Peer Specialist - ORCA Center

DESC•Seattle, WA

About The Position

The ORCA Peer Specialist provides services to clients receiving care from the ORCA Center and ORCA POD. Peer Specialists bring lived experience with recovery from substance use and/or addiction and apply formal training to support clients through mind-body recovery and resilience. The ORCA Peer Specialist shares personal, practical experience, knowledge, and insight with participants and team members. They are well established in their recovery and offer unique perspectives that complement clinical practice. This position involves a high degree of collaboration with other DESC programs, community partners, and healthcare providers. The role reports to the ORCA Peer Supervisor.

Requirements

Current Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) or Certified Peer Support Specialist Trainee (CPSS-T) credential through the Washington State Department of Health or ability to gain certification within 60 days of hire.
Lived experience as a consumer of behavioral health services (mental health and/or substance use treatment) or be the parent or legal guardian of a child who has received behavioral health services.
Desire to serve people with complex needs who are or have been experiencing homelessness and are living with serious and persistent mental illness, substance use disorder, and other complex medical conditions.
Able to work effectively with clients displaying a wide range of challenging behaviors .
Adaptable to changing priorities, processes, or workflows as the program grows and evolves.
Able to give and receive constructive feedback.
Familiar with trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and equity and social justice principles.
Possess cultural humility and able to work effectively with individuals of diverse backgrounds and identities.
Be willing to seek to understand each client's unique circumstances and personal preferences and goals and incorporate them into the crisis response to help the client regain a sense of control.
Strong knowledge of relevant community resources and methods for accessing them.
Have a strong understanding of recovery and resilience, the value of client partnerships and client choice, and the balance between protection from harm and personal dignity.
Willing to travel across the greater Seattle area to provide patient services.

Nice To Haves

One or more years' experience in community based behavioral health services or like industry serving a diverse client/participant population.
Two or more years’ experience leveraging personal peer story as a peer specialist.
Lived experience as a consumer of opioid use disorder treatment.
Ability to drive an agency or personal vehicle to conduct agency related business, including a current Washington State driver's license and insurable driving record.
Knowledge of de-escalation skills, crisis intervention & stabilization, and harm reduction strategies.
Bi-cultural background/experience.
Bi-lingual in Spanish/English or other languages.
Strong applicants are able to demonstrate the ability to be positive in their empathetic responses to all persons; understand the value of meaningful and deep client engagement; have the potential to acquire the necessary knowledge, attitudes and skills of an effective crisis worker; and value a non-judgmental response to sensitive issues. Candidates should be able to accept feedback and work in a highly collaborative and potentially stressful environment.

Responsibilities

Provide peer counseling services at the ORCA Center and via outreach across the Seattle area
Identify individuals in need, screen for appropriateness to services, develop rapport and trust while offering support, and assist with immediate and basic needs to individuals who are houseless/at risk of becoming houseless and in need of medication for opioid use disorder, with or without stimulant use disorder.
Link the individuals to medication for opioid use disorder through our own program, or if exiting our program, link them to services elsewhere as part of their discharge plan.
Aid in obtaining and coordinating social and maintenance services for eligible individuals experiencing houselessness, including services relating to daily living activities, personal financial planning, transportation, habilitation and rehabilitation services, prevocational and vocational services, and housing services (including referrals to coordinated entry and/or other housing resources).
Integrate personal experience with mental illness and substance use disorders into work with program participants.
Help participants identify, understand, and combat stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness and substance use disorders and develop strategies to reduce self-stigma.
Advocate for clients' access to community resources and services, ensuring that clients' needs are met, and rights maintained; consult and collaborate with community providers to ensure continuity of care, facilitate linkages to collaborative resources when appropriate.
Assist consumers with voicing their interests and goals through a variety of channels including: Goal Plans, Crisis Plans, WRAP and other methods of expressing individual preferences for their recovery goals.
Participate in verbal de-escalation and in emergent situations and be willing and able to assist other staff as needed to maintain a safe and secure environment.
Other duties as assigned.