Title: Peer Support Specialist
Salary: $25.51 Hourly, Non-Exempt
Shift: Wednesday-Saturday, 10:00am-9:00pm
Location: Behavioral Health Resource Center (BHRC)
Reports To: Team Lead Supervisor(s), Program Manager
This position has an introductory probationary period of 90 days.
THE POSITION: The Peer Support Specialist (PSS) will support participants as part of a team who advocate for and engage in participants' overall health and well-being using strengths-based, housing first, and harm reductive models. A Peer will assist participants in articulating their goals for recovery, support them in their treatment, and model effective coping techniques and self-help strategies while adhering to the Peer scope of standards. A PSS will build community and relationships within the program, lead recovery/support groups, schedule and facilitate onsite activities and classes, coordinate with external agencies for community in-reach, provide system navigation services, and make referrals to community partners on behalf of participants as needed. Additional duties may include upkeep of site operations, including restocking supplies and linen and ensuring site cleanliness. Peers will encourage feedback from others in order to maintain a safe and welcoming space for all participants and staff.
THE PROGRAM: The Behavioral Health Resource Center (BHRC), operated in collaboration with Multnomah County Health, the Joint Office of Homeless Services, and the Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon, is a five-floor building in downtown Portland. Do Good Multnomah’s role is to operate a total of 52 beds across the 3rd and 4th floors to serve people experiencing homelessness and continue along their path to permanent housing. The 3rd floor holds a congregate shelter featuring 33 beds and 24-hour support services. The 4th floor is a Bridge Housing program with 19 beds in shared rooms for those who’ve had already some success moving towards permanent housing. The planning process for the BHRC was an intentional effort over a period of four years, and included an advisory council composed of individuals with lived experience. They collaborated on everything from trauma-informed design, policies, safety practices, and an equitable approach to selection and reintegration.
HIPAA REQUIREMENTS: This position will have access to Protected Health Information (PHI) during the course of their work activities. Applying the minimum necessary standard of HIPAA, the designated record sets to which this position may have access include all sections of the medical record, patient demographic information in the practice management system, etc. This position is required to read the content of these records only to the extent needed to accomplish the assigned tasks.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Utilize personal and professional experience to empower, mentor, and promote wellness and recovery. Provide regular peer support to educate and engage participants in their own environment (often by oneself).
- Develop rapport with participants by building relationships of trust and encouraging participants' feedback.
- Assist participants with personal goal setting. Work with participants to identify and develop natural community supports to foster independence and community integration.
- Assist participants with tasks related to housing acquisition, including housing search and viewing, submission of applications, lease and compliance paperwork signing and obtaining furniture and household goods.
- Lead recovery/support groups, schedule and facilitate onsite activities and classes, and support onsite events.
- Maintain accurate, up-to-date physical and electronic records utilizing the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to record peer services provided.
- Maintain Peer certification. Advance relevant professional knowledge/skills with the guidance of the Program Manager to drive continuous improvement in the peer program’s effectiveness.
- Collaborate with Case Managers, Navigation Specialists, and the Clinical Social Worker to advocate, refer, and assist participants with service applications. Ensure that participants get access to a variety of community services and benefits, including employment, recovery, and mental and physical health services.
- Work with other program staff to prepare participant assistance fund requests as needed.
- Develop comprehensive knowledge of community and housing resources. Maintain effective relationships with these resources to best meet participant needs. Coordinate with external agencies to be onsite for community in-reach.
- Participate in weekly or bi-weekly team case conferencing and other on-going, recurring community partner meetings for both Veterans and non-Veterans.
- Maintain a safe and welcoming space for all participants, staff, and community partners.
- Ensure that all areas utilized by participants and staff are clean, organized, and left in an orderly manner during and after each shift. This may include, but not limited to, cleaning waste, soiled clothing, dirty dishes, etc.
- Adhere to all state and federal privacy and security regulations applicable to the program, and to Do Good Multnomah's policies and agreements regarding confidentiality, privacy, and security.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
SKILLS & ABILITIES:
- Consistent, clear/direct, and compassionate communication with participants, staff, referrals, community partners, and vendors. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both verbally and in writing.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently, problem solve, and complete tasks in a timely manner. Ability to organize multiple high-priority tasks in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to maintain accurate, confidential records and information in an organized manner.
- Ability to display a non-judgmental and non-biased attitude at all levels of the organization.
- Willingness to learn new skills, and ability to continuously and quickly learn, apply training instruction, and take constructive feedback.
- Self-motivated and detail-oriented.
- Knowledge of and experience with addressing and supporting an escalated participant through proper and trauma-informed de-escalation and engagement techniques. Ability to maintain calm and compassion under pressure.
- Ability to use motivational interview techniques, strength-based advocacy, and trauma-informed care.
- Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with both participants and staff, including utilizing discernment to know what is appropriate to share and what is confidential.
- Ability to follow Do Good Multnomah’s policies and agreements regarding confidentiality, privacy, and security.
- Ability and willingness to engage in Do Good’s equity, inclusion, and anti-racist work at the full-staff, program-specific, and individual levels.