Peer Specialist - Fusion Studios 10434

The Peer Specialist has experience as a recipient of mental health, substance treatment or homeless services and is willing to use and share his or her personal, practical experience, knowledge, and first hand insight to benefit the team and its clients. The Peer Specialist will provide assistance, peer support, case management, and advocacy for program Residents, identifying life choices and helping them overcome obstacles to achieving their goals. Focusing on the Residents' strengths, the Peer Specialist will promote personal growth, development, and recovery. The Fort Lyon Supportive Residential Community is designed to provide transitional housing, addiction recovery, education and vocational training, case management and basic supportive services to those who are formally homeless and have an expressed desire to live in a drug and alcohol-free community in an effort to end their cycle of homelessness and promote health, wellbeing and active citizenship.

NOTE: In order to ensure that our consumers receive the best possible care the candidate chosen to fill this position will be required to complete our internal credentialing and privileging process prior to a start date. The credentialing and privileging timeline is dependent on the selected candidate's submission of documents necessary for clearance. Please note that a start date will be scheduled once credentialing and privileging is complete.

Coalition Benefits

• Choice of HMO or PPO health insurance coverage options: full-time employees contribute only 1% of their earnings for their own HMO health coverage and no more than 4% of their earnings for coverage of eligible dependents. We're proud to offer same-and opposite-sex domestic partner coverage.
• Choice of dental insurance or discount plan.
• Vision insurance.
• Flexible spending accounts for health care / dependent care / parking expenses.
• Free basic life and AD&D insurance coverage.
• Employee Assistance Program, a problem-solving resource available to you and your household members.
• Dollar-for-dollar retirement plan matching contributions up to 5% of earnings with 3-year vesting.
• Extensive paid time-off, including 9 holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and three weeks of vacation for new full-time employees in their first year.
The effective date for your benefits will be the first of the month following your date of hire.

Essential Job Functions

• Maintains current and complete COVID-19 vaccination(s), as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health authorities. \
• Provides individual and group peer support, drawing on common experiences as a peer, to validate residents' experiences and to provide guidance and encouragement to residents to take responsibility and actively participate in their own recovery.
• Conducts routine room checks and submits report to case management. Also works with residents on any room concerns such as cleanliness.
• If assigned to building 8, coordinates with building 5 staff as residents move from 5 to building 8.
• Provides transportation for needs not met by local transit. This may include transporting residents to outside recovery meetings.
• Actively participates, collaborates, and contributes to the Supportive Residential Community program to promote a team culture in which each resident's point of view, experiences, and preferences are recognized, understood and respected, and in which Resident self-determination and decision-making in service planning are maximized and supported.
• Helps residents identify, understand, and combat stigma and discrimination associated with, addiction, mental illness and homelessness and develop strategies to reduce self-stigma. Helps other team members to identify and understand culture-wide stigma and discrimination against people with substance use disorders, mental illness and homelessness and works to develop strategies to address stigma within the team.
• Serves as a liaison between team and consumer-run programs such as self-help groups and drop in centers.
• Maintains and ensures confidentiality of all resident information.
• Solicits, listens, and responds to client feedback about services.
• Attends and participates in formal and informal staff meetings, and addresses resident and program issues.
• Completes all necessary documentation including HMIS in a timely manner.
• Participates in performance assessment activities through data collection and by facilitating access to program residents.
• Monitors residents' needs through regular contact and assists team in crisis intervention.
• Organizes and facilitates social activities including creating and distributing event flyers to clients and staff. Social activities include office-based client gatherings/potlucks, office -based process groups, and skill-building field trips in the community.
• Performs direct client care for a minimum of 50% of working time (including face to face appointments, case management via phone, advocacy and linkages with external supports in the community) as reflected by HMIS documentation.
• Maintains a work environment that is marked by respect for others; that values inclusiveness; and that fosters cooperation and teamwork.

Qualifications Summary

• Prior or current recipient of substance abuse treatment and/or mental health or homeless services, with the ability to role model recovery, and who is actively participating in their own recovery. Experience with co-occurring mental health and substance treatment disorders.
• High degree of knowledge and experience working with individuals who are homeless.
• Evidence or experience with program implementation.
• Must be able to work under stressful conditions, work variable hours and be available 24/7 to respond support staff in responding to crises.
• At least one year of recovery from substance abuse is preferred.
• Knowledge of evidence-based practices used by this project.
• Must embrace the mission and philosophy of recovery and client centered services.
• Must pass CBI check.
• Must adhere to Agency's non-discrimination policies

$20.64 - $25.14 an hour