Youth Peer Specialist

Overview

Children's Outpatient Services provides treatment for children and adolescents and their families and is intended to improve and maintain a child’s or an adolescent’s stability in the community. Treatment focuses on problem resolution, symptom reduction, stabilization and/or prevention of movement to a higher level of care. Services include individual, family and group therapy, medication evaluation and management, case management, in home intervention, case consultation and summer day treatment services. The type of treatment is highly variable and depends upon the individual’s existing symptoms and developmental level.

Responsibilities

Primary Job Functions

• Participates in one-on-one meetings or treatment team meetings to discuss ideas, difficulties, suggestions, and expectations
• Provides social interaction, both individually and as a group, to develop social and recreational skills and to help participants develop insight into their mental illness
• Promotes recovery-oriented skills to help achieve goals created in the treatment plan
• Establish linkages that result in the participant’s active use of resources in the community
• Assist participants in developing empowerment skills through self-advocacy and advocates on behalf of participant when needed
• Assists staff  and participants in understanding recovery and share unique experiences leading toward rehabilitation
• Serve as a role model to help staff in understanding recovery and share unique experiences leading toward rehabilitation
• Plans and conducts peer support groups focusing on topics related to recovery
• Other tasks as assigned by supervisor

Clincal Record Keeping 

• Documents in a timely fashion per AltaPointe policy
• Documents legibly and in a clear and concise manner
• Documents individualized participant responses to services provided

Supervision and Consultation

• Seeks supervision and consultation as needed
• Accepts and employs suggestions for improvement
• Actively works to enhance skills
• Attends and participates in staff meetings as required

Courteous and respectful attitudes towards participants, visitors and co-workers:

• Treats participants with care, dignity and compassion
• Respects participant’s privacy and confidentiality
• Is pleasant and cooperative with others
• Assists participants and visitors as needed
• Personal values don’t inhibit ability to relate and care for others
• Is sensitive to the participant’s needs, expectations and individual differences
• Is gentle and calm with participants and families

Administrative and Other Related Duties Assigned: 

• Actively participates in Performance Improvement activities
• Actively participates in AltaPointe committees as required
• Completes assigned tasks in a timely manner
• Follows AltaPointe policies and procedures
• Attends appropriate in-services training and other workshops

Qualifications

High school diploma or its equivalent

Must be a current or former recipient of mental health services with a DSM-5 diagnosis, for no less that one year before the age of 21.

Ability to identify as a participant of mental health services and speak openly regarding personal diagnosis and treatment

A valid driver’s license, a good driving record, reliable transportation and verifiable vehicle liability insurance

Ability to attend DMH-approved Peer Specialist training for certification; demonstrated experience with and knowledge of the Alabama public mental health system

Knowledge of youth/young adult specific competencies, outlined below, to be attained within six (6) months of employment:

• Knowledge of psychiatric disorders in the youth/young adult population
• Knowledge of cultural diversity
• Knowledge of behavior management, crisis intervention and interventions common to acute psychotic participants, as well as, to non-violent crisis intervention practices.
• Knowledge of a recovery-oriented treatment approach
• Ability to communicate effectively with multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to connect to youth/young adults and share skills and knowledge with others