Peer Support Specialist

Salary : $62,328.00 - $98,322.00 Annually
Location : 1301 Piccard Dr Rockville MD 20850 USA
Job Type: Permanent
Job Number: 2025-00807
Department: Department of Health and Human Services
Division: HHS 60 Behavioral Health and Crisis Services Division
Opening Date: 12/31/2025
Closing Date: 1/9/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
FLSA: Non-Exempt

About the Position
Peer Support Specialist

"Please note: The salary range above represents this position's earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $62,328 to $88,058, based on the candidate's qualifications and experience."

WHO WE ARE
Montgomery County is located adjacent to Washington, D.C., and with over one million residents, is the most populous County in the State of Maryland. The County is also the most diverse County in the State and ranks among the top ten most diverse Counties in the nation. Montgomery County contains many major U.S. government offices, scientific research and learning centers, and business campuses.
The Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for delivery of the County's public health and human services that meet the needs of our community's most vulnerable children, adults and seniors. The Department provides services through more than 120 programs at more than 20 locations. With over 2,000 employees, the Department of Health and Human Services is the largest County Department.
As a Department, we believe health and wellness of the county can only be achieved by ensuring that every resident has fair opportunities to reach their fullest potential. This means access to quality housing, transportation, education, employment, health care, human services, safe neighborhoods, and healthy food. HHS provides critical services for residents who face a variety of obstacles in achieving their full potential. HHS plays an essential role in building a healthy and strong community.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
The Crisis Center is currently recruiting for an enthusiastic individual for the position of Community Service Aide III/Peer Support Specialist with experience in mental health and substance use disorders who enjoys working with a diverse population of all ages and a wide range of psychiatric diagnoses and co-occurring disorders. If you have inpatient psychiatric, emergency room, residential or group home experience or have served on a mobile crisis team, our clients could benefit from your skills. If you want to improve your confidence and skill in assessing risk, this is the best program in the county to help you accomplish that goal. Self-motivated, flexible individuals who enjoy crisis work are encouraged to apply for our Community Services Aide III position in Behavioral Health and Crisis Services.
What You'll Be Doing
WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING

• The Community Service Aide III (CSA III) is the full performance level of work as a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist in Montgomery County Government, providing peer recovery support services to clients with substance use disorders, mental health disorders, and/or co-occurring disorders to begin and maintain a path to recovery. This includes working at the main Crisis Center site and/or satellite locations.
• The primary duties include participating in a mobile crisis outreach team (MCOT) providing outreach to clients in need of mental health and/or substance abuse treatment and providing ongoing support/follow-up for clients identified during a mobile crisis outreach (MCOT) visit.
• The MCOT environment will include some community outreach, working at one or more satellite locations and co-conducting assessments outside, inside, on the street, often going up and down many steps, in inclement weather or poor conditions.
• Other duties include participating in answering phones in the operations room and providing information, resources and education to clients or consumers about mental health and/or substance abuse treatment, providing ongoing support for clients participating in the Residential Crisis Services program (RCS) to include participating in daily routines/therapeutic milieu and leading peer recovery groups with clients and documenting all contacts with clients as appropriate in an electronic health record system.

The Crisis Center is open 24/7.

Additional Information:

This position requires the ability to attend meetings or perform work at locations outside the office. Some evening and/or weekend hours will be required for this role.
Essential Personnel
The individual selected for this position will be considered an "Essential Employee." Essential employees must report to work during a period of general emergency or liberal leave.
Background Investigation
A background investigation will be conducted into the selected candidate prior to appointment and will be a significant factor in the hiring decision.
Minimum Qualifications

• Experience: Three (3) years of experience providing delivery of social, health and/or public assistance services.
• Education: Completion of high school or High School Certificate of completion recognized in the State of Maryland.
• Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
• License Requirement: Possession and maintenance of a valid Class C (or equivalent) driver's license from the applicant's state of residence when required for job-related duties

A background investigation will be conducted into the selected candidate prior to appointment and will be a significant factor in the hiring decision.

Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences
Preferred Criteria:

The applications of those individuals meeting the minimum qualifications will be reviewed to determine the extent, relevance of training, and experience in the following areas:

1. Some para-professional experience as a mental health or substance use disorder practitioner working with individuals experiencing co-occurring disorders, persistent mental health, or substance use disorders
2. Experience working in a crisis center as a member of a mobile crisis outreach team, hospital emergency room, and/or any other 24/7 setting providing behavioral health services
3. Active state certification as a peer recovery specialist
4. At least one (1) year of experience providing peer recovery support services to individuals with co-occurring disorders, persistent mental illness, and/or victimization and trauma.

Interview preference criteria will be used pertaining to:

• Experience providing crisis intervention and/or peer recovery support services during community-wide emergencies that may include natural disasters, serious accidents, and/or other emergency situations
• Experience providing mobile outreach response to behavioral health emergencies that may involve a high level of risk and/or need for follow-up.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.

Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at Hiring@montgomerycountymd.gov. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.

MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.

All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.

This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.

If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.

Montgomery County Ethics Law: Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
Leave Benefits

Our generous leave package starts with non-MLS permanent and term employees earning 15 days of sick leave and 15 days of annual leave in their first year, as well as up to three additional personal days each calendar year. Positions in MLS earn 35 days of paid time off each year. In addition, we offer all employees 10 paid holidays. Our leave policies adhere to the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, and we provide six weeks of paid parental leave for new parents.

Retirement Benefits

All permanent and term positions are eligible for robust retirement plans. Public safety positions are eligible for a defined benefit pension plan in which they are vested after only five years. Employees in non-public safety positions can participate in retirement plans that contribute up to 12 percent of their annual salary. All employees can also participate in a supplemental retirement plan, the 457 Deferred Compensation Plan, to contribute even more to their retirement goals.

Tuition Assistance & Student Loan Forgiveness

Montgomery County employees are eligible to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Participants who meet all requirements may qualify for forgiveness on the remaining balance on their Direct Loans after making 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time in a qualifying public service position. To learn more about PSLF, please visit the Student Loan Repayment Benefits page. Our tuition assistance program allows you to receive up to $2,130 annually in tuition assistance to help you achieve a degree that supports your career path.

Free Mass Transit Benefit

County employees are entitled to use the RideOn Bus service for free with a valid County-employee ID. This benefit can be used any time of the day or evening, including weekends. We also offer a pre-tax flexible spending account to reduce the cost of other mass-transit options such as MARC trains and Metro.

Reduced Child and Health Care Costs

Working for Montgomery County also entitles permanent and term employees to participate in healthcare and childcare Flexible Spending Accounts. These plans allow eligible employees to save on a pretax basis for healthcare and dependent care costs incurred during the plan year.

Employee Wellbeing

We deeply care about your holistic wellness. Our award-winning wellness program, LiveWell, will support you in improving and maintaining your physical, mental, financial, social, and intellectual well-being.

Learn more about our wonderful benefits available to you once you join our team. Montgomery County Benefits
01

How many years of experience do you have providing delivery of social, health and/or public assistance services?)

• No Experience
• 1 Year Experience
• 2 Years of Experience
• 3 Years of Experience
• 4 Years of Experience
• 5 or more Years of Experience

02

What is your highest level of completed education?

• N/A
• High School/GED
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Juris Doctor
• Doctorate

03

Do you have at least one (1 ) year of experience providing peer recovery support services to individuals with co-occurring disorders, persistent mental illness, and/or victimization and trauma?

• Yes
• No

04

Do you possess and currently maintain a VALID driver's license from your state of residence?

• Yes
• No

05

Do you possess an active state certification as a Peer Recovery Specialist?

• Yes
• No

06

If you responded with 'Yes' to the question above, please indicate your certification title and expiration date. If you responded 'No', please enter 'N/A' below.
07

Do you have experience working in a crisis center as part of a mobile crisis outreach team, in a hospital emergency room, or in any other 24/7 behavioral health setting?

• Yes
• No

08

If you answered 'Yes', please provide a brief explanation of your experience. If you answered 'No', please enter N/A below.
09

Do you have para-professional experience as a mental health or substance use disorder practitioner working with individuals who have co-occurring disorders or persistent mental health or substance use conditions?"

• Yes
• No

10

If you answered 'Yes', please provide a brief explanation of your experience. If you answered 'No', please enter N/A below.
Required Question

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