Certified Peer Support Specialist

Peer Support Specialist Services Contract Job Description

Program Summary:  Provide an array of Peer Support Services and Administrative functions as requested or assigned by CEO, Program Manager, Clinical Director, and Qualified Professional.

Position:  Peer Support Specialist must be certified by North Carolina’s Peer Support Specialist Program. 

Reports to:  Peer Support Services Program Supervisor (QP)

Summary: Peer Support Services (PSS) are an evidenced-based mental health model of care that provides community-based recovery services directly to an adult diagnosed with a mental health or substance use disorder. PSS provides structured, scheduled services that promote recovery, self-determination, self-advocacy, engagement in self-care and wellness and enhancement of community living skills of adults.  PSS services are directly provided by Certified Peer Support Specialists (CPSS) who have self-identified as a person(s) in recovery from a mental health or substance use disorder.  PSS can be provided in combination with other approved mental health or substance use services or as an independent service.  Due to the high prevalence of adults with co-occurring disorders (mental health, substance use or physical health disorders) it is a priority that integrated treatment be available to these adults. 

PSS is based on the belief that adults diagnosed with serious mental health or substance use disorders can and do recover.  The focus of the service is on the person, rather than the identified mental health or substance use disorder and emphasizes the acquisition, development, and expansion of rehabilitative skills needed to move forward in recovery.  The services promote skills for coping with and managing symptoms while utilizing natural resources and the preservation and enhancement of community living skills. 

The intent of the service is to be community-based rather than office-based.

Qualifications:

Contractor must have:

1. High school diploma or equivalent.  
2. The Peer Support Specialist must be available for monthly group or individual supervision and other Certified Peer Support-related training.
3. The Peer Support Specialist must be able to deliver services in various environments, such as homes, courts, homeless shelters, street locations, and other community settings.
4. Must have and maintain a valid NCDL and current personal auto insurance coverage.
5. Must maintain and have a valid NC CPSS certificate. 

Services Provided and Responsibilities

• Has knowledge of peer support principles, values, and ethics.

  Ability to share lived experience to support, encourage and enhance a client’s treatment and recovery. 

• Possess recovery-oriented skills and knowledge to provide peer support services.

• Ability to collaborate with the program QP to assess their own strengths and areas of growth and development a supervision plan.

• Participate in monthly supervision with supervisor. 

• Ability to collaborate with a beneficiary to explore and identify barriers to accessing community resources or treatment providers. 

• Ability to model and mentor recovery values, attitudes, beliefs, and personal actions to encourage wellness and resilience for clients served and to promote a recovery environment in the community, residence, and workplace.

• Ability to explore with a client the importance and creation of a wellness identity through open sharing and challenging viewpoints.

• Ability to promote a client’s opportunity for personal growth by identifying teachable moments for building relationship skills to empower the client and enhance personal responsibility.

• Ability to model and share decision-making tools to enhance a client’s healthy decision-making process.

• Ability to provide examples of healthy social interactions and facilitate familiarity with, and connection to, the local community.

• Ability to recognize and appropriately respond to conditions that constitute an emergency to include both physical and behavioral health crisis utilizing the emergency response procedure of the agency.

• Ability to provide support to the client in navigating systems (medical, social services, or legal).

• Ability to promote self-advocacy by facilitating each client’s learning about his or her human and legal rights and supporting the client while exercising those rights to support the empowerment of the client. 

• Provide services in client’s place of residence, community, in an emergency department or in an office setting.  Exception: Cannot be provided in the residence of Peer Support services staff. 

• Ensure authorized service units are not underutilized or overutilized. 

• Appropriately document Peer Support services rendered in a service note as stipulated by agency’s policies and procedures AND Records Management and Documentation Manual APSM 45-2.

• Report incidents to supervisor within twenty-four (24) hours to ensure it is timely entered into IRIS. 

• Attend required staff meetings, Peer Support Treatment Team Meetings, trainings, and other on-call meetings. 

• Deliver other duties, tasks and assignments related to the position as delegated by supervisor.

• Must submit a weekly PSS invoice for compensation of billable services provided.  Compensation for billable services is rendered when billable services are in “Approved” billing status.  Compensation follows the biweekly direct deposit invoice payment schedule provided.

Other Position Characteristics

Follow the Guiding Values for Peers Support in North Carolina

• Individuals with lived experience have an essential role to play in the public mental health/substance abuse service system and are considered peer supporters.

• The roles that are created for peers within the service system should fully utilize the lived experience of the peer supporter, viewing it as a credential that the individual brings to the work that they do.

• Lived experience is necessary and on-going skill development for peer supporters is essential.

• The recovery environment of the workplace is fundamental to the success of peer supporters and recovery for the individuals served.

• Peer supporters are highly valued support service providers of an agency; therefore, are fully integrated members of the mental health/substance abuse service delivery system.

• Equality and respect between peer supporters and traditional professionals must be reciprocal.

• Choice and self-determination are important components in everyone’s recovery, including individuals receiving and providing services. 

• Recovery is possible for every individual.

Follow clear boundaries implemented by the North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialist Code of Ethics.

Has the support, access, credibility, competency, respect and the valued role within the mental health and substance abuse service delivery system to positively impact the lives of individuals experiencing mental health and addiction challenges. 

All possible health and safety measures will be met to protect consumers. 

Peer Support Specialist caseload information

The Peer Support Specialist to consumer ratio shall not exceed 8:1 (if each consumer approved for 5 hours per week) or 4:1 (if consumer is approved for 10 hours per week) Peer Support Specialist shall have no more than 10 consumers on their caseload at any given time.

This service contract description is intended to describe the essential job functions and the additional duties/responsibilities for the service delivery performance. It is not an exhaustive list of all requested services, responsibilities, and requirements.  Other functions may be assigned, and Executive Management retains the right to add or change the duties at any time.