Job Description

Join MAHEC's Peer Support Specialist team at the Center for Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Biltmore Campus (Asheville). This is a full-time position eligible for MAHEC's Total Rewards package. If you are an experienced and compassionate CPSS seeking to provide impactful care for WNC patients in recovery, then we'd like to connect with you soon!

This Peer Support Specialist will function in the primary role of providing peer support services to individuals with mental health and substance use disorders. This position will work collaboratively with the MAHEC staff in assigned clinics to provide patients with support and resources to maintain recovery.

Peer Support Services (PSS) are an evidence-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 both structured, scheduled services and unscheduled consultation services that promote recovery, self-determination, and self-advocacy, engagement in self-care and wellness and enhancement of community living skills of individuals. PSS services directly provided by Certified Peer Support Specialists (CPSS) who have self-identified as a person(s) in recovery from a mental health and/or substance use disorder.

The Peer Support Specialist will be responsible for providing essential expertise and consultation to the entire interdisciplinary healthcare team to promote a culture in which each individual’s point of view and preferences are recognized, understood, respected and integrated into treatment, rehabilitation, and community self-help activities while serving as an advocate for patients.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

To provide time-limited, individualized, ethical guidance and coaching through the peer lens in person/onsite, and telephonically to patients. PSS in Psychiatry recommends patients are established with at least one psychiatry service at MAHEC unless capacity needs to be addressed.

Duties include but are not limited to

• Protecting and advocating for the patient’s rights and to assist in reducing associated stigma
• Leading peer groups and assisting with clinically supported psychoeducational groups
• Providing support in the community with MAHEC partnerships locations, such as AHOPE, and at community functions during work hours. Any additional time with compensation and/or amendment of work hours
• As time allows, and with permission of patients, join patient appointments for established patients in assigned clinics to support patients having trouble engaging in clinical care or accessing resources. Duties to include main clinical setting at Biltmore location, and at satellite offices with support of clinical leadership
• Supporting patient treatment across service lines to promote positive outcomes, which could include utilization of measurement tools such as Social Determinants of Health
• Update community resources and share information with patients and providers
• Support patients access to care through coordination of services across MAHEC and in the larger community
• Provide training in the use of personal and community resources and supports to PSS patients related to their mental health and/or substance use recovery
• Adhere to patient documentation standards set forth by MAHEC
• Maintaining and complying with NC CPSS requirements and ethical standards

PSS Requirements and Expectations

• MAHEC PSS must be actively certified and comply with all ethical standards of NC Peer Support Certification Guidelines
• To work in cooperation with other providers, family members or significant others involved in the patient’s recovery plan
• To attend Department Staff meetings, Provider Meetings, Case Conferences and Individual and Group Supervision
• To attain established standards of productivity. PSS services provided in 15-minute increments and delivered via phone, in the community, or in a MAHEC facility
• 80% of contact is encouraged to be face-to-face with individual receiving services
• To observe all rules of confidentiality relating to clinical information and treatment, both internally and when dealing with external agencies and/or individuals
• To be responsible for understanding patient’s rights policy and procedures
• To participate in staff training and development, and training on platforms essential to the job description
• At request of department, serve on designated committees within the organization
• To observe the guidelines established within MAHEC policy and procedures related to boundaries and professionalism
• Additional expectations may be adjusted with the varying needs of the assigned clinic.
• To perform other related duties as assigned

KEY COMPETENCIES:

• Communication Skills

Effectively and respectably communicate with other individuals, whether it be a colleague, patient, or patient’s family member and appropriately enumerate information in a manner easily understood by all parties. We do this to foster a culture of understanding between all parties, especially in complex and difficult situations, to ultimately provide the best care possible to our patients and their families.

• Decision Making

Ability to make the most appropriate decision in a given situation and then taking the next steps to ensure appropriate and timely completion. This requires conflict resolution skills, critical thinking skills, confidence in your ability to make the right decision in most situations. This also includes ability to prioritize your workday appropriately to ensure the most important tasks are completed on time.

• HealthCare Knowledge

Having the drive to keep yourself abreast and up to date on the new breakthroughs in your area of expertise and communicating them to the rest of the team, as appropriate. This also includes keeping up with your licensure and yearly training requirements within your area expertise along with MAHEC’s organizational training. Finally, the ability to apply the depth of knowledge maintained and gained through this process in real life scenarios as appropriate.

• Interpersonal Skills

Showing the ability to meet difficult situations with grace, professionalism, and understanding. Within your area of expertise, showing respect and showing empathy where appropriate with your colleagues, patients, and their family at all times, even when its most difficult to do so. This is done, in part, by effective listening, being your authentic self, showing responsibility and dependability, and being patient with others.

• Organizational Values

Adherence to MAHEC’s founding principles and incorporating them every day. This includes, among others, having integrity and accountability, reverence for other cultures and equitable practices, ability to manage change, and displaying a clear understanding of organizational dynamics. Doing these things creates a culture where people want to do the best for each other and gives personal ownership towards the goal of helping people in their time of need.

• Problem Solving

Having an analytical mind and ability to work autonomously to solve complex problems that may arise. The wherewithal to think logically through a difficult problem and come to an appropriate resolution for a given issue. This helps to drive continuous improvement by thinking through where we can improve in a novel way. Measures success by understanding where we are currently and where we want to go and then applying those new ideas to affect positive change.

SPECIFIED SKILLS

• Able to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications
• Training in use of NCCare 360
• Effective oral and written communication and interpersonal skills
• Effective time management skills and ability to work under pressure
• Exceptional organization skills and attention to detail
• Valid driver’s license and ability to operate MAHEC vehicles and be covered under MAHEC insurance.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
  • High School Diploma or Equivalent
  • 1 year of experience working with persons with mental illness or substance use disorder
  • Certified Peer Support Specialist

• PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Bachelor’s Degree in a related healthcare field
  • CPR, First Aid, NCI

REQUIRED LICENSES and Certifications:

• North Carolina PSS Certification.

SCHEDULE:

Regular attendance on-site is an essential function of this position. Typical business hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (or flexed to best meet the needs of the clients and/or the Division); 40 hours per workweek; weekend, holiday, or evening coverage is occasionally required. Work hours will need to be flexible in order to respond to special work assignments, or evening activities, as requested by the team leader.

• If asked to appear after work hours, with additional compensation

SCHEDULE:

• Regular attendance on-site is an essential function of this position. Typical business hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (or flexed to best meet the needs of the clients and/or the Division); 40 hours per workweek; weekend, holiday, or evening coverage is occasionally required. Work hours will need to be flexible in order to respond to special work assignments, or evening activities, as requested by the team leader.

POSITION COMPENSATION:

$19.90/hour, full time + benefits

At MAHEC , we strive to equip all team members with Total Rewards (pay + benefits) to honor their service, support their health, manage their financial security, build their career, and thrive.

All MAHEC employees and learners will be required to receive the Flu vaccine or have an approved exemption.

MAHEC Talent Management is located at 121 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC 28803. Equal Opportunity Employer.

MAHEC is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. Employees who meet federal requirements may be eligible to have remaining student loan balances forgiven after 10 years of qualifying payments while working full-time at MAHEC.

If you are interested in this role, and you have related experience and qualifications, we encourage you to apply or reach out to AskTalent@mahec.net for support in your job search process. You could be the talent we are seeking for this or other opportunities.