Peer Support Specialist - Housing and Residential Programs

Do you have lived experience with mental health, addiction recovery, problem gambling recovery, or supporting a family member through recovery? Marion County Health and Human Services Housing and Residential Programs (HARP) is seeking a compassionate Peer Support Specialist to use their lived experience to inspire hope, promote recovery, and empower individuals receiving HARP behavioral health housing services. As an essential member of the person-centered housing planning team, you will provide encouragement, advocacy, and practical support while helping individuals build skills, access community resources, and achieve their personal recovery goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide peer support, encouragement, and hope to individuals receiving behavioral health services. 
• Share lived experience appropriately to model recovery, resilience, and self-advocacy. 
• Assist individuals in developing and achieving personal recovery and wellness goals. 
• Conduct outreach and engage individuals experiencing barriers to treatment or services. 
• Connect individuals with community resources including healthcare, housing, transportation, education, employment, and other supports. 
• Provide skills training focused on self-efficacy, independent living, and building natural supports. 
• Advocate alongside individuals while helping them develop their own advocacy skills. 
• Collaborate with clinical staff and community partners to promote person-centered, recovery-oriented care. 
• Complete required Oregon Health Authority certifications and continuing education.
• Complete timely documentation and perform other related duties as assigned. 

In addition to meaningful work that positively impacts the lives of community members, Marion County offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage 
• Paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave 
• Retirement and deferred compensation plans 
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and wellness resources 
• Professional development, certification support, and continuing education opportunities 

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES
Provide support, encouragement, and assistance to individuals in care. Positions in this classification promote activities fostering recovery and empowerment by sharing their personal experiences when appropriate and modeling self-help and wellness activities. Act as an advocate who facilitates and connects individuals to services and activities. As a treatment team member, the incumbent will provide expertise, experience, and consultation to encourage a culture where individual points of view and preferences are recognized, respected, and integrated into treatment. 
 
SUPERVISION RECEIVED
Work under the close supervision of a qualified clinical supervisor or designee who assigns work, establishes goals, and reviews the results obtained for overall effectiveness.
 
SUPERVISION EXERCISED
Supervision and lead work are not responsibilities of this classification. If an appointing authority assigns an employee to a full spectrum of lead worker duties, the county shall compensate the employee as described in the Marion County Personnel Rules.

Support Housing Stability

• Assist young adults with referral to YRAP, as needed.
• Support young adults to access affordable housing resources.
• Provide supportive navigation, advocacy, information, and coaching during application processes.
• Share lived experience regarding housing insecurity, and overcoming barriers, when appropriate.
• Minimum monthly check-in with program participants.
• Provide education and/or training to assist young adults in acquiring skills that will maintain community stability and independence.
• Support young adults to access long-term housing.

Community Linkage

• Provide information to community agencies about YRAP/HARP, including program philosophy, referral process, and availability.
• Identify potential program participants who express desire and willingness to increase wellness and independence.
• Facilitate and connect young adults to services and activities which build on self-efficacy.
• Support to link with peer and community resources to build natural supports.
• Support and assist young adults to strengthen linkages to community peer delivered services. 
• Support young adults to access and acquire services related to medical, social, educational, transportation, housing, education, employment, and other applicable services.
• Promote activities in the local community to support personal wellness and ongoing recovery.  

• Provide support regarding eligibility and referral requirements for various programs.
• Support young adults to develop self-help skills, social skills, and community integration.

Advocacy and Well-being

• Assist young adults in developing a Person-Centered Housing Plan, including assessment of needs, self-identifying personal goals, steps to reach goals, increased community integration, identifying natural supports, and identifying supports and community resources regarding mental health recovery. 
• Provide expertise, experience, and consultation to promote a culture where individual point of view is recognized, respected, and integrated into treatment.
• Act as a peer advocate.

Support Recovery

• Promote activities that foster recovery, self-efficacy, and empowerment. 
• Share personal experiences when appropriate, modeling self-help and wellness activities to empower participants on their mental health recovery journey.
• Provide outreach to engage young adults and assist them in overcoming barriers to participating in services, including mental health treatment. 
• Offer support to develop personal recovery and wellness goals, explore self-help strategies, review dimensions of wellness, and engage in wellness activities.
• Support engagement and treatment from community providers, including mental health, chemical dependency, and physical health providers.
• Provide information and supportive navigation of the adult behavioral health system, including answering phone inquiries, providing information, and coaching on how to assess services and supports.

Documentation

• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of clinical records in accordance with Federal, State, County, and treatment program requirements under the direction of the clinical supervisor. Meet performance expectations for time and billing standards.
• Gather data for reporting requirements.

Miscellaneous

• Participate fully as a member of the Marion County Health and Human Services Housing and Residential Programs team as a supportive, reliable, positive, collaborative, and professional team member during the development of person-centered planning, team meetings, and crisis intervention.
• Work with a team and supervisor for clinical supervision, peer supervisor, group supervision, treatment planning, staff and departmental meetings, and trainings.
• Other duties as assigned by your supervisor.

Response Level 2: In the event of an emergency, employee makes a reasonable effort to report to work. Employee may be required to perform duties outside of their regularly assigned duties. Employee may be requested to work an extended or flexible schedule. Staff at this response level must complete Incident Command System 100 and 700 on-line or in-person training.EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING
As defined by OAR 309-019-0105 (81) "Peer Support Specialist" means an individual providing peer delivered services to an individual or family member with similar life experience under the supervision of a qualified clinical supervisor and a qualified peer delivered services supervisor as resources are made available.

1. A self-identified person currently or formerly receiving mental health services; OR, 
2. A self-identified person in recovery from an addiction disorder, who meets the abstinence requirements for recovering staff in alcohol and drug treatment programs; OR 
3. A self-identified individual in recovery from problem gambling; OR 
4. The family member of an individual currently or formerly receiving addictions or mental health services.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Applicants will be asked to discuss recovering experiences during the interview process.
• Must successfully complete a mental health approved peer support training program within six (6) months of hire.
• Ability to obtain Oregon Health Authority Traditional Health Worker certification and Peer Support Specialist certification within required timelines.
• Must possess a current driver's license in the applicant's state of residence and an acceptable driving history.  Marion County will obtain a copy of the driving record for all qualified applicants from Driver and Motor Vehicle Services and review the driving record according to the Marion County policy and procedure for Driving on County Business. The policy can be found at:  http://apps.co.marion.or.us/APAP/.
• This position may be subject to the following: Must not be excluded from participation in the federal health care programs (Medicaid, Medicare and other federally funded programs that provide health benefits); AND must not be excluded from participating in federal procurement (Federal Acquisition Regulation) and non-procurement activities (Executive Order No. 12549). 
• The finalist for this position will be required to pass a criminal history background check; however, conviction of a crime may not necessarily disqualify an individual for this position.
• This is a safety sensitive/special needs position. Final candidates selected for this position will be required to pass a pre-employment drug screen, including testing for marijuana. The Marion County Drug and Alcohol Use and Testing Policy can be found at:http://apps.co.marion.or.us/APAP/policy.aspx?p=policy&pid=518.
• This position is represented by a union.
• This is a Full-time position, which is eligible for overtime.
• Typical Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, with flexibility depending upon the needs of the department and program.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
Understanding of approaches to support others in recovery and resiliency and demonstrates efforts at self-directed recovery. Knowledgeable of community resources and how to connect individuals to those resources. Ability to understand and carry out directions and instructions; ability to maintain confidentiality; interest and skill in providing services to individuals; ability to speak, read and write English; ability to provide documentation consistent with department standards for quality and timeliness; willingness to work hours conducive to reaching the identified population; ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with individuals, coworkers, and other agencies.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Operates a motor vehicle; sees using depth perception; stands; sits; moves about the work area; bends forward; climbs 1 floor of stairs; lifts, pushes, pulls, and carries items weighing up to 5 lbs.; moves carts weighing up to 5 lbs.; operates a keyboard; speaks with a clear and audible voice; reads a 12 pt. font; hears a normal speech level; works in client homes or other areas that may be exposed to heat, cold, humidity, dust, smoke, noise, and chemicals; and may work in areas that are uneven or wet.