Certified Youth Peer Support Specialist and Temporary Registered Alcohol & Drug Peer Support

Job Description:

PURPOSE 

Under routine supervision, a self-identified consumer of mental health and substance use disorder services, who is in recovery, who provides emotional support by appropriately sharing lived experience and providing services to individuals with similar diagnoses. Will provide individual and/or group structured and scheduled non-clinical therapeutic activities to promote socialization, recovery, self-advocacy preservation, and enhancement of community living skills. 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS  

• Serves as an active member of the client’s treatment team, including participation in team meetings and treatment planning meetings.  

• Assists clients in development of recovery plan, including psychiatric advance directives and crisis plan.  

• Provides education and resources about recovery and wellness.  

• Implements and coordinates recovery plans for individual clients in assigned population group, including evaluation, consultation, and education, and follow-up services.  

• Serves as role model for clients by sharing own recovery process and teaching effective coping techniques and self-help strategies.  

• Connects to resources and services for individual clients in collaboration with case management services.  

• Maintains accurate, thorough records on all assigned cases and uses documentation to assist clients in evaluating progress.  

• Provides advocacy services on behalf of clients.  

• Informs supervisor, and other members of treatment team as indicated, of issues/concerns related to individual clients.  

• Manages client caseload, client services, and activities to maximize direct care client time and reach expected productivity targets.  

• Maintains continuing education requirements and required training documentation in record management systems. 

EDUCATION 

• High School Diploma or equivalent.   

• Active Kentucky Youth Peer Support Specialist Certification, including completion of the Kentucky Family Leadership Academy, and  

• Active Temporary Registration with the Kentucky Alcohol and Drug Counselor’s Board. 

• Maintains continuing education requirements and required training documentation in record management systems to maintain Certification and becomes Registered Alcohol & Drug Peer Support Specialist  within nine months of employment.  

• Attest to one year recovery as defined by KY ADC regulations.  

• Preferred two (2) years in recovery.  

EXPERIENCE 

• Preferred over six months’ experience as a Peer Support Specialist and/or leading recovery groups or programs.  

• Good interpersonal skills and written and oral communication skills.    

• Knowledge of applicable population group and principles/philosophy of recovery 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/REQUIREMENTS 

• At least eighteen (18) years of age and not older than thirty-five (35) years of age. 

• Position requires lifting of 20 pounds maximum, with frequent lifting and/or carrying of items weighing up to ten pounds.   

• Normal work tasks may involve exposure to blood, bodily fluids, or tissue.   

• May involve 24-hour on-call responsibilities. 

Time Type:

Part time