Peer Specialist

Schedule: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

Salary: $20.00 / hour

The Peer Specialist is a person who is currently in recovery from and has lived experience with mental health disorders or co-occurring disorders and is able to provide support and act as a mentor to clients to make positive life changes to support the client's own recovery journey. The Peer Specialist assists the client in developing recovery strategies, connecting to community-based and mental health recovery-oriented resources. The role supports the outpatient clinical and care coordination teams, participates in treatment planning and recommends strategies to better engage clients in care.

The Peer Specialist also:

• Outreaches to and supports the client to make positive life changes and developing skills to achieve and maintain recovery. Serves as a model and provides peer counseling to develop pro-social behavior and self-advocacy skills; assists in developing skills needed to repair and maintain healthy relationships.

• Works with treatment team to assess readiness for change and develop strategies to engage the client in the treatment process. Communicates progress toward goals to other members of the treatment team.

• Assists client in navigating health care, mental health and SUD treatment, and social support systems.

• Provides education regarding mental illness, addiction, and recovery, assist client in determining which level of care would best meet their needs.

• Functions as an advocate and liaison in preparing and accompanying the client to meetings with, for example, probation officers, social workers, PCP's, DCF or other state or local agencies.

• Provides temporary assistance with transportation to referrals regarding connections to any community, self-help or social services that align with the client's needs and goals.

• Contributes expertise to treatment teams as related to mental health and SUD education, motivational enhancement, appropriate stage of change interventions, and application of evidenced-based mental health and substance addiction treatment.

• Implements recovery-oriented, motivational interviewing, harm-reduction, trauma-informed, culturally competent and strengths-based rehabilitation approaches.

• Assists the client in any care transitions through collaboration with the community provider staff and hospital staff to ensure a safe discharge plan and a well-coordinated implementation of that plan.

• Monitors and report on progress in client's electronic health record.

• Performs other duties, as required

About the model: Vinfen Behavioral Health Community Services provides adult and youth with onsite and community-based outpatient behavioral health therapy, mobile crisis services (MCI), crisis stabilization (CCS), and psychopharmacology including medication assisted treatments. Vinfen Behavioral Health Community Services are designed to support individuals and families in the community, reduce use of emergency rooms for behavioral health crisis, increase flexibility of service delivery, and provide seamless access to outpatient, urgent and crisis interventions, increased social supports and community-based staff.

Team members of the Vinfen Behavioral Health Community Services team enjoy:

• 4-day work weeks available

• Paid training and free CEUs

• Guaranteed licensed supervision

• Supportive team environments

• Community and outpatient settings

• Ability to work with adults and youth

• Opportunities to run support groups

Why Vinfen?

We are committed to you! We offer great training, great benefits, career growth and job security!

• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance for employees working 30 hours or more

• 15 days of Vacation, 12 Paid Holidays, 10 Sick Days and 3 Personal Days per year (for employees scheduled for 20 hours or more)

• Education Assistance and Tuition Remission Programs as well as innovative Student Loan Payment Programs. Employment with Vinfen counts toward your Public Student Loan Forgiveness eligibility

• Professional Development programs including year-round online training courses and opportunities to earn CEUs

• Retirement savings programs, including a fully funded, employer sponsored retirement plan and an employee funded 403 (b) plan

• Company paid Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment and Long-Term Disability Insurance

• Voluntary Term, Whole Life, Accident and Critical Care Insurance

• Flexible Spending Reimbursement Accounts (Health and Dependent care)

• $500 -- $1,000+ Employee Referral Bonuses with no annual cap!

• Other generous benefits including discounted memberships, access to wellness programs and more!

About Us

Established in 1977, Vinfen is a nonprofit, health and human services organization and a leading provider of community-based services to individuals with mental health conditions, intellectual and developmental disabilities, brain injuries, and behavioral health challenges. Our services and advocacy promote the recovery, resiliency, habilitation, and self-determination of the people we serve. Vinfen's 3,200 dedicated employees are experienced, highly-trained professionals who provide a full range of supportive living, health, educational, and clinical services in 318 programs throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. For more information about Vinfen, please visit www.vinfen.org/careers

My Vinfen. My Community. My Job.

Vinfen is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.

Keywords: Peer, CPS, Outpatient, lived experience. VinfenBHD

• A high school diploma or equivalent is required; Bachelor's degree in human service-related

discipline preferred. In some cases, experience may be substituted for academic training.

• Lived experience with addiction and/or co-occurring mental health disorders with at least 3 years in recovery; training or has demonstrated experience in working with peers to help then explore recovery, gain hope, and achieve life goals.

• Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) credentials preferred but not required

• Must be able to become CPR and First Aid certified within two weeks of hire. Vinfen offers training upon hire

• A valid driver's license must be presented at the time of employment. Incumbents must be at least 21 years of age, have maintained a valid US driver's license for at least one year, and must be able to pass a driver's screening background check.

• Must be able to successfully pass a CORI, SORI, reference, and employment verifiation check