Peer Support Specialist $17.70-$23.00

Join the CWN team if you are interested about making a difference in individual’s lives within our communities here in beautiful Northwest Michigan. Where everyone’s life is valued, has meaning, and each person is treated with dignity and respect. , please come, and join us!!

Job Summary

As a member of the Clinical Supports Services team, provides recovery based services and supports to adults who are diagnosed with serious and persistent mental illness, which may include co-occurring serious mental illness and/or a serious mental illness with co-occurring substance disorder through the implementation of the Person Centered Plan. Supports, mentors, and assists clients to achieve community inclusion, participation, independence, recovery, resiliency, and/or productivity. Staff must possess computer, typing, grammar, punctuation, proofreading, transcription, phone proficiencies and excellent communication and customer relations skills to effectively interact with staff, customers, business partners and community stakeholders. Additionally, the employee must exercise independent decision-making and work effectively in a team-based environment. The employee will complete other tasks as needed in various programs as assigned by supervisor.

Essential Functions

• Works closely with case managers, therapists and other team members to ensure that services and supports are provided consistent within the agency, program and individual needs.

• Assists clients in carrying out tasks related to their person-centered plan and focuses on recovery, including but not limited to: completion of forms for benefits, social/relationship building activities, assistance in keeping appointments, assistance in refilling prescriptions, engage clients in supports and services and other identified tasks resulting in independence, productivity, and community inclusion.

• Provides transportation of clients served consistent with identified needs and as agreed upon by assigned staff and supervisor.

• Develops and implements health and wellness classes/groups and provides vocational assistance to promote and strengthen recovery.

• May be requested to represent the agency on internal/external committees or work groups, Michigan Recovery Council, and speak of his/her own recovery to internal and external groups and/or individuals. Promotes the principles of recovery to consumers and the community at large.

• Completes documentation of job tasks as identified.

• Participates in required training as identified by supervisor, including but not limited to CPR & First Aid, Recipient Rights, Crisis Intervention and other required agency trainings.

• Participates in meetings and trainings as requested to maintain or improve proficiency.

• Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.

• Complies with all policies and procedures of the agency.

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.

Qualifications, Skills, and Conditions

Knowledge, Education and Training (licenses, programs, or certificates):

• High School Diploma or equivalent required.

• Bachelor degree in Human Services or a related field preferred.

• Must be receiving or have received services from a public mental health system for a serious mental health issue in the past and is currently in recovery. Individuals, based on illness, may be allowed to continue to receive services while employed by CWN as long as it is not their mentor or supervisor who is giving the treatment.

• Must have or be actively working toward the Peer Support Specialist Certification as required by MDHHS.

Experience: No work experience necessary. An incumbent would be expected to reach proficiency after one to six months of orientation, coaching by the supervisor, and basic familiarization training.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Regularly obtaining and exchanging information, engaging others in conversation, and responding to questions on a moderate level.

Guidance/Work Direction Received: Follows specific and defined policies, procedures or instructions (written or verbal) in carrying out virtually all job duties.

Supervisory or Managerial Responsibility: No supervisory or managerial authority.

Visual Concentration: Requires an average level of visual concentration.

Job Complexity: Regularly requires use of data and information, which is primarily factual in nature. The steps, methods or approaches followed in carrying out planning, problem solving, analyzing, or decision-making are normally apparent or pre-defined. Needed data and information are usually readily available or obtainable.

Job Impact:

• Impact on measures of financial activity or results is relatively minor.

• Presents some opportunity in which errors in judgment may have a moderate impact upon the well-being or legal rights of others.

Working Conditions:

• No unusual physical exertion is required.

• Work is carried out in mildly disagreeable conditions. Factors such as temperature, noise, or other surroundings yield an identifiable level of discomfort.

• Tasks performed produce exposure to injuries such as minor burns, cuts, abrasions, or falls beyond that of the typical office environment periodically.

Specific Requirements:

• Must have a valid Michigan Driver’s License and a good driving record.

• Must be able to obtain and maintain certification in CPR and Basic First Aid.

• Must be able to work a fully flexible schedule including evenings, weekends and holidays.