered Counselor.  May have a college degree in a human services field or in another area, have a high school diploma, or have at least two years of paid or volunteer work experience with adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses. Must have good oral and written communication skills. The Peer Support Counselor, who is or has been a recipient of mental health services for severe and persistent mental illness, should have self-knowledge to manage their mental illness and be well along in their recovery. Must have a strong commitment to the right and the ability of each person with a severe mental illness to live in normal community residences; work in market jobs; and have access to helpful, adequate, competent, and continuous supports and services. It is essential the Peer Support Counselor have skills and competence to establish supportive trusting relationships with persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses and respect for clients’ rights and personal preferences in treatment is essential. Typically, must have a valid driver’s license for the state in which the program operates or effectively uses transportation to travel independently in the program’s service area.

 

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

·  Satisfactory findings on a criminal background search.

· Annual TB testing required.

· Maintain valid driver’s license and appropriate automobile liability insurance.

· Maintain current Washington State Counselor’s registration or higher credential.

 

 

APPLICATION PROCESS

APPLICATION PROCESS:  Submit a cover letter, resume and salary requirements to: Columbia River Mental Health Services, Attn.: HR, PO Box 1337, Vancouver, WA  98666 FAX:  (360) 993-3047 Email:  recruiter@crmhs.org

 

We encourage bilingual candidates to apply

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER