Peer Specialist
Pittsfield, MA
Full time
Full time
Weekdays, full-time, 1st shift! Weekends, part-time, 1st and 2nd shift!
Essential Job Functions
Direct Care
- Provide safe, intensely supervised, supportive therapeutic environment for children/adolescents needing acute crisis stabilization
- Implement individualized treatment plans for each consumer
- Coordinate/collaborate with network of providers identified for each consumer as directed by clinician
- Interact with family members in an empathic respectful manner that supports their relationship and role with their child
- Assist consumers with Activities of Daily Living (ADLS)
- Actively engage with and encourage participation of consumers in esteem building, recreational and therapeutic activities throughout their admission that are appropriate to individual consumer’s unique stabilization needs
- Make careful observations regarding consumer’s behavior and emotional status and communicate this clearly and completely to the appropriate staff and in written materials
- Supervise consumer in other OFY program or in another community site, i.e., school, when directed by clinical staff
- Provide transportation when necessary to facilitate treatment plan
- Become directly involved in household management needs, i.e., laundry, meal preparation, household cleaning, grocery shopping. Supervise consumer participation in such activities when appropriate for age and level of stabilization needs
- Provide service/staff coverage to other OFY programs, i.e., day treatment and tracking services if no children in crisis house or when directed by supervisor
Administrative Duties
- Complete all paperwork in a timely and professional manner.
- Participate in all relevant staff meetings, supervision and required trainings, i.e., OSHA, CPR, First Aid, Passive Restraint, etc.
- Keep supervisor(s) well informed and update all treatment team members on a regular basis.
- Complete all tasks assigned which impact on the organized functioning of the program.
Youth Mobile Team:
- Assist the Youth Mobile Crisis Team with mobile outreach to youth under the age of twenty-one and their families
- Assist youth and families with navigating the mental health system, as directed by the Master Level clinician
- Provide brief interventions for crisis management, behavior management and safety issues, as directed by the Master Level clinician
- Assist the Master level clinician with de-escalation of the crisis
- Assist with education and follow up with youth and families after a crisis intervention has occurred, under the direction of the Master level clinician
- Must demonstrate competency and understanding of the Systems of Care philosophy and Wraparound process
Other Responsibilities
- Provide an atmosphere conductive to enhancing mental health and recovery in keeping with human rights of consumers
- Must provide services in a caring, compassionate manner that supports empowerment of the youth and family
- Provide services in an energetic, enthusiastic manner
- Pay careful attention to working as a team member with other house staff, members of the clinical team and other providers
- Represent the agency in a professional manner at all times in keeping with the quality of care expected by the Brien Center
- Flexibly respond to program scheduling needs and assist other programs when assigned.
- Report any incident regarding the use of physical restraint, accidents, injuries and unusual events to program supervisor
- Follow all program/agency policies and procedures
- Other duties as assigned by supervisor
Qualifications
- High School Diploma or equivalent required; Bachelor’s Degree preferred
- Must complete Peer Specialist Training post-hire; Certification at time of hire preferred.
- Two years experience working with youth under the age of twenty-one and families preferred.. “Lived” experience preferred.
- Must complete all trainings and competencies of the Brien Center for the Youth Mobile Team
Skills
- Knowledge of community resources
- Working knowledge of computers
- Must have excellent telephone and interpersonal skills
Working Conditions
- Ability to work in a variety of settings including but not limited to: community based location; consumer home, schools, community agencies
- Facilitate groups in other community locations
Physical Conditions
- Manual & visual dexterity; correctable
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions