Peer Support Specialist

The PEACE program is designed to help people in the early stages of psychosis learn how to manage their symptoms and meet their life goals. PEACE provides multidisciplinary evidence-based services to individuals aged 15 to 30, with Medicaid or who are Medicaid eligible and who have been experiencing psychosis for the first time within the last 18 months. With the right tools and support, individuals can learn to feel better, manage personal challenges, connect with peers, and move toward success in all areas of their lives, including work, school, and relationships. Some other responsibilities include the following:

• In collaboration with the interdisciplinary PEACE treatment team, provide program participants with counseling and support to identify self-determined goals.
• Serve as a mentor to PEACE program participants to promote Hope and empowerment in their recovery process.
• Act as an informal educator to other PEACE team members to facilitate understanding and empathy with each person’s unique and subjective experience and perceptions.
• Collaborate with the team to promote a team culture in which self-determination and decision-making in recovery planning are supported.
• Assist program participants in identifying, understanding, and combating stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness and develop strategies to reduce self- stigma.
• Work with team members to identify and understand culture- wide stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness and develop strategies to eliminate stigma within the team.
• Collaborate with the team to ensure the protection of participant’s rights and to improve their knowledge of participants’ rights and grievance or complaint procedures.
• Increase awareness of and support program participants’ access and involvement/participation in self-help programs and consumer advocacy organizations that provide additional recovery resources and supports.

Requirements:

• A person who is self identified as meeting or has met criteria for prodromal or psychotic disorder who has utilized mental health and/or co-occurring services and has been trained and certified to help her/his peers identify and achieve specific self-determined goals.
• Has completed an approved peer specialist certification training curriculum.
• Must be a Certified Peer Specialist – certified by a PA State approved entity.
• Demonstrates knowledge of recovery/wellness principles and ability to model and mentor the recovery process and demonstrates effective coping skills.
• A high school diploma or GED and within the last three (3) years has maintained at least 12 months of successful full or part-time paid or volunteer work experience or obtained at least 24 (24) credit hours of post-secondary education; or any combination of experience, education or training that would provide the level of knowledge, skill and ability required.
• Child Abuse Clearances
• Ability to establish supportive trusting relationships with people with mental illnesses and respect for peoples’ rights and personal preferences is essential.
• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to meet agency productivity and documentation standards
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a focused interdisciplinary team

Scope:

• Frequent interactions with peers who are at different stages of recovery.
• May be required to assist with crisis intervention in emergency situations in an ancillary/supportive role educating and supporting peers in the development and implementation of WRAP and Advanced Directives.
• Interact with youth/young adults as a peer by sharing common experiences and modeling resiliency and recover.
• Requires the ability to lift, carry, fold, kneel, stack, stoop and bend which may include direct intervention with participants.
• Possess manual dexterity and fine motor skills.
• Light lifting and/or carrying, not to exceed 25 lbs.
• Local travel required.
• Flexibility in scheduling.

Horizon House offers competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefit package including: medical & dental, (9) nine paid holidays, generous paid time off, tuition reimbursement, retirement savings plan, voluntary tax sheltered annuity, transit benefit program, opportunities for advancement and more.

Horizon House, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer