Peer Specialist
Pittsfield, MA 
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Posted 9 days ago
Job Description

Weekdays, full-time, 1st shift! Weekends, part-time, 1st and 2nd shift!

Essential Job Functions

Direct Care
  • Provide safe, intensely supervised, supportive therapeutic environment for children/adolescents needing acute crisis stabilization
  • Implement individualized treatment plans for each consumer
  • Coordinate/collaborate with network of providers identified for each consumer as directed by clinician
  • Interact with family members in an empathic respectful manner that supports their relationship and role with their child
  • Assist consumers with Activities of Daily Living (ADLS)
  • Actively engage with and encourage participation of consumers in esteem building, recreational and therapeutic activities throughout their admission that are appropriate to individual consumer's unique stabilization needs
  • Make careful observations regarding consumer's behavior and emotional status and communicate this clearly and completely to the appropriate staff and in written materials
  • Supervise consumer in other OFY program or in another community site, i.e., school, when directed by clinical staff
  • Provide transportation when necessary to facilitate treatment plan
  • Become directly involved in household management needs, i.e., laundry, meal preparation, household cleaning, grocery shopping. Supervise consumer participation in such activities when appropriate for age and level of stabilization needs
  • Provide service/staff coverage to other OFY programs, i.e., day treatment and tracking services if no children in crisis house or when directed by supervisor
Administrative Duties
  • Complete all paperwork in a timely and professional manner.
  • Participate in all relevant staff meetings, supervision and required trainings, i.e., OSHA, CPR, First Aid, Passive Restraint, etc.
  • Keep supervisor(s) well informed and update all treatment team members on a regular basis.
  • Complete all tasks assigned which impact on the organized functioning of the program.

Youth Mobile Team:

  • Assist the Youth Mobile Crisis Team with mobile outreach to youth under the age of twenty-one and their families
  • Assist youth and families with navigating the mental health system, as directed by the Master Level clinician
  • Provide brief interventions for crisis management, behavior management and safety issues, as directed by the Master Level clinician
  • Assist the Master level clinician with de-escalation of the crisis
  • Assist with education and follow up with youth and families after a crisis intervention has occurred, under the direction of the Master level clinician
  • Must demonstrate competency and understanding of the Systems of Care philosophy and Wraparound process

Other Responsibilities

  • Provide an atmosphere conductive to enhancing mental health and recovery in keeping with human rights of consumers
  • Must provide services in a caring, compassionate manner that supports empowerment of the youth and family
  • Provide services in an energetic, enthusiastic manner
  • Pay careful attention to working as a team member with other house staff, members of the clinical team and other providers
  • Represent the agency in a professional manner at all times in keeping with the quality of care expected by the Brien Center
  • Flexibly respond to program scheduling needs and assist other programs when assigned.
  • Report any incident regarding the use of physical restraint, accidents, injuries and unusual events to program supervisor
  • Follow all program/agency policies and procedures
  • Other duties as assigned by supervisor

Qualifications

  • High School Diploma or equivalent required; Bachelor's Degree preferred
  • Must complete Peer Specialist Training post-hire; Certification at time of hire preferred.
  • Two years experience working with youth under the age of twenty-one and families preferred.. "Lived" experience preferred.
  • Must complete all trainings and competencies of the Brien Center for the Youth Mobile Team
Skills
  • Knowledge of community resources
  • Working knowledge of computers
  • Must have excellent telephone and interpersonal skills

Working Conditions

  • Ability to work in a variety of settings including but not limited to: community based location; consumer home, schools, community agencies
  • Facilitate groups in other community locations

Physical Conditions

  • Manual & visual dexterity; correctable
  • Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

The Brien Center is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer who celebrates diversity in the workplace. We are committed to a policy of non discrimination and equal opportunity employment for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, military service, age, ancestry or disability.

 

Job Summary
Start Date
As soon as possible
Employment Term and Type
Regular, Full Time
Required Education
High School or Equivalent
Required Experience
Open
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