Peer Support Specialist (IHOT)

POSITION TITLE: Peer Support Specialist

DEPARTMENT: In-Home Outreach Team (IHOT)

REPORTS TO: Program Supervisor

FLSA STATUS: 1.0 FTE, Non-Exempt, Union Position

COMPENSATION: $22.73/hour or $23.35/hour (Bilingual Differential)

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The In-Home Outreach Team (IHOT) specializes in field-based and in-home outreach and engagement to adult individuals who suffer from severe mental illness (SMI) and who are currently disengaged from mental health treatment and/or reluctant to engage with mental health treatment. The goal of IHOT is to refer and link clients to specialty mental health services, such as psychiatry, psychotherapy, and case management services.

La Familia was also awarded funding to establish and maintain an In-Home Outreach Team (IHOT) for adults with serious mental illness (SMI) in Alameda’s Central and North County.  We believe that IHOT operated by La Familia is of great benefit to the priority populations and communities that we serve and that this allows us to substantively augment and enhance the county’s system of mental health services by engaging the hardest-to-serve and most resource-intensive SMI populations. We are seeking an enthusiastic and experienced Peer Support Specialist I or II to join our IHOT Program.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide direct services, including outreach, engagement, referral, linkage, and follow-up services to consumers and their families/supports at their preferred locations.
• Conducts community outreach to homeless clientele and clientele residing at various institutional settings throughout the East Bay area who are enrolled in the IHOT program in an effort to establish contact, build rapport, and provide linkage services.
• Provide services in the field and at various institutional settings and locations in the community, as necessary, as well as transport clientele to necessary appointments and community resources and supports.
• Meets with clients and caregivers/family members on a consistent basis or as needed in the field for the purposes of establishing and maintaining contact, gradually build rapport and therapeutic alliance with clients and caregivers/family members, facilitate client interests in resources, develop and implement client care plans, support and accompany clients through interpersonal and institutional transitions, teach and enhance coping skills, facilitate healthy dialogue between clients and respective family members/caregivers or relevant parties, leverage the interests of family members/caregivers and clients towards common goals, and provide referral and linkage services for clients to specialty mental health services in the community.
• Provide case management duties for clients and connect them to various resources as necessary, including, but not limited to, assisting clients to apply for General Assistance and Social Security Income; initiate and follow-up with referrals to temporary shelters and long-term housing; referral and linkage to services available within Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services (ACBHCS) as well as other necessary community resources and supports.
• Provide culturally responsive, strengths-based, and client-centered supports and advocacy to consumers and their families/supports.
• Serve as role model and to inspire, engage, and advocate for consumers and their family member/caregivers’ legal status and rights.
• Consistently collaborate with mental health and other social service professionals in various institutional capacities and settings to initiate, refer, and follow-up with services in conjunction with or on behalf of clients.
• Consistently write case notes regarding services rendered in a timely manner and in compliance with standards of care of La Familia IHOT.
• Consistently meet productivity and client contact hours requirements in compliance with programming and standards of care of La Familia IHOT.
• Consistently attend weekly meetings of IHOT Staff Meetings/Group Supervision; weekly meetings of individual supervision with the Program Supervisor; monthly ACBHCS meetings; and other meetings or trainings relevant for community or professional stakeholder purposes or professional development, and presentations as needed.
• Serve as a liaison with staff of ACBHCS in coordinating services with ACBHCS and our IHOT program.
• Assist Program Supervisor in periodically reviewing ACBHCS webpage for up to date information regarding Alameda County policies, procedures, trainings, and announcements.
• Maintain client confidentiality and charts in compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), submit billings on a daily basis/submit client logs on a daily basis, and complete progress notes, service tracking, and other documentation as appropriate.
• Support agency-wide Quality Improvement efforts, comply with all agency’s policies and procedures.
• Provide culturally - competent supports to consumers and their family members/caregivers.
• Demonstrate a capacity and commitment to provide services to diverse clientele, families, and populations in regards to race; class; gender; sexuality; disability; age; immigration/citizenship status; religion/spirituality; and other social statuses.
• Report consumer progress to supervisors and maintain complete records.

Other

• Attend trainings and participate in events relevant to key responsibilities
• Track and regularly report on key metrics for responsible function areas
• Other miscellaneous duties as appropriate

COMPETENCIES:

• Interpersonal Skills
• Effective Written and Communication Skills
• Team Collaboration
• Change Agent
• Flexible/Adaptable
• Accountable
• Ethical
• Strong Attention to details
• Organized
• Results Oriented

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION & ACTION:

• Use cultural humility and cultural responsiveness to connect with people of different philosophies, backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences practicing boundaries.
• Develop relationships with their teams and across the organization to foster cultural humility and cultural responsiveness, teamwork and collaboration ensuring positive outcomes for the organization as it relates to the DEI function internally and externally.
• Utilize communication skills to listen and respond effectively with empathy while practicing a proactive, collaborative approach to make innovative change while remaining sensitive to the organization's culture and place in the community.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work.
• 2-4 years plus years of experience working as a Peer Support Specialist
• Bilingual in Spanish and English required
• Possess lived experiences similar to that of IHOT clientele, including, but not limited to, experiences of homelessness, consumer of mental health care services, recovery from substance abuse, and stigmatization in regards to various cultural and social statuses or identities.
• Demonstrate a capacity and commitment to work in cooperation with a diverse team of professionals in regards to race; class; gender; sexuality; disability; age; immigration/citizenship status; religion/spirituality; and other social statuses.
• Ability to organize and prioritize duties as well as multi-task in short periods in regards to shifting the aforementioned roles throughout the day (i.e. community outreach, client appointments, writing case notes, IHOT meetings, clinical case consultation.)
• Demonstrate a competency of writing skills effective enough to communicate client services rendered as well as coordinate casework with IHOT staff.
• Demonstrate a capacity to collaborate in the context of teamwork, share casework, and communicate effectively so that program operations are executed with minimal challenges.
• Demonstrate a commitment to be teachable as well as receive and integrate feedback into work performance within an effective manner of time.
• Able to work independently with good judgment.
• Able to work flexible hours
• Non-Profit and Community Based Organization experience highly desirable.
• Demonstrates and models excellent “customer service” orientation, especially in the ability to interact with people at all levels within and outside the agency.
• Thinks independently and can make informed decisions when needed.

• Exercises extreme discretion with the ability to hold, balance and transmit public and confidential information needed by various parties.
• Non-Profit and Community Based Organization experience highly desirable.
• Demonstrates and models excellent “customer service” orientation, especially in the ability to interact with people at all levels within and outside the agency.
• Thinks independently and can make informed decisions when needed.
• Exercises extreme discretion with the ability to hold, balance and transmit public and confidential information needed by various parties.
• Proficient using MS Office products, particularly Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.
• Acquires or maintains proficiency in using Google Drive products, including Docs, Sheets, and Forms.
• Valid CA Driver’s license
  • Auto insurance:  Personal vehicle may be used for business related purposes; it is recommended you inform your auto insurance carrier.  
• Current state-mandated guidelines requires employees in this position to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including booster shots. Accommodations may be available as required by law.  Applicants who are offered a position will be asked about their vaccination status and applications will be required to provide proof of vaccinations against COVID-19 including booster shots. The agency can provide accommodations as required by law in certain circumstances. 

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and for meeting deadlines.  Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, policies, standards and proscribed procedures. 
• Demonstrates an awareness of and sensitivity to clients including cultural and ethical beliefs; and implements care in a thorough, skillful, consistent and continuous manner.
• Knowledge of community resources for client referrals.
• Attends work regularly and adheres to policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness.  Provides adequate notice to supervisor and management with respect to vacation time and time-off requests.
• Demonstrates knowledge of legal issues including client confidentiality and risk management in all aspects of client care and department functioning.
• Performs other duties as necessary

TEAM COMMITMENT:

• Viewed by others to be an effective team member who is flexible, cooperative, and willing to assist others; and acts as a resource to team members and clients where appropriate.
• Handles difficult or conflict situations constructively and seeks appropriate assistance.
• Takes accountability for own actions and accepts constructive criticism.
• Attends all mandatory meetings and staff meetings as required, and actively participates in other departmental professional development including providing training and consultation.
• Observes and keeps self-informed of activities in the department and makes recommendations for change.
• Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with fellow employees, supervisor, managers in other departments, senior management and executive staff, and community stakeholders.
• Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons in order to maintain good will within the agency. 

WORKING CONDITIONS and JOB SETTING:

• Ability to occasionally or frequently stand, walk, sit and reach with hands and arms above shoulders 
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee routinely is required to sit; walk; talk and hear; use hands to keyboard, finger, handle, and feel; stoop, kneel, crouch, twist, crawl, reach, and stretch
• The employee is occasionally required to move around the office
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus
• May require travel dependent on agency needs
• The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 lbs.
• Can work under deadlines
• Performing general physical activities such as picking up moving, and using objects, tools or controls
• The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate

COMPENSANTION:

• Excellent benefits package including medical/dental/vision benefits, vacation, sick, and holiday leave, life insurance, and 403(b) retirement plan.
• Work life balance
• Great working hours
• Supportive/Collaborative work environment
• Mileage reimbursement
• Opportunities for Growth and Professional Development
• Holiday and employee celebrations