Peer Specialist I (Casual)

Peer Specialists I are individuals with lived experience who provide non-clinical support as a fully integrated treatment team member and educator for staff. Peer Specialists I are role models of recovery values and principles by helping to identify and remove barriers and triggers to treatment for individuals receiving services from inpatient or outpatient programs.

The Transition to Recovery Unit at Western Psychiatric Hospital is a community reintegration-based unit that specializes in acclimating individuals with severe and persistent mental illnesses back into the community. 

Responsibilities:

Feedback and Communication

• Provide feedback to clients, families, and clinical staff.

Recovery Management

• Assist clients in recovery management, including goal setting, identifying barriers, and strategies.
• Help clients find and use community supports and resources.

Advocacy

• Advocate for clients in meetings, voicing their viewpoints and goals.

Community Engagement

• Accompany clients to community activities and provide follow-up services.
• Facilitate recovery and wellness groups; offer individual support.

Progress Monitoring

• Monitor progress and provide feedback.

Crisis Support

• Use crisis support to develop and implement action plans.

Documentation

• Maintain required paperwork and documentation promptly.

• High School Diploma or equivalent.

• Certified Peer Specialist or Certified Recovery Specialist certification is preferred.

• Have lived experience in one or more of the following areas: mental health, substance use disorder, the recovery process, and willing to share experiences to the benefit of clients/patients served.

• Progressed in own recovery and have basic understanding of the recovery principles: Hope, Personal Responsibility, Empowerment Skills, Self-Advocacy, Educational Opportunities, and the importance of using personal and community Supports.

• Able to articulate to clients/patients, families, and to interested stakeholders that peer support is a non-clinical service to promote recovery and wellness.

• Basic understanding of mental health, wellness, and resiliency.

• Familiar with Office 365 e.g., Microsoft Word, Outlook.

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:

• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Comprehensive Crisis Management (CCMC)
• Act 31 Child Abuse Reporting with renewal
• Act 33 with renewal
• Act 34 with renewal
• Act 73 FBI Clearance with renewal

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran