Job Description

Peer Support Specialist

Reports to: Program Manager

Location: San Diego, CA

Position Type: Full time, Non-Exempt $30 -$32 p/h

Position Summary

The Peer Support Specialist provides culturally responsive, trauma-informed, recovery-oriented peer support to individuals and families affected by behavioral health challenges, crime, violence, trauma, and forced displacement. Drawing appropriately on lived experience, the Peer Support Specialist builds mutual, trusting relationships that promote hope, resiliency, self-advocacy, engagement with care, wellness, and community participation.

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The Peer Support Specialist works as part of an interdisciplinary behavioral health team and provides individual and group peer support, outreach, system navigation, and community-based engagement. Services are non-clinical, and the Peer Support Specialist maintains the distinct role and professional boundaries of peer support.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Examples of functions are not necessarily exhaustive. Management may assign other related duties and functions. This position requires in-office and community-based work, with services provided in person, by telephone, or via telehealth as appropriate.

• Use personal lived experience intentionally and appropriately to establish mutuality, build trust, model recovery, and promote hope, resiliency, and participant choice.
• Provide individual Peer Support Services to help participants identify and pursue recovery and wellness goals, strengthen coping and self-advocacy skills, build natural supports, and increase independence.
• Facilitate or co-facilitate group Peer Support Services focused on recovery, wellness, coping, social connection, self-advocacy, problem-solving, and prevention education.
• Support participants in navigating behavioral health treatment, healthcare, appointments, housing, employment, social services, transitions, and community resources while strengthening their ability to communicate their needs and access supports.
• Engage families and caregivers, when appropriate and authorized, through education, advocacy, engagement, and system navigation.
• Conduct outreach, follow-up, and community-based engagement to connect individuals and families with services, reduce barriers to care, and build trust, particularly with isolated, underserved, or newly arriving communities.
• Collaborate with clinicians, case managers, navigators, and other program staff, contributing the peer perspective regarding participant strengths, goals, barriers, engagement, and community supports.
• Maintain the distinct, non-clinical role and professional boundaries of Peer Support Services, consulting or referring to appropriate clinical or supervisory team members when participant needs, symptoms, or safety concerns fall outside the peer role.
• Complete timely and accurate documentation of participant contacts and services in accordance with organizational, grant, program, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Participate in supervision, interdisciplinary team meetings, training, consultation, community education, outreach, and quality-improvement activities.
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA, organizational policies, and applicable program requirements.
• Provide trauma-informed, person-centered, recovery-oriented, and culturally responsive services that respect participants’ backgrounds, values, preferences, and recovery goals.
• Represent SURVIVORS respectfully and professionally in interactions with participants, families, community partners, and the broader community.
• Perform other related duties consistent with the Peer Support Specialist role as assigned.

County Behavioral Health Program Assignment

Employees assigned to provide Peer Support Services through SURVIVORS’ County Behavioral Health Program must hold current State-approved Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification and meet applicable County, State, Medi-Cal, and SURVIVORS requirements. County Peer Support Services are non-clinical, tied to the client’s approved plan of care, provided under the direction of an authorized Behavioral Health Professional, and documented in accordance with applicable program requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Behavioral health, trauma, or other lived experience appropriate to peer support practice and the ability to use shared experience intentionally and appropriately to promote mutuality, hope, resiliency, and recovery.
• California Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification or ability to obtain certification within the timeframe established by SURVIVORS or the assigned program. Current certification is required before providing Peer Support Services through the County Behavioral Health Program.
• Minimum two years of experience providing peer support, community outreach, behavioral health services, or related services.
• Knowledge of recovery-oriented, person-centered, trauma-informed, strengths-based, and culturally responsive practices.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, organizational, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality and work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team.
• Experience working with culturally and linguistically diverse populations, including refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants, survivors of torture or trauma, or other underserved communities, preferred.
• Bilingual or multilingual proficiency in Somali, Amharic, Haitian Creole, Tigrinya, or French.
• Commitment to the mission of Survivors of Torture, International and the human rights of refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced persons.
• Must pass applicable criminal background-check requirements.
• Valid California driver’s license, reliable transportation, and adequate auto insurance.

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