Peer Partner

Who We Serve

Pacific Clinics serves children, transitional age youth, families, adults, and older adults. We offer a full range of mental and behavioral health services, foster care and social services, housing, continuing adult education and early childhood education programs to Medi-Cal eligible individuals and families throughout Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Solano, Stanislaus, Stockton, Tulare and Ventura Counties.

What We Offer

• Pay Range: $15.45 - $16.40 per hour / year. Actual offers will be determined by the candidate’s creditable years of experience in conjunction with internal equity considerations and based on the organization’s current compensation practices.
• We Offer Medical, Dental & Vision benefits, retirement options, Flex Spending, EAP, and more!
• Employee engagement and advocacy opportunities to advance our justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion agenda across our Agency and throughout the communities we serve.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under direct supervision, the Peer Partner provides peer-to-peer support and counseling drawingon shared experiences as a peer to validate the consumer’s experience. Provides guidance and encouragement to consumers to take responsibility and actively participate in their own recovery.

This position models competency in recovery and serves as a mentor for consumers in an Outpatient, Field-based or Wellness Center setting.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES:

• Assists consumers with creating a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) or other recovery plan.

• Provides assistance to consumers in using WRAP or other recovery plan to identify and manage triggers and symptoms that may lead to relapse or crisis.

• Works actively with the program’s other team members to develop strategies for outreach to consumers who tend to isolate themselves.

• Demonstrates an ability to develop respectful interpersonal relationships with consumers while maintaining appropriate boundaries.

• Demonstrates a commitment to consumer choice and empowerment.

• Assists consumers individually and in groups to identify recovery goals.

• In coordination with a multidisciplinary team, assist consumers in selecting services and/or programs that will be useful in achieving their recovery goals.

• Provides supportive assistance to and the modeling of self-efficacy with the consumer, to help him/her identify, access and effectively utilize the following community resources:

o Assists and supports members with identifying, linking to and appropriately utilizing healthcare resources including the member’s primary care physician as well as specialty care providers, dental care and vision care.

o Assists and supports members with establishing benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medi-Cal and other benefits for which they are eligible.

o Assists and supports members with identifying their housing needs, utilizing both the Pacific Clinics Housing Department and housing resources in the community to meet these needs.

o Assists and supports members with linking to and participating in substance abuse services both on-site, if available, as well as in the community.

o Assists and supports members with linking to and utilizing education and employment services including Pacific Clinics Employment Services Program, the State Department of Rehabilitation, and local schools and colleges.

• Assists consumers in learning social skills and independent living skills that facilitate community. Integration including budgeting, transportation and grooming and hygiene.

• Supports consumer’s integration into the community through social and recreational activities.

• Develop and facilitate peer support and self-help groups.

• Helps consumers and family members identify, understand and combat stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness and develop strategies to reduce self-stigma.

• Increases awareness and provide linkage to self-help programs and consumer advocacy organizations that promote recovery.

• Supports the vocational choices consumers make and assist them in overcoming barriers to employment.

• Encourages and supports members’ skills and talents.

• Maintains billable services consistent with program needs and funding source expectations, through documentation and other required paperwork.

• Participates in off-site presentations introducing the program to community partners and potential new consumers.

• Attends and participates including but not limited to:

o Peer Advocacy

o Infection control and other safety standards

o Emergency preparedness

o HIPAA

o Recovery

• Attends and participates in staff meetings on a regular basis to provide input towards program development and staff training.

• Attends and participates in scheduled supervision to provide or receive input towards program development and staff training.

• Exhibits a non-judgmental approach to effective listening maintaining, respectful eye contact and an appropriate level of engagement.

• Reports to work on time and maintains reliable and regular attendance.

• Models Pacific Clinics’ approach, mission and core values in all communication and correspondence.

• Communicates effectively in a culturally competent manner with a diverse member population and promotes favorable interaction with managers, co-workers and others.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS:

This position requires that the Peer Partner be self-identified as a person with lived (or family) experience with mental illness and the mental health system. The individual should have the ability to identify recovery principles and explain their recovery process.

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. 

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS/INTERACTION:

Initiate and maintain professional interactions and communication with Clinic’s employees and/or others.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE/POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

• High school diploma or GED preferred but is not required. Completion of Mental Health Worker Training Course is highly desirable.

• Position is reserved for an individual who has lived experience with mental illness or the mental health system.

• Recovery Innovations of California (RICA) training required for positions funded by Ventura County.

• Must possess a valid California driver's license and maintain an insurable driving record under the Clinics' liability policy (if driving two or more times per week on company business) OR if driving is not required, demonstrated ability to use public transportation, if applicable.

• National Provider Identifier (NPI) registered as a Mental Health Worker (Taxonomy Code 225400000X).

• Basic knowledge of computer/word processing skills, preferred.

• Flexible work schedule to include occasional evenings, weekends and holidays.

• Must know or quickly acquire extensive knowledge of local community resources.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this job the employee is frequently required to stand or sit. The employee is required to use hands to produce records and/or documentation in manual or electronic format. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 5 pounds and occasionally move or lift up to 10 pounds.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

SITE SPECIFICS:

A review of this description has excluded the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to job performance of the fundamental job duties. All duties and requirements are essential job functions.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. The employee will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other duties requested by his or her manager and/or supervisor.

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Equal Opportunity Employer

We will consider for employment qualified Applicants with Criminal Histories in a manner consistent with ordinance 184652 Sec.189.04 (a) and San Francisco Police Code, Article 49. Section 4905.

Salary : $15 - $16