Peer Support Specialist

Position Title: Peer Support Specialist

Program/Location: Mobile Crisis Team/ San Luis Obispo

Position Summary

The Mobile Crisis Peer Support Specialist is a member of the Mobile Crisis Team who uses lived experience with mental health and/or substance use challenges, recovery, or behavioral health services to connect with and support people experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The Peer Support Specialist works alongside crisis response staff in community settings throughout San Luis Obispo County and helps people feel heard, understood, respected, and involved in decisions during what may be an overwhelming or frightening experience.

The Peer Support Specialist is an active member of the response team. Depending on the situation, the peer may engage the person in crisis, support family members or other involved parties, gather information, assist with collaborative safety planning, communicate with community partners, take notes, drive, support service linkage, and help explain what is happening and what comes next. The role is collaborative and recovery-oriented.

Because Mobile Crisis requires specialized crisis-response competencies, this position includes additional Mobile Crisis-specific training, field orientation, collaborative safety planning, supervision, and ongoing skill development.

Hours/ Salary Employee Perks:

Full-time, non-exempt position. 40 hours per week. Anticipated hiring range is $25.50-$26.50. Includes a generous individual benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, life, 403b retirement (with up to a 5% employer match) paid vacation/holiday time, paid sick time and a variety of helpful employee perks as well. (*Full Salary Schedule $25.50-$28.33 per hour).

Employee Perks:

A few of our helpful employee benefits include membership discounts to various local fitness centers. We offer years of service gift cards to businesses of your choice. We offer gift cards for walking, biking, or carpooling to work as well as 20% discount for shopping at our Growing Grounds Downtown Store/Nursey/ Farm. We host two employee appreciation events for employees and their families yearly. We practice Trauma Informed Care Principles, Guidelines for Collaborative Conversations, and encourage the use of pronouns. We mindfully promote equality, respect and diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and all the fascinating characteristics that make us different! TMHA is also a pet friendly workplace (upon approval)!

Organization Description:

Transitions – Mental Health Association is a leading non-profit agency committed to providing comprehensive mental health services and support to individuals and families by inspiring hope, growth, recovery and wellness in our communities. TMHA has decades of experience with teams of compassionate staff. TMHA is a driving force in improving mental health and wellness in our communities and a supportive and inclusive work environment that values diversity and individual contributions.

Mission Statement:

Transitions Mental Health Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating stigma and promoting recovery and wellness for people with mental illness through work, housing, community and family support services.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Responds in the community as part of the Mobile Crisis Team, providing compassionate, trauma-informed, recovery-oriented peer support to individuals experiencing behavioral health crises.
• Uses listening, empathy, encouragement, and lived experience, when appropriate, to reduce distress, build trust, promote hope, and support the individual’s dignity, preferences, and choices.
• Works collaboratively with Crisis Specialists and other team members to engage individuals, gather relevant non-clinical and collateral information, communicate observations, and identify immediate needs and safety concerns.
• Assists individuals with collaborative safety planning, identification of coping strategies and natural supports, and connection to behavioral health, substance use, housing, medical, peer, and other community resources.
• Provides support and information to family members, caregivers, and other involved supports, and assists with communication involving behavioral health providers, law enforcement, EMS, hospitals, shelters, and other community partners as appropriate and within the peer role.
• Helps individuals understand general next steps, referrals, transportation, and voluntary or involuntary crisis processes within training and role boundaries and supports transitions to appropriate treatment and community-based services.
• Completes assigned non-clinical documentation, tracking, and shift handoff responsibilities accurately and timely while maintaining confidentiality and following all privacy and information-sharing requirements.
• Assists with preparation for community responses, drives Mobile Crisis program vehicles when assigned, and follows agency procedures related to transportation, field safety, and situational awareness.
• Participates in supervision, staff meetings, training, debriefing, and ongoing professional development, and seeks clinical or supervisory consultation whenever a situation exceeds the peer role, or additional support is needed.
• Promote, encourage and maintain trauma-informed practices in all services and activities. Practice and promote, both individually and in team meetings, TMHA’s Guidelines for Collaborative Communication in order to facilitate clear, empathetic and person-centered communication.
• Promotes culturally responsive, person-centered, and recovery-oriented practices in all services and activities.
• Assumes other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Mobile Crisis Team Lead.

Job Environment

• Field based work.
• Daily and frequent documentation of client services on the computer.
• Services are provided seven days a week. Work schedules will be developed in collaboration with team members and management based on program needs and may include day, evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday shifts to ensure appropriate community coverage.
• Frequent driving that will include the transportation of clients.
• Moderate to substantial physical activity. May include moving or lifting up to 50 lbs.
• Involves moderate risks that require safety precautions and the risk of exposure to potentially intense situations.

Supplemental Information:

This Job Description is a guideline reflecting the primary activities associated with this position; it is not intended to be an all-encompassing list of responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions. TMHA retains the right to assign other related duties; change or modify this job description at any time.

Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• Current California Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification, or ability to obtain certification within the timeframe established by TMHA. Must also successfully complete all required Medi-Cal Mobile Crisis-specific training, TMHA field orientation and competency requirements, and at least ten (10) hours of annual position-relevant training as required by DHCS, San Luis Obispo County Behavioral Health, and TMHA.
• Personal lived experience with mental health and/or substance use challenges, recovery, or behavioral health services, with the ability to use that experience appropriately in a professional peer role.
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate communication, support coordination of care, and work collaboratively with behavioral health providers, emergency responders, community partners, families, and other systems within the peer role.
• Strong interpersonal skills, collaborative work style and strong oral, written, and communication skills.
• Well defined organizational and time management skills. Ability to learn and use required electronic documentation, communication, and tracking systems.
• Ability to work independently and flexibly
• Ability to handle intense situations, display good judgment and decision-making skills, and remain calm and clearheaded under pressure.
• Able to work effectively with a variety of people and personality types regardless of age, ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or socio-economic level
• Ability to possess and maintain good physical and mental health.
• Ability to work well within a team and maintain a professional, respectful attitude in the workplace.
• Ability to be willing to work with supervisor oversight and direction. Ability to accept coaching and feedback, recognize when additional support is needed, and seek supervisory or clinical consultation when appropriate.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality within the peer role.
• Attendance is an essential function of this job that requires face-to-face interaction with clients and/or other employees.
• Ability to mindfully promote equality and respect diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin and all of the other fascinating characteristics that make us different.
• Demonstrate the ability to successfully deliver culturally responsive services
• Knowledge of the various dimensions of diversity, including mental health, gender, race and ethnicity.
• Must use reasonable precaution in the performance of one’s duties and adhere to all applicable safety rules and practices while acting in such a manner as to assure at all times, maximum safety to one’s self, fellow employees, clients, and other persons contacted through TMHA business
• Ability to travel throughout San Luis Obispo County, meet TMHA driving requirements when driving is assigned, and work an assigned schedule that may include day, evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday shifts based on program needs.
• Experience in peer support, behavioral health, substance use recovery, crisis services, outreach, homelessness services, emergency or urgent behavioral health, or multidisciplinary team settings preferred. Experience supporting people with significant behavioral health challenges preferred. Mobile crisis experience is helpful but not required.
• Knowledge of San Luis Obispo County behavioral health and community resources preferred.
• Bilingual skills or experience working across cultures relevant to the communities served preferred.
• Conditions of employment include:
• Must be at least 18 years of age; possess a valid CA Driver’s License, at least 2 years driving experience and DMV driving record that meets TMHA’s current vehicle insurance requirements. May be required to utilize reliable personal vehicle and auto insurance.
• Must comply with a TB assessment (possibly a TB test if needed to confirm a negative tuberculosis result) and receipt of a criminal record clearance through fingerprinting.
• Must be able to successfully complete First Aid and CPR training.

Physical Demands

• Seeing
• Hearing
• Speaking
• Stooping/Bending
• Moving around office
• Moving between offices/clients
• Driving
• Climbing
• Lifting/carrying heavy items
• Computer use
• Pushing/pulling/dragging items
• Standing for long periods
• Working outside
• Using hands/fingers