Peer Support Specialist

Make a Future at Bridgeway! 

Who we are: Bridgeway values and promotes quality clinical and administrative practices to foster the best outcomes for persons who come to us for behavioral healthcare. We offer a work environment that supports teamwork, creativity, innovation, professional growth and dedication to the work. At Bridgeway, we never stop growing and innovating our vision of behavioral healthcare for the future.

Why you should apply: As a Peer Support Specialist, you will join an evidence-based program and a dynamic team for the opportunity to learn and refine your clinical and engagement skills and accomplish your dream of helping people to make progress on their unique recovery journeys. The work is sometimes challenging and always rewarding by engaging with persons we serve and co-workers as we all learn, grow, and thrive. 

Department:  MCORT 1

Salary: $48,000  

Location: Morris County, NJ (Serving Morris/Sussex Counties)

Work hours: Monday-Friday 7:00am-3:00pm

Position Overview: The Peer Support Specialist is an individual in recovery for SMI and/or SUD trained in crisis intervention to support others through lived experience. As an integral member of the two-person crisis response team, the Peer Support Specialist will work to engage persons in crisis to ensure the development of a person-centered crisis intervention plan resulting in a more positive outcome. The Peer Support Specialists will generally take the lead on engagement and may also conduct non-clinical assistance by providing support beyond the resolution of the immediate crisis.

Essential Job Functions:

• Create and maintain a wellness and recovery-oriented environment by using person-first language, respectful documentation, and person-centered planning. All services provided will promote wellness and recovery outcomes with positive outcomes for persons receiving MCORT services.
• A culture of compliance with internal and external policies, regulations, laws, and high ethical standards.
• Work as a team with the Crisis Intervention Specialist, and remote Master’s Level Supervisor, for in-person mobile crisis outreach response as dispatched via the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline crisis centers.
• Engage with persons outreached to support crisis intervention/de-escalation and to assist with the person-centered crisis intervention plan.
• Engage with family and significant others as needed to support the persons crisis intervention plan.
• Incorporate recovery discussions, therapeutic use of story, and recovery focused best practices whenever possible during the crisis intervention and with follow-up contacts.
• Document all contacts in the approved electronic platform to include demographics and response to engagement and crisis intervention.
• Work with the Crisis Intervention Specialist, and the Master’s Level Supervisor as needed, to provide crisis intervention/de-escalation and to identify and provide community referral as needed. Assist persons in warm handoff to the community referral service provider.
• Assist the Crisis Intervention Specialist in assessment of the environment and person receiving the MCORT services.
• As part of the crisis intervention plan, schedule and conduct follow-up calls to support engagement with the ongoing community service that the person was referred to or to provide additional referral.
• Ensure each person who receives MCORT services receives a satisfaction survey using the method preferred by the person per the Crisis Intervention Plan (i.e.., via email, text, in-person, over the phone, postal mail, etc.).
• Maintain positive relationships with community service providers.

Other Skills/Abilities:

• Engagement skills, listening skills, peer support/therapeutic use of story,
• Will be trained for competence in crisis intervention, de-escalation, substance use crisis intervention, suicide intervention trained, follow-up contact/surveying satisfaction.

Requirements:

Education/Certifications:

• Must have lived experience and at least 2 years of continuous recovery from SMI or SUD diagnosis,
• One of the following certifications is required: CRSP-Certified Recovery Support Practitioner, CPRS-Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, NCRPSS-National Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist, Certified Wellness Coach or Community MH Associate Certificate, and at least one year of field experience working with persons in the community. Will receive training for certification at hire prior to working in the community if a required certification is not held at time of hire.

Experience:

• Two years’ experience and at least one of the years working with persons in a community setting. 
• Experience working with persons with mental health and co-occurring diagnosis preferred.

Driver’s License, Vehicle:

• Valid driver’s license required
• No more than one moving violation within the past 12 months
• Vehicle required

Bridgeway Behavioral Health Services was founded on a strong desire to fight disparity and injustice alongside people living with behavioral health conditions. We are dedicated to providing a multicultural workplace where everyone feels a sense of purpose and belonging. We provide equal opportunity for employees and applicants in all aspects of the employment relationship, without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, military or veteran status, disability, age, religion, or any other classification protected by law.