Peer Specialist

MHS is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve people’s lives and instill hope by providing cost-effective community-based mental health, drug and alcohol recovery, and housing services. We continually seek new and improved ways of serving our clients and communities. **MHS is an essential business.**

**JOB SUMMARY**
- The Peer Specialist utilizes his or her experiences as a recipient of substance use disorder services to enhance recovery efforts of clients under the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS). He or she serves as a member of a multidisciplinary team and shares practical and personal experience, knowledge and insight related to illness management, life skills, and the lifelong process of recovery. The Peer Specialist actively promotes greater understanding of clients’ points of view and preferences. The Peer Specialist also fulfills duties related to supportive substance use counseling, rehabilitation, and collateral interactions with natural supports.

**RESPONSIBILITIES**
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job._
- Provides peer counseling and support, drawing on own experiences as a consumer to build trust and commonality.
- Serves as a mentor to clients, and families and promotes empowerment and hope.
- Provides expertise and consultation to other staff members from a substance use disorder consumer perspective to enhance empathy and professional effectiveness.
- Makes appropriate referrals to community providers coordinating and arranging access to care with ancillary services.
- Facilitate placement including arranging pre-placement visits and transportation, or provide transportation as needed.
- Interacts therapeutically with clients and families in the community and demonstrates boundaries consistent with professional standards.
- Develops and maintains a caseload as assigned by the Lead Substance Abuse Counselor and maintains a daily log of client contacts.
- Promote and conduct outreach and engagement, and act as liaison between client and community supports.
- Completes all charting and documentation as contractually required and in a timely manner as dictated by program requirements.
- Displays regular and reliable attendance. Reports to and departs from work on time, as schedules, and accurately reflects all time on timecard.
- Successfully functions as a team member.
- MHS requires all employees to attain a minimum degree of training and knowledge in cultural competency, co-occurring disorders, and gender responsiveness, and to routinely demonstrate these traits in everyday work and relationships.
- Participate in regularly scheduled program meetings.

**QUALIFICATIONS**
- Minimum of a High School Diploma or GED.
- Minimum of one year of recovery from lived experience in SUD and/or co-occurring mental health disorders.
- Minimum of one year of experience providing substance abuse services to adults.
- Completion of a minimum 75-hour peer support training program.
- Valid CA driver’s license and current auto insurance per contract requirements.
- Bilingual in Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog or Arabic is preferred if the position serves that population.
- In-depth knowledge of substance abuse treatment methodologies and diagnostic techniques. Familiarity with San Diego substance abuse services system.
- Knowledge of DMC-ODS preferred.
- Cultural competency relevant to community/communities served.
- Resourcefulness, initiative, and the ability to work with mínimal direction and supervision.
- Utilizes logical problem-solving techniques both independently and in collaboration with workers in dealing with client needs.
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office and EHR software

**PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS**

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with qualified disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Seeing
- Hearing
- Speaking
- Stooping/Bending
- Working in cramped spaces
- Moving around office
- Moving between offices/clients
- Driving
- Climbing
- Lifting/carrying heavy items
- Pushing/pulling/dragging items
- Standing for long periods
- Working outside/underground
- Using hands/fingers
- Sitting for long periods of time

I can perform the above job duties:
Without accommodation With accommodation. If so, please specify:
**OTHER DUTIES**

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.