General Summary of Duties: The PACT Team Peer Support Specialist has experience as a recipient of mental health services for severe and persistent mental illness 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 Support Specialist provides the team with expertise about the recovery process, symptom management, and the persistence required by clients to lead a satisfying life.
• The Peer Support Specialist advocates for client choice, self-determination, and decision-making in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of treatment, rehabilitation, and support services.
• The Peer Support Specialist provides consultation to clients, families, and team staff in the areas of community resources, treatment planning, crisis intervention, and substance abuse services

Major Responsibilities/Tasks:

• Draw on common experiences as a peer to validate clients experience and to provide guidance and encouragement for clients to take responsibility and participate in their own recovery. Promote hope and empowerment designed to help clients attain recovery goals and maintain the highest possible level of independence, even during periods of instability.
• Provide coaching, guidance, and support in areas to include transition services from hospital to community, supported companionship, money management, and medication management. Provide additional coaching in the following areas as needed: personal hygiene, use of public transportation, employment, and social skills, and completion of household tasks including cooking, laundry, grocery shopping, and housekeeping.
• Act as an interpreter to the rest of the team while providing expertise and consultation from a client perspective in areas such as symptoms, effects and side effects of medications, client opinions of treatment, and client experiences of recovery.
• Participate in treatment coordination services for an assigned group of clients, including coordinating and monitoring the activities of the individual treatment team (ITT).
• Participate in implementing, evaluating, and revising overall treatment goals and plans in collaboration with client and their individual treatment team. Use recovery-oriented language in both written and verbal communications.
• Assist clients with symptom management and psychiatric rehabilitation by using Motivational Interviewing, Trauma Informed Care approaches, and stage-wise treatment strategies to intervene and motivate clients for change.
• Educate and support clients families and advocate for clients rights and preferences. Consult with families and community agencies such as DSHS, court systems, housing authorities, etc., as part of coordination in the treatment process.
• Participate in daily staff organizational meetings and scheduled treatment planning review meetings for an assigned group of clients.
• Participate in providing information to clients on substance use issues such as the effect on mental and physical health and daily functioning. Participate in planning to reduce use or abstain from the use of substances, and help teach replacement behaviors.
• Collaborate with teammates to ensure the provision of vocational-supportive counseling designed to help clients achieve vocational or career goals. Provide ongoing support for job retention, while managing symptoms.
• Participate in outreach and crisis intervention services to clients in the community as directed by supervisor, and routinely identify and evaluate physical risk factors for self and others while in potentially unsafe neighborhoods, homes, while around people with unknown potential for aggression, and while in the proximity of potentially unsafe and/or unclean structures and equipment. Consult with DCRs and law enforcement officials when appropriate under the guidance of the supervisor.
• Assess for and provide psychiatric rehabilitation services. Assist clients in building skills for independent living in the community including, but not limited to, shopping, cooking, cleaning, personal hygiene, budgeting, socialization, and accessing transportation.
• Maintain proficiency in current trends in mental health, including health care reform and information technology. Maintain knowledge of PACT standards and Evidence-Based Practices. Maintain a Trauma-Informed Care work environment.
• Meet or exceed the productivity standards of your position.
• Help clients and staff to identify, understand, and combat stigma and discrimination.
• Collaborate with staff and clients on awareness of client rights, including grievance and complaint procedures; support clients with filing, mediating, and resolving complaints.
• Assist clients in attaining and maintaining safe, affordable housing including apartment hunting, finding a roommate, landlord negotiations, and procuring necessities such as furnishings and telephone and utility hook-up.
• Assist and support clients to find and effectively use a primary care physician, dentist, and other medical specialists as required.
• Provide practical help and supports to help clients access other necessary services such as legal services, housing subsidies, and funding alternatives such as SSI, SSDI, and Veterans Administration benefits.
• Assist clients to plan and carry out social and leisure time activities to include evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Our recruitment processes are designed to prevent discrimination against our people regardless of gender identity or orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, citizenship, or any aspect which makes someone unique.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive and generous health, dental and vision benefits
• Up to 19 days of PTO and 8 paid holidays your first year (pro-rated for part-time)
• An incredible team approach that is dynamic and collaborative
• Loan Forgiveness, training, and extensive education available
• Multiple locations and opportunities close to home
• Advancement opportunities available within the agency
• Free Employee Assistance Program and parking
• Full Time, Part Time and PRN positions along with flexible hours for professional advancement

Minimum Qualifications:

EDUCATION: High School Diploma or GED

EXPERIENCE: Entry level (no prior related work experience)

Possess and maintain a valid driver's license with an acceptable motor vehicle report and reliable, insured transportation.

LICENSURE: Agency Affiliated Counselor Registration. Certification as a Peer Support Specialist in the state of Washington is required and must be obtained within six months or less from the date of employment. This timeframe may only be affected by the availability of WA State Peer Support Specialist training and testing.

Preferred Qualifications:

EDUCATION: Bachelors Degree in Psychology, social services, or behavioral health field.

EXPERIENCE: Experienced (minimum 2 years of job-related experience)

Experience working with clients with severe and persistent mental illness in a community mental health setting.

WHO WE ARE

The grass really is greener on our side of the water! Come join us on the beautiful Kitsap Peninsula, where scenic vistas, outdoor activities, and historic towns offer many options for exploration just across Puget Sound from Seattle. Residents enjoy a peaceful, unhurried, affordable lifestyle, along with the opportunity to enjoy the best of both worlds. Seattle is a water commute away via fast ferry passenger service or the WA State Ferries, and Tacoma is a modest highway drive. To learn more, check out www.visitkitsap.com.

Kitsap Mental Health Services (KMHS) is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization filled with compassionate people doing important work. Weve been transforming lives and our community since 1978, helping our neighbors with mental and behavioral health challenges to achieve healthy, productive lives. As one of the largest non-profit employers in Kitsap County, our 500+ employees provide a comprehensive range of services to over 6500 children, youth, adults, and families annually.

WEVE GOT YOU COVERED

• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package
• Work/life balance
• The opportunity to make a positive difference!

We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, creed, marital status, age, Vietnam era or disabled veteran status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability.