Peer Specialist, Healthy Minds

Position Details

Job Status: Full-Time, Non-Exempt

Reports to:** Healthy Minds Program Manager

Department: Success 4 Kids and Families; Healthy Minds

Position Summary

The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay brings help, hope and healing to people facing serious life challenges or trauma resulting from sexual assault or abuse, domestic violence, financial distress, substance abuse, medical emergency, suicidal thoughts, emotional or situational problems. The Peer Specialist provides assistance through the various stages of implementing the OnTrack service model to participants and their families. The Peer Specialist reports to the Healthy Minds Program Manager, and in their absence, the Clinical Director.

Strategic/Transformational Duties and Responsibilities

• Responds to clients using agency, contract and program policies and procedures.
• Advocates for services and resources for families
• Assist and participate in research activities required for grant sourcing and proposals.
• Conduct outreach to community partners to make them aware of the Healthy Minds program.
• Involves staff and other stakeholders in the performance quality improvement (PQI) process and uses data to improve services and outcomes.

Transactional Duties and Responsibilities

• Complete the required OnTrack training with a focus on the Peer Specialist role

• Comply with all CFBHN’s fee for service requirements.

• Effectively work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to assure consumers receive needed services.

• Facilitates with other staff to identify appropriate community resources and assist consumers in accessing those resources advocating for consumers when necessary.

• Links clients with external programs or services, such as health services, recreational activities, childcare services, financial assistance, housing, employment resources, support groups, transportation resources, and other services as needed.

• Assists in obtaining necessary releases of information to request records and communicate with additional providers, ensuring collaboration and continuity of care for participants.

• Documents case activity timely, as required by program and funder policy.

• Completes mental health outcome forms as determined by program manager.

• Provides support to participants and their families.

• Assist consumers in articulating personal goals for recovery, determining personal treatment objectives, and in acquiring and utilizing the skills needed to achieve individual recovery.

• Facilitate support groups that assist participants in developing life skills.

• Utilizes other staff to review cases and to assist in developing effective interaction strategies for working with consumers.

• Meets productivity standards as set by the agency and the program supervisor.

• Provides on-call coverage as assigned.

• Participate in staff meetings, supervision, workshops and training as requested.

• Maintains all consumer related information in a confidential manner.

• Performs other such duties as may be assigned by the Healthy Minds Program Manager or Clinical Director.

Required Competencies

• Cooperation/Teamwork - Works toward win/win solutions. Deals with conflict collaboratively. Discusses root causes underlying the problem. Develops effective working relationships.
• Engaging Communication - Relates to people in an open, honest, sincere manner. Treats people with respect. Is friendly and approachable. Listens attentively to others. Communicates ideas clearly. Communicates appropriately with leadership and coworkers.
• Customer Service (Internal & External) - Recognizes and attends to important details with accuracy and efficiency. Treats customers courteously. Responds to customer requests in a timely manner. Elicits feedback from customers to monitor their satisfaction. Considers both short and long-term interests of the customer in making service decisions. Proactively identifies customer needs. Takes responsibility to resolve customer complaints. Takes business or personal risks to serve customers’ long-term interests. Creates strategies to help the organization serve customers more effectively.
• Adaptability - Adapts readily to changes. Works effectively under stress. Needs minimal supervision. Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment. Is reliable, dependable and results oriented. Maintains productivity and composure under pressure. Effectively prioritizes work and establishes clear goals and plans.
• Problem Solving - Views problems as opportunities to create new solutions.  Anticipates potential problems and analyzes alternative solutions.
• Judgment - Gathers sufficient input before making decisions. Sees interrelatedness between issues. Considers alternative solutions. Makes appropriate and timely decisions.
• Valuing & Fostering Diversity - Demonstrates respect for individual differences and establishing a climate where all people can be comfortable and productive through sensitivity, empathy, and acceptance of cultural, racial, mental health, and socio-economic diversity.
• Self-Management – Takes responsibility for one’s behavior and well-being; Works effectively under stress and adapting one’s style to changing situations; Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and needs minimal supervision; Exhibits a professional demeanor.

Education and Experience

• High School Diploma or Equivalent.
• Certified Recovery Peer Specialist certification or be willing to work toward and become certified within 120 days of hire.
• Personal experience and firsthand knowledge of symptoms, impact, and treatment of mental health challenges like those experienced by target population.
• Prior experience in peer-to-peer mentoring preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Bi-Lingual (Spanish/English) preferred

• Strong analytical ability and proficiency with applicable technologies and software utilization.

• Effective presentation, written and verbal communications skills.

• Knowledge of community resources.

• Ability to collect and evaluate data.

• Ability to prepare reports relating to clients.

• Ability to work independently.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

• Ability to problem solve.

• Ability to organize and prioritize work.

• Skill in operating Windows based computer operating programs.

• Knowledge of and compliance with HIPAA regulations.

• Have knowledge of and compliance with the policies and procedures of the Agency.

• Team player who is passionate about the agency’s mission.

• Committed to collaboration and partnership building

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Physical Requirement: The employee is regularly required to sit and talk and is occasionally required to stand and walk. This position regularly requires the ability to sit for sustained periods of time and to effectively communicate with and assess clients, using verbal and nonverbal cues. This position also requires the ability to operate office equipment.

Working Conditions: Duties are performed in an office setting, in client homes, and other locations in the community. This position requires the use of personal transportation to travel to meetings, training, client visits, and could be exposed to changing weather.  The noise level is quiet.

Travel: Daily; Local travel for client visits.

Hours: M-F 8:00am – 5:00pm plus infrequent evenings and weekends for employee meetings, trainings, or events. In addition, there are on-call hours.

This job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of this position. As the nature of business demands change so, too, may the essential functions of this position.

CCTB is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for our applicants and employees. It is our policy to apply recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, compensation and professional development practices without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or certain classifications based on genetic information, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws, regulations or ordinances.