Job Description

At Greater Reach , we are making behavioral health care accessible, compassionate and stigma-free. If youre driven by purpose and ready to help people feel seen, heard and supported, we want to hear from you! Here, you are not just joining a company; youre joining a mission.

We are offering a great opportunity for a full time Peer Support Specialist for our Community and Crisis Department.

Responsibilities

Serves within the Emergency Services department and provides peer support services to clients with serious mental illnesses within these programs. Functions as a role model to peers; exhibiting competency in personal recovery and use of coping skills; serve as a consumer advocate, providing consumer information and peer support for clients in outpatient and inpatient settings. Assists peers of all ages, from young adult to old age, in regaining independence within the community and mastery over their own recovery process.

Required Education and Experience

• High school degree of general education diploma (GED).
• One (1) year position related lived experience as a consumer of mental health and/or substance abuse services.
• At least 24 consecutive months of sobriety or drug free (if substance abuse diagnosis exists) and/or at least 24 consecutive months of success within personal recovery.
• Virginia CPRS or other certification approved by DBHDS.
• Registered Peer Recovery Specialist (RPRS) with the Board of Counseling.
• Valid Drivers License with a point balance of -6 or higher.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Three (3) years position related lived experience as a consumer of mental health and/or substance abuse services.
• Experience in behavioral health environment.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of the Recovery process and the ability to facilitate recovery using established standardized mental health processes.
• Knowledge and skill to teach and engage in basic problem-solving strategies to support individual clients in self-directed recovery.
• Knowledge of the signs and symptoms of mental illness (i.e. auditory and visual hallucinations, aggressive talk and behavior, thoughts of self-harm or harm towards others, isolation) and the ability to assist the client to address symptoms using strategies such as positive self-talk.
• Knowledge and skill sufficient to use community resources necessary for independent living and ability to teach those skills to other individuals with severe mental illness. Community resources may include but are not limited to the social security office, Department of Family and Children services, local YMCA, Library, restaurants, clients' service organizations, housing providers, etc. The PS may accompany clients to community resources to assist them in accessing these resources.
• Knowledge of how to establish and sustain self-help (mutual support) and educational groups by soliciting input from mental health consumers on their strengths and interests.
• Ability to providing support services for the client that requires assisting them in establishing goals and mechanisms to reach those goals.
• Demonstrated proficiency in decisions on establishing goals and formal action plans will always be made in conjunction with the client and case manager/treatment team and reviewed with the supervisor. Decisions regarding what needs to be done involve choices that require a simple analysis such as organizing facts in narrative or logical order and comparing them to past solutions in similar cases or to applicable criteria. Actions to be taken or responses to be made, such as advice to the client, differ depending on the facts of the situation.
• Competency in assisting and guiding clients toward the identification and achievement of specific goals defined by the client and specified in the Individual Service Plan (ISP). The work involves a variety of routine, standardized tasks that facilitate work performed by higher level providers.
• Ability to promote community socialization, recovery, self-advocacy, self-help, and development of natural supports.
• Ability to work in shared office space, assessments and sessions are primarily conducted in the community (consumer homes, meetings, clinics etc.).
• Accessing transportation and driving a government car or van is required for this position.
• Work will be performed in a wide range of settings, including the medical center; in client, group or family homes; in community-based outpatient settings, community agencies; or in transport vehicles (public or government). Work areas are often noisy, irregular and unpredictable and can be stressful at times.
• Ability to work with clients that demonstrate varying levels of recovery and symptoms.

May be required to travel within the Greater Reach CSB catchment area.

Fingerprints, State and FBI criminal record reports, drug test, and central registry report will be required upon selection.Our Agency maintains a drug-free workplace.

Annual Salary Range

Grade S-C4

$41,195.00 $46,344.00

Excellent fringe benefits

EOE Statement

Greater Reach Community Services Board provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

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