Peer Specialist

Summary Certified Peer Support Services: intended to serve adults who are 18 years of age or older with serious emotional disturbance or serious emotional illness and individuals who are members of the adult priority group as defined by Bulletin OMH-94-04, Serious Mental Illness: Adult Priority Group. NET will deliver PSS services to any individual meeting the aforementioned criteria living in Philadelphia County. NET chooses to specialize in working with individuals with co-occurring disorder. Certified Peer Support services are designed to promote hope, choice, empowerment, and self-determination. This is achieved through the development of mutual relationships and the utilization of natural community and service supports that enable individuals with behavioral health and/or substance use challenges to “remember who they are so that they can achieve all that they were meant to be”.

Qualifications Activities will include :

• Development of Natural Supports: Individuals are supported to become active in their community. Certified Peer Support work with individuals in the community to explore and access spiritual, social and other natural supports in the community. Opportunities are individualized based on the person’s desires and may be include exploration of and access to fitness clubs, drop-in center, libraries, social clubs, etc.
• Community Support: Support individuals in exploring and accessing necessary supports for housing, employment, education, etc. Certified Peer Support explores with the individual options for housing, employment or education. Peers may accompany individuals to meetings as needed.
• Trauma Informed: Individual are supported in a trauma informed care approach.
• Advocacy: Support individuals in accessing treatment, self-help and self-advocacy activities. Certified Peer Supports are role models in recovery who encourage individuals to seek treatment when necessary, maintain wellness, take an active role in their own treatment and/or recovery plans and attend self -help groups (AA, NA and other consumer run support groups.)
• Social Network: Support individuals in improving their personal relationships, socializing and meeting new people. Certified Peer Supports support individuals in exploring new social venues, interacting with peers, family members and others of their choice.
• Self Help: Support individuals in creating a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) and/or developing a Mental Health/Substance Use Advance Directives. Certified Peer Supports can join with individuals as they develop and utilize a WRAP. Certified Peer Supports trained in Mental Health/D&A Advance Directives will be available to support peers in completing the necessary steps involved in writing and utilizing a Mental Health/Substance Use Advance Directive.
• Self-Improvement: Facilitate activities that promote self -esteem/ self -worth. Certified Peer Supports support individuals in choosing and attending groups or activities that they believe will enhance their quality of life, develop talents and improve self- esteem such as art classes, music, dance, cooking classes, etc. based on individual preference.
• Health & Wellness: Supporting individuals to adopt healthy habits based on individual preference.
• Expected Outcomes: For each individual to accomplish his/her goals pertaining to living, learning, working and socializing

Minimum Qualifications Certified Peer Specialists: Certified Peer Specialists shall meet the all of the following:

• Be a self-identified individual who has received or are receiving mental health services for a serious emotional disturbance or serious mental illness.
• Eighteen (18) years of age or older
• Have a High school diploma or general equivalency diploma
• Within the last three (3) years, have either maintained at least 12 months of successful work or volunteer experience, or earned at least 24 credit hours at a college or post-secondary educational institution; and
• Completed the Department approved certified peer specialist training
• Valid Driver’s License (issued by state in which employee lives) and safe driving record and proof of insurance coverage
• Experience navigating multi-system services and a working knowledge of available community resources
• Must demonstrate a genuine respect for all individuals
• Demonstrate an understanding of cultural competence and the principles of recovery

Essential Position Requirements

• Must demonstrate genuine empathy and concern for individuals as indicated in our corporate vision, mission, and values statements.
• Adhere to applicable city, county, state, and federal laws and regulations, internal

NET standards.

• Must have current state clearances for Child Abuse, Criminal Records, and Contagious Diseases.
• Must possess strong interpersonal and organizational skills
• Must have availability and flexibility to work some evenings and weekends, as needed.
• Must be able to drive and work in the community with participants independently.
• Complete documentation daily
• After hours On Call duties are required.
• ESSENTIAL POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES (and other duties as assigned)
• Works with participants to assess strengths and needs to develop a person-centered, individualized service Plan.
• Supports the participant in carrying out their recovery plan and together with the participant, continuously reviews and assesses needs.
• Works with participants to identify, develop, access and strengthen supports to increase community integration and community inclusion.
• Monitors supports and services for appropriateness and effectiveness.
• Supports participants in the self-management of critical or crisis situations.
• Advocacy at all levels on behalf of the individuals.
• Attendance in Individual and Group supervision, Treatment Team Meetings, Inter-agency Team Meetings and required trainings.
• Ensures that all participant visits are documented in the electronic health record (EHR).
• Achieves a minimum of 50 billable hours per two week pay period.