Peer Support Specialist

Peer Support Specialist (Care Management Support)

Employment Type: Full time

Position Overview

Become a part of our caring community and help us put health first. A Peer Support Specialist (Care Management Support) is a person in recovery from a behavioral health condition (mental health, substance use, or co-occurring) who provides mentoring, guidance, and support services. Peer Support Specialists offer their skills to others who are experiencing behavioral health challenges and receiving behavioral health services. The role within the behavioral health system of care is to provide supportive services, working in conjunction with clinical treatment providers. While peer support services greatly enhance clinical services, they are not clinical in nature. Peer Support Specialists support individuals with behavioral health conditions in their recovery.

The individual providing peer support can perform a range of tasks to assist the person receiving services during the recovery process. Activities could include, but are not limited to, developing formal and informal supports, instilling confidence, assisting in the development of goals, serving as an advocate, mentor, or facilitator for resolution of issues and skills necessary to enhance and improve the health of a person with emotional, behavioral, or co-occurring disorders.

Responsibilities

Peer Support Specialists assist the process by performing duties such as:

• Identifying goals
• Assisting with treatment planning
• Life skills coaching
• Resource referral
• Conducting recovery groups
• Assisting with discharge planning

Peer Support Specialists use knowledge, skills, and experience to help others work toward meaningful recovery from mental illness and/or substance use challenges.

About Peer Support Services

Peer support services are delivered by individuals who have common life experiences with the people they are serving. People with mental and/or substance use disorders have a unique capacity to help each other based on a shared affiliation and a deep understanding of this experience. In self-help and mutual support, people offer support, strength, and hope to their peers, which allows for personal growth, wellness promotion, and recovery.

Per the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Consumer-Operated Services and Peer Support is an evidence-based practice (Consumer-Operated Services Evidence Based Practices Toolkit). Research has shown that peer support facilitates recovery and reduces healthcare costs. Peers also provide assistance that promotes a sense of belonging within the community. The ability to contribute to and enjoy one’s community is key to recovery and well-being. Another critical component that peers provide is the development of self-efficacy through role modeling and assisting peers with ongoing recovery through mastery of experiences and finding meaning, purpose, and social connections in their lives.

Use your skills to make an impact!

Requirements

• Certification: Must have a Peer Support Specialist Certification by the State of Louisiana Office of Behavioral Health or willingness to obtain within 90 days of employment (to qualify you must have lived experience and meet the Time in Recovery requirements).
• Lived Experience: Peer Support Specialists must have lived experience with a behavioral health diagnosis. A behavioral health diagnosis can include a diagnosis with mental health challenges, addiction challenges, or co-occurring disorders.
• Experience: Knowledge of community resources.
• Time in Recovery: Peer Support Specialists must have at least twelve (12) months of continuous demonstrated recovery as indicated by SAMHSA’s working definition of recovery.
• Location: Must reside in LA.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with... (Information truncated)

Additional Information

• Salary: (Information not provided)
• Location Type: (Information not provided)

Additional information about Peer Services can be found on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website, within the following resource: Recovery Community Services (RCSP) program can be found within their resource “What are Peer Recovery Support Services?”