Certified Peer Support Specialist

General Position Description: Under general supervision provides activities that are individualized, recovery-focused service that allows individuals the opportunity to learn to manage their own recovery and advocacy process or any other service assigned by supervisor. Interventions of Peer Support Specialists serve to enhance the development of natural supports, as well as coping and self-management skills. Interventions of Peer Support Specialists may also provide supportive services to assist an individual in community, transportation of individuals, crisis response (24/7/365), and provision of both group and individual peer support and other duties assigned by supervisor.

Performance Expectations and Competencies

Shall demonstrate the use of knowledge/skill/judgment and provide peer support services that evidence quality, performance, and meet the needs of persons served and other stakeholders. Performance tasks shall include, but not be limited to:

Peer Support Services emphasize personal safety, self-worth, confidence, and growth, connection to the community, boundary setting, planning, self-advocacy, personal fulfillment, and development of social supports, the helper principle, and effective communication skills. Services emphasize the acquisition, development, and expansion of rehabilitative skills needed to move forward in recovery.

Examples of specific interventions include:

• Self Help: Cultivating the individual?s ability to make informed, independent choices. Helping the individual develop a network of contacts for information and support based on experience of the Peer Support Specialist.
• System Advocacy: Assisting the individual to talk about what it means to have a mental illness to an audience or group. Assisting the individual with writing a letter or making a telephone call about an issue related to mental illness or recovery.
• Individual Advocacy: Discussing concerns about medication or diagnosis with the physician or nurse at the individual?s request based on experience of the Peer Support Specialist. Helping the individual make appointments for psychiatric and general medical treatment when requested. Guiding the individual toward a proactive role in health care.
• Pre-Crisis and Post Crisis Support: Assisting the individual with the development of a personal crisis plan, and/or a Psychiatric Advance Directive (PAD). This includes help in developing the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP). Giving feedback to the individual on early signs of relapse and how to request help to prevent a crisis. Assisting the individual in learning how to use the crisis plan. Supporting the individual in seeking less restrictive alternatives to locked hospital facilities and Emergency Department evaluations.
• Housing: Assisting the individual with learning how to maintain stable housing through bill paying, cleaning, and organizing his or her belongings. Assisting the individual in locating improved housing situations. Teaching the individual to identify and prepare healthy foods according to cultural and personal preferences of the individual and his/her medical needs.
• Education/Employment: Assisting the individual in gaining information about going back to school or job training. Facilitating the process of asking an employer for reasonable accommodation for psychiatric disability (mental health day, flex time, etc.).
• Meals and Social Activities: To build peer relationships where eating is not the core activity offered. The focus of the meal in a social setting is skill maintenance and enhancement.
• Peer Support Whole Health Integration: Supporting the individual in setting personal expectations and health objectives to help accomplish overall life, health and wellness goals. Support the individual in learning and implementing incremental and measurable objectives to manage co-occurring MHSA and medical illnesses through best practice models of integrated health care.
• Wellness and Recovery Support: Implementation of community engagement and support activities to enhance wellness and social engagement, reduce isolation, promote social and other skill development in the setting of a community wellness center.

3. Under the direct supervision of the supervisor shall utilize knowledge/skill to maintain a safe and therapeutic environment and support professional services that are provided within 24/7/365 services.

• Use of least restrictive interventions to promote consumer autonomy and assure safety for employees and other consumers on the unit.
• Effective communication with consumers to enhance motivation and commitment to recovery process.
  • Providing basic individual and group communication and support groups. WRAP Groups

  • Orientation Groups

  • Exercise

  • Basic Skill Development

  • Social Activities
• Monitoring general health status and safety.
• Consumer Record Documentation to include:
  • Service Notes (individual and group)

  • Confidentiality and Privacy Practice Documentation

  • Referral forms

  • Reports and data collection required by any grants and/or funders
• Transport of consumers to community resources.
• Participation, provision, and use of a community based team approach that utilizes the resources of the community, consumer, and treatment team, to achieve positive consumer outcome, stabilize the crisis and appropriate transitions the consumer to needed services and supports
• Shall demonstrate the ability to work/be a part of 24/7/365 organizational and therapeutic teams, and maintain positive working relationships with consumers, community stakeholders, referral organizations, and other employees/ departments of PCC.
• Shall develop a working knowledge of applicable organizational policy and procedure and demonstrate compliance. This shall include, but not be limited to:
• Personnel policies/procedures
• Employee Ethics/Corporate Compliance/Consumer Rights
• Service record documentation
• Confidentiality/HIPAA
• Clinical Policy and Procedure
• Peer Support requirements
  • Shall complete other duties as assigned by supervisor.

General Knowledge and Skills Required for Position:

General Knowledge of the dynamics of MH/DD/SA behavioral health disorders (BHD) and their impact upon persons served and their families; the bio/psycho/social factors involved in (BHD); up-to-date principles/techniques (evidence based/best practices) of crisis response, prevention, and intervention application to individuals possessing (BHD); the community resources available to persons with (BHD), to include behavioral health, social service, community services, and self-help groups; knowledge of billing and service record documentation requirements (NC Division of MH/DD/SA ASAM/IPRS, DMA/Value Options, LME, and PCC policy/procedure.

General Skill in the application of peer support techniques that are considered as evidence based/best practices as defined by the NC Division of MH/DD/SA, and/or literature/research, and organizational policy/procedure; skill in the delivery of services using accepted crisis treatment modalities, to include, individual, family, and in-community; skill in establishing/maintaining effective therapeutic and professional relationships with persons served and/or their family members; behavioral health providers; and, skill in accurately documenting services provided and billed.