Peer Support Specialist I

Spectrum Health & Human Services

Agency Profile: Spectrum Health & Human Services respectfully partners with adults, children, and families as they recover from behavioral, emotional, mental health and/or substance related disorders by offering individualized and meaningful opportunities of hope, empowerment, and support to achieve self-defined improvements in their quality of life.

LOCATION: 1298 Main Street, Buffalo, NY

SUMMARY OF POSITION FUNCTION:

The Peer Support Specialist provides voluntary, nonclinical peer support services to individuals receiving or considering behavioral health services through Spectrum’s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic and other assigned programs. Using relevant lived experience in behavioral health recovery, the Peer Support Specialist promotes hope, engagement, self-determination, resilience, informed decision-making, community connection, and successful transitions in care. Services are person-centered, recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and delivered within the employee’s credential, training, assigned role, and scope of practice. The Peer Support Specialist works as a member of the multidisciplinary team while maintaining a distinct peer role that complements, but does not replace, clinical treatment.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide person-centered, recovery-oriented peer support using lived experience appropriately to promote hope, engagement, self-determination, resilience, and achievement of individual recovery goals.
• Engage individuals in services through outreach, relationship building, advocacy, education, and support with navigating behavioral health, substance use, healthcare, and community resources.
• Provide peer support services across a variety of settings, including individuals’ homes, community-based locations, clinic settings, and telehealth environments, as appropriate and guided by individual preference and person-centered needs.
• Assist individuals in identifying strengths, developing recovery and wellness strategies, building natural supports, increasing self-advocacy, and connecting with community-based resources.
• Provide peer support during transitions in care, periods of increased need, and re-engagement in services, including appropriate pre-crisis and post-crisis support.
• Respond to referrals and engage individuals in peer support services in a timely manner, including outreach and follow-up to support continued engagement in care.
• Participate as a member of the multidisciplinary treatment team, contributing the peer perspective.
• Coordinate with members of the treatment team and other service providers, as appropriate, to support continuity of care, transitions, referrals, and follow-up while maintaining the distinct role of peer support.
• Ensure peer services are consistent with the individual’s identified treatment and recovery goals and are provided within the Peer Support Specialist’s credential, training, and scope of practice.
• Support individuals in identifying and communicating their own goals, preferences, strengths, and priorities and, with the individual's consent, bring the peer perspective into person-centered treatment and recovery planning.
• Provide pre-admission and/or outreach support to individuals who are considering, referred to, or not yet fully engaged in behavioral health services, using peer relationships and lived experience to build trust, reduce barriers, and support voluntary connection to services and recovery supports.
• Meet established monthly productivity and service-delivery expectations and effectively manage assigned referrals, outreach activities, follow-up, and peer support responsibilities.
• Complete all required documentation accurately and within established Agency timeframes, including documentation of services provided, progress toward identified goals, follow-up needs, and safety concerns.
• Maintain confidentiality, professional boundaries, ethical standards, and compliance with applicable regulations, credentialing requirements, and Agency policies.
• Recognize and promptly communicate clinical or safety concerns to appropriate members of the treatment team and follow established crisis and emergency procedures.
• Participate in required individual and group supervision, staff meetings, training, and quality-improvement activities.
• Maintain required peer certification/credential and complete required continuing education and professional development.
• Perform other related duties consistent with the peer role, credential, training, and needs of the Agency.

SKILLS/COMPETENCIES

• Ability to use lived experience intentionally, appropriately, and in support of another person’s recovery.
• Understanding of peer support values, ethics, recovery principles, person-centered planning, and trauma-informed care.
• Ability to establish effective peer relationships while maintaining professional and ethical boundaries.
• Ability to engage individuals who may be reluctant or uncertain about participating in services.
• Strong listening, communication, advocacy, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to support individuals from diverse cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic, and recovery backgrounds.
• Ability to recognize safety concerns and follow established crisis and escalation procedures.
• Ability to work collaboratively with clinical, medical, substance use, care coordination, and administrative staff while preserving the distinct peer role.
• Ability to complete timely, accurate, person-centered documentation.
• Ability to use electronic health records, Microsoft Office applications, email, telehealth, and other required technology.
• Knowledge of community-based behavioral health, recovery, wellness, and social-support resources.
• Ability to work independently in community settings while maintaining communication with supervision and the treatment team.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Must possess, or be provisionally approved to obtain, a peer credential appropriate to the assigned population and services, such as:
• New York Certified Peer Specialist, including provisional certification, for adult mental health peer services; or
• Certified Recovery Peer Advocate credential for substance use recovery peer services.
• A Family Peer Advocate or Youth Peer Advocate credential may be required when assigned to provide family or youth peer services.
• Must maintain the credential required for the assigned position and complete any continuing education, supervision, or renewal requirements established by the credentialing authority.

EXPERIENCE

• Preferred one (1) year work-related experience with individuals and families from diverse backgrounds.
• Personal lived experience relevant to the population served and the ability to use that experience purposefully in supporting others.
• Experience navigating mental health, substance use, healthcare, child-serving, or other relevant service systems.
• Must be willing and able to appropriately self-identify as a person with relevant lived experience consistent with the requirements of the applicable peer role and credential.
• Must provide verification of required certification or credential before providing services that require the credential.
• Must participate in required peer-informed individual and group supervision.
• Must be able to travel between Agency locations and community service settings.
• A valid New York State driver’s license and acceptable driving record is required when driving is an essential function of the assigned position.
• Must complete required background checks, health requirements, orientation, and Agency training.

COMPENSATION : $23.09-$29.44/HOURLY