Peer Support Specialist

WE OFFER EXCELLENT BENEFITS:

• FREE Employee Medical Insurance
• FREE Employee Dental Insurance
• FREE Employee Vision Insurance
• Sick leave (8 hours per month)
• Vacation (Minimum of 2 weeks paid vacation)
• Discounted health memberships
• Retirement (Employer contribution - 3% contribution and an additional 3% employer match)
• FREE Long-Term Disability Insurance
• FREE Life Insurance
• 13 Paid Holidays

CCEW Mission

CCEW is an equal opportunity employer. All employees and potential employees will be recruited, selected, trained, promoted, compensated and, if necessary, disciplined or terminated without regard to sex, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, religious affiliation, marital status, military veteran status, age, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, genetic information, or any other basis protected by law.

Job Summary

This position is responsible for providing peer support services for youth at The LOFT, to include LOFT after care supportive services. The youth at The LOFT are youth experiencing homelessness who may have behavioral health challenges, substance use disorders as well as other barriers to housing and recovery. As a member of The LOFT team, the Peer Support Specialist provides youth with support, education, and community resource navigation to promote recovery and self-sufficiency through their lived-experience expertise.

Job Duties/Responsibilities

This position is responsible for providing peer support services for LOFT youth. The Peer Support Specialist will perform this job successfully by performing each of the essential duties/responsibilities listed below.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties/responsibilities of this job. Shift and weekend work required.

1. Provide Peer Support services—per SAMSHSA best practice guidelines--to assist youth living at The LOFT.
2. Manage a caseload of youth--empowering them to problem solve and find their own solutions, while teaching them how to navigate a variety of community-based services and organizations.
3. Provide consistency and support to promote progress and accountability.
4. Develop and maintain good community partnerships and have up-to-date knowledge of resources for individuals experiencing homelessness.
5. Collaborate with the Case Management team to ensure behavioral health and physical health care needs are being addressed.
6. Provide aftercare follow-up services to youth who have exited the program.
7. Assist in daily operations to ensure the ongoing safety, and cleanliness of the LOFT to include cleaning and preparing all shelter rooms/beds when a youth moves out in preparation for the new move in. This includes, but not limited to, sanitizing, vacuuming, dusting, and washing all remaining linens. Daily cleaning duties may include vacuuming, trash removal, sanitizing, laundering, mopping, sweeping, recycling, window washing. Maintain and clean bathroom showers, toilets, and sinks, as necessary.
8. Complete clerical tasks including but not limited to answering the phone, filling out the visitor log, completing daily log, medical log, and progress notes.
9. Model personal responsibility, self-advocacy, and hopefulness.
10. Maintain professional boundaries and participate in training as required.
11. Implement core principles and evidence-based practices including, but not limited to: Positive Youth Development, Trauma Informed Care, and Youth Mental Health First Aid.
12. Participate in creating and maintaining a workplace that values diversity and is free of racism, sexism, heterosexism, and other discriminatory practices.
13. Uses appropriate administrative, fiscal, physical, and technical safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and security of CCEW client protected health information (PHI), per regulations outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
14. Regularly utilizes all forms of communication (email, text, phone, etc.) and database practices necessary for this position and as directed by the supervisor.
15. As a mandated reporter, follow all procedures outlined in agency policies and procedures to report to the proper agency when there is suspicion and/or confirmation that a child or adult has been a victim of abuse or neglect.
16. Obtain Peer Certification from DBHR within 6 months of employment.
17. Accurately account for time worked according to agency standards.
18. Adheres to the tenants of Catholic Social Teaching.
19. Performs related functions as assigned to support program success as well as the mission and core values of Catholic Charities.

Job Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must meet the minimum qualifications listed below. These qualifications are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required to perform this job.

Minimum Required Education/Experience:

• High school diploma or GED.
• One year of successful work experience.
• Lived experience that allows the successful candidate to understand and relate to program youth.

Facility License Requirements: To perform this job successfully, an individual must complete and submit all documentation and trainings, including annual service trainings, as required by Catholic Charities Eastern Washington and all external licensing agencies. 

Certificates/Licenses: To perform this job successfully an individual must have a valid Driver’s License, must successfully pass a background check applicable to position and must obtain DBHR Peer Training certification within 6 months of start date.

Certificates/Licenses:  To perform this job successfully an individual must: 

• Successfully pass background checks applicable to the position.
• Possess a valid Driver’s License and ability to drive for work use. 

 Physical Abilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to: 

• Regularly stand, climb, walk, hear/listen, talk.
• Occasionally lift up to 10 pounds, pull/push, carry, grasp, reach, stoop, kneel. 
• Occasionally
• Clearly see 20+ feet, with or without corrective lenses, ability to focus.

Mental & Other Skills/Abilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must have the:

• Adaptability: ability to adapt to changes, delays, or unexpected events in the work environment; ability to manage competing demands and prioritize tasks; ability to change approach or method to best fit the situation.
• Analytical Ability: ability to maintain focus for extended periods of time; ability to complete research projects with resourcefulness and persistence; ability to synthesize complex or diverse information; ability to use intuition and experience to complement existing data.
• Attendance: ability to consistently arrive and be able to work as scheduled.
• Computer/Technical Ability: proficient in the use of: Word Processing software, Spreadsheet software, Internet software, database software.
• Dependability: ability to follow instructions, both in written and verbal format; ability to respond to management direction; ability to complete tasks on time or notify the appropriate person with an alternate plan when necessary.
• Interpersonal Skills: ability to maintain satisfactory relationships with others, excellent customer service skills and a strong overall understanding of appropriate human relations. Practices cultural humility in interacting with clients, program partners, and colleagues.
• Judgment: ability to make prudent and timely decisions; ability to exhibit sound and accurate judgment; ability to explain reasoning for decisions.
• Language Ability: ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals; ability to write routine reports and correspondence; ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.
• Motor Coordination: the ability to coordinate eyes, hands, fingers, and feet accurately and handle precise movements.
• Problem Solving Ability: ability to identify and/or prevent problems before they occur; ability to formulate alternative solutions to problems when necessary; ability to transfer learning from past experiences to new experiences of similar nature.
• Quality Management: ability to complete duties, on time and with absolute precision, at least 95% of the time; ability to edit the accuracy and thoroughness of one’s work as well as the work of others; ability to constructively apply feedback to improve performance, ability to generate ideas to improve and promote quality in work.
• Reasoning Ability: ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Supervisory Skills: this job has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

Workplace Environmental Conditions 

While performing the essential duties/responsibilities of this job, the employee will be:  

• Noise Conditions: exposed during a shift to constant or intermittent sounds at moderate to loud levels of sound dependent upon the activities of the LOFT.
• Exposure to Trauma: Employees of Catholic Charities Eastern Washington provide direct services to vulnerable community members including those who have behavioral health challenges and those who have been exposed to trauma.