Peer Support Specialist/Counselor

Who we are looking for: The ideal candidate will be mission driven with a desire to make a difference for people and communities served by LCS Northwest.The Role: The Peer Support Specialist acts in the capacity of an advocate, providing support, encouragement and assistance to families referred through DHS/Self Sufficiency to enhance family stability and support workforce readiness. Provides a comprehensive screening to determine immediate needs. Provides skills training to children, adolescents and adults to address immediate needs. Collaborates with community partners and connects families to relevant resources to support progress. The Peer Support Specialist works from the basis of their personal experiences and shares this perspective in order to support consumer needs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS/MAJOR JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: Provide in-home change services to Parent of children, adolescents and to families Assess for parental capacities as related to child safety and well-being, and unmet basic needs Help family members overcome barriers and identify strengths Report any potentially dangerous situations or safety plan violations Help parents improve diminished protective capacities Knowledge of dynamics of high-risk families including substance use and behavioral health through lived experiences Coordinate case activities with Contract Supervisor, Case Managers, DHS/Self- Sufficiency, schools and other community partners Maintain client confidentiality at all times Provide a range of services including parent education, communication skills, home management, budgeting, stress reduction, stabilization of home environment, and other appropriate services as needed Document all client contact made by phone/face-to-face, noting the time/date of the encounter with accurate notes including goal progress and activities during contact Complete all appropriate documentation, timesheet and mileage tracking at the end of each business day Maintain accurate/current client records for contract required reporting including but not limited to: daily progress notes, weekly attendance reports, treatment goals, monthly billing forms, and initial screening, within the electronic client record (ECR); sign documents to meet contract requirements. Refer clients to support services to supplement treatment and counseling as appropriate Maintain and carry out all scheduled appointments Staff client progress with ODHS TANF Family Coaches, both as a team and individually Prepare clear, concise, emails, objective documentation, written reports including goal setting, attendance hours, phone and face-to-face client contact made, closing summaries, and other reports as required in program contract Create and maintain positive, collaborative relationships with supportive partners in the communityMaintain Professionalism in the workplace, with community partners and with clientele Provide intervention that is family-focused, culturally relevant, behavior and goal-directed QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Must have respectful, open, unbiased, accepting attitude toward clients and their families and practice with cultural competency Must work a flexible schedule to meet families’ needs and be available for crisis consultation, 24 hours a day, seven days a week with the support of your supervisor and other home based team members Must have proven skills in creativity, problem solving, team building, resource development, mediation, etc. Must have strong organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple deadlines simultaneously Must be able to collaborate with community providers Must be a team player who communicates readily and effectively, with both Supervisor and other team members Must be able to work in a multicultural setting Requires strict adherence of HIPAA standards in the office workspace to ensure client confidentiality Ability to travel to families’ homes and communities required. A valid drivers license, car insurance, and access to a vehicle are required. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: High School Diploma or GED. Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be a parent/caregiver/adult sibling of a child with behavioral health needs and have experience with children’s service systems (ex. Behavioral Health, Education, Juvenile Justice, Child Protective Services, Developmental Disabilities, etc). Must have respectful, open, unbiased, accepting attitude toward clients and their families.  BENEFITS:  We offer a dynamic workplace culture with a robust and affordable benefits plan including: Medical, Dental, Vision and Pharmaceutical Coverage options, Health Savings Account / Flexible Savings Account options, Retirement Plan with a Company Match, Generous Paid Time-off, including Vacation, Sick, Paid Holidays and Floating Holidays, Employer-paid Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance and Employee Assistance Program, Staff eligible for Federal Student Loan Forgiveness program as 501(c)3 employer.

Salary : $38,400 - $48,600