Position Title: Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS)
Program: Alternatives to Incarceration (Recovery Bridge Center)
Classification: Non-exempt, Full time
Salary: $25-$29 per hour, depending on experience
and Range of Authority: Under the direction of the Lead Case Manager, the CPSS is
responsible for providing support, advocacy, instilling hope and related services to the target population.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
• Inspire clients towards recovery and resiliency by being a compassionate and effective role model
utilizing motivational interviewing, coaching, trauma informed model and housing first language
within a short-term modality.
• Provide direct services including advocacy, transportation support, accompaniment to
appointments and support expanding social interactions and networks.
• Uses own peer recovery story for messages of hope for clients.
• Help connect clients to community services such as healthcare, mental health services, substance
use treatment, vocational training and housing support.
• Document all the services rendered in compliance with County and other applicable requirements
and standards.
• Provide documentation compliant to agency, state and county requirements in timely
manner. Provides case management for linkage to resources, services and supports.
• May need to transport clients to other services and activities.
• Functions as a member of an interdisciplinary team in its effort to carry out the program mission
through effective and timely communication.
• Working in partnership with McAlister and other service provides within the RBC.
• Provide culturally competent services. Work well with persons experiencing homelessness,
immigrants, refugees, criminal justice involved, and other culturally diverse clients.
• Complete special projects in a timely manner, and able to maintain strict confidentiality, with
regard to, sensitive or proprietary information or materials.
• Assist in clerical and administrative duties as assigned.
• Provide all other related services required by master contract SOW.
• Other duties as assigned
Requirements
Required Education, Certifications/Licenses and Language/Cultural Skills:
• High School diploma, GED or equivalent,
• Completion of a 75-hour peer support training program approved by the County of San Diego
Minimum Experience and Qualifications Required:
• Ability to establish and maintain supportive relationships with clients from diverse cultural
backgrounds.
• Familiarity with harm reduction, trauma informed care, housing-first and COACH principles.
• Abide by UPAC Code of Conduct and professional code of conduct.
• Must be able to drive (when needed) for business purposes to other program locations in San
Diego County. If employee drives his/her personal automobile for UPAC business, employee
must have valid California driver’s license and comprehensive automobile insurance coverage, as
required by law.
Additional Preferred Education or Qualifications:
• Have understanding and experience with participants experiencing homelessness, criminal justice
interactions, substance use and mental health symptoms.
• Bilingual, bicultural experience preferred in one of the County of San Diego threshold languages (Spanish,
Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean, Persian, Somali, Filipino (Tagalog), Vietnamese.
Benefits:
UPAC is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization that provides health and human services to under-served Asian, Pacific Islander, Latino, Middle Eastern, East African, African American and other ethnic populations of San Diego. UPAC’s major areas of focus include:
-Mental Health Services for Adults, Older Adults, Children & Adolescents
-Addiction, Treatment & Rehabilitation Services for all ages
-Home Ownership Counseling to first time home buyers and foreclosure prevention education to existing
-Inspiring youth through mentorship in technology, business exposure, work readiness, community involvement and secondary education exploration
-Addressing community and domestic violence through parental, child, couple and family relationship building, education, empowerment and community pride
Our programs focus on assisting our clients in meeting a wide range of needs through a personalized approach which recognizes the diverse ethnic and cultural identity of children, youth, adults and families.
UPAC’s culturally competent staff members speak over 30 different languages and dialects. Guiding clients every step of the way as they confront life’s challenges, UPAC is dedicated to improving their quality of life by building trust and achieving sustainable results.
