Peer Impact - Peer Support Specialist

Community Counseling Center (CCC)•Cape Girardeau, MO

1d•$16 - $19

About The Position

Responsible to perform a wide range of tasks in emergency, outpatient or inpatient settings that are designed to assist clients in recovery and living in the community by sharing his/her own personal experience in dealing with mental illness. Peer support encompasses a range of activities and interactions between people who share similar experiences of being diagnosed with mental health conditions, substance use disorders, or both. This mutuality-often called "peerness"-between a peer support worker and person in or seeking recovery promotes connection and inspires hope. Peer support offers a level of acceptance, understanding, and validation not found in many other professional relationships (Mead & McNeil, 2006). By sharing their own lived experience and practical guidance, peer support workers help people to develop their own goals, create strategies for self-empowerment, and take concrete steps towards building fulfilling, self-determined lives for themselves. (source)

Requirements

High School Diploma / GED / HSE
Must self-identify as a former or current consumer of mental health, behavioral health, substance use, or co-occurring disorder services, and must hold, or be eligible to obtain within 75 days of starting, a valid Certified Peer Specialist Credential from the Missouri Credentialing Board.
To ensure effective modeling and support during service delivery to clients, must demonstrate stability by having at least one year in personal recovery from mental illness and/or substance use disorder.
Must hold or obtain by start date, MO Class E Driver's License (Class D for IL Residents), and proof of continuous auto insurance. Must also meet CCC's Motor Vehicle Record standards policy and have reliable transportation.

Responsibilities

Share personal experience with mental illness and personal recovery experience.
Promote the idea and concept of recovery; serve as role model; build trust with clients and provide hope; help develop communication skills; help clients develop coping skills.
Interact directly with clients, both individually and in a group.
Help identify client's individual warning signs and help develop ways to prevent relapse to avoid hospitalizations.
Provide social interaction and develop social skills.
Help clients develop insight into their illness and understand their experience with mental illness.
Assist in developing problem solving skills; teach self-help skills.
Help clients in developing support systems; connect clients with peer support/self-help groups.
Assist clients in developing empowerment skills through self-advocacy, assist clients in developing skills in combating negative self-talk, assist clients in developing a personal recovery plan, assist clients in developing recovery goals, assist clients in obtaining their recovery goals, assist clients in monitoring progress to achieving goals.
Assist non-client staff to understand recovery, the importance of recovery-based services and the value of the experience lived by individuals with mental illness.
Help clients address housing, financial and recreational needs.
Encourage clients to become more integrated with their communities – developing both skills and encouraging participation.
Conduct wellness planning and providing vocational, residential, and social rehabilitation.
Conduct client outreach in the local community.
Enhance the system's recovery orientation by advocating for effective recovery-based services.
Serve as a resource to help clients explore activities that in the past gave them meaning and purpose.