Job Description

The Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPPS) works in collaboration with physicians, behavioral health clinicians and other staff at The Wright Center for Community Health to address barriers to medical and behavioral health care. The CPPS addresses complex social needs of the underserved, uninsured, or underinsured community members. This role serves in an expanded clinical role to collaborate with community members, Primary Care Providers, Behavioral Health Providers, dental, community agencies, insurance companies, and other health/community related entities to provide a model of care that ensures the delivery of quality, efficient, and cost-effective healthcare services. The CPPS‘s expertise is sought to assess, develop and implement member care plans as it relates to addressing the social determinants of health and optimizing the members‘ physical and psychosocial health status as it relates to mental health recovery, support, and stabilization. This is to ensure the members of the program have the resources necessary to achieve their highest level of functioning and recovery in terms of living with a severe and persistent mental illness.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

This position reports to the Behavioral Health Manager. No positions report to this role.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES and FUNCTIONS

While living and demonstrating our Core Values, the Certified Peer Support Specialist will:

• Assist patients with creating their individual service plans and other activities aimed at fostering their own person-centered planning and the delivery of individualized services
• Share personal recovery stories and experiences to help inspire and support patients throughout their recovery process
• Assist patients with the development of mental health advance directives
• Support patients with problem-solving in terms of reintegrating back into the community where appropriate
• Advise and inform patients on community resources, including housing, employment, education, transportation, recreation, health, religious/spiritual, and other resources to meet their individual recovery goals
• Provide individuals with support and guidance on recognizing the early signs of crisis, developing crisis plans, and implementing identified coping strategies
• Assist individuals with developing and maintaining positive personal and social support networks
• Assist individuals with developing their self-help skills and cultivates their ability to make informed, independent choices
• Plan and facilitates practical activities for individuals to increase their self-worth and improve their self-concepts
• Attend treatment/recovery team meetings
• Document services provided to individuals
• Act as an advocate for individuals to facilitate positive changes in their recovery
• Perform related work as required
• Provide support and advocacy during initial medical visit or when necessary to assure patients' medical needs and referrals required are being conveyed. Follows up with both patients and providers regarding health/social services plans
• Continuously expand knowledge and understanding of community resources and services. Facilitates patient access to community resources, including locating housing, food, clothing, prenatal classes, parenting, and relevant mental health services. Assists patients in utilizing community services, including scheduling appointments with social services agencies and assisting with completion of applications for programs for which they may be eligible
• Facilitate communication and coordinate services between providers and the patients. Coordinates and monitors services, including comprehensive tracking of patients' compliance in relation to care plan objectives
• Work collaboratively and effectively within a team. Establishes positive, supportive relationships with participants and provides feedback to other members of the team. Builds and maintains positive working relationships with the patients, providers, care managers, medical residents, and office staff. Works to reduce cultural and socio-economic barriers between patients and institutions
• Attend weekly huddles and morning/afternoon mini huddles as needed
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

• Meet The Wright Center for Community Health and its affiliated entity The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education EOS© People Analyzer Tool
• Buy in and experience working in the EOS® model (strongly preferred)
• Mission-oriented; represents the enterprise in a professional manner while demonstrating organizational pride
• High school diploma or equivalent (GED)
• Possession of an active certification as a Certified Peer Specialist issued by the Pennsylvania Certification Board (PCB)
• Must possess valid PA driver’s license
• Current BLS Certification
• Knowledge of community resources required
• Knowledge of mental health peer support services
• Knowledge of the recovery process and how it applies to individuals with serious mental illness
• Ability to follow written and oral instructions
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships
• Ability to communicate effectively orally
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing
• General computer knowledge and capability to use computers required
• Demonstrates the ability to interact in an effective manner with practitioners, the interdisciplinary healthcare team, community agencies, patients, and families with diverse opinions, values and cultural ideas
• Demonstrates ability to work autonomously and be directly accountable for practice
• Demonstrates ability to be self-directed, flexible, and committed to the team vision
• Demonstrates teamwork, initiative and willingness to learn, accepts and respects diversity without judgment, and demonstrates strong customer service values