Peer Support Specialist

At New Narrative, we believe mental health care is community care. As a nonprofit organization, we partner with individuals to promote healing, housing stability, and long-term wellness through compassionate, equitable support.

If you’re passionate about community impact, we invite you to join our team.

Pay rate: $27/hr and can go up DOE

Shift: Standard Day, Monday - Friday

The purpose of the Peer Specialist on the Polaris Transition Team (PTT) is to enter into non-judgmental relationships with individuals transitioning out of restrictive environments (such as jails and hospitalizations), and to support them in navigating the judicial system, behavioral health systems, housing, and connect with community resources upon transitioning back into the community. The Peer Specialist will partner with program participants with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders to overcome barriers in building supportive relationships and assist with integration back into the community and judicial system. 

The Peer Specialist will report to the Polaris Peer Supervisor and be a member of the Polaris/370 Transition Team. The PTT will provide wraparound services to individuals who have been referred to New Narrative by the Washington County Forensic Mental Health Team with the aim of assisting the referred individuals in accessing transitional housing, connecting to community based mental health or substance use treatment services, and resource gathering (food boxes, medical needs, etc.) to promote overall stabilization while navigating the legal system. The Polaris team will work with individuals as they are referred by Washington County who may be experiencing co-occurring disorders, and support individuals as they transition into becoming their own best advocate.

Accountabilities: (Responsibilities of the job)

• Willing to meet and engage with people “where they are”

• Provide peer support to individuals in the Polaris program

• Assist other program staff with implementation and facilitation of interventions

• Must be able to assist in de-escalation and crisis as needed

• Coordinate with community resources to access food, housing, and medical care while providing assistance with navigating the judicial system, as well as case management

• Provide support to participants in a variety of settings including the Oregon State Hospital, Washington County Jail, motels, Community Mental Health clinics, the outdoors, and shared community spaces, among others 

• Exemplify recovery principles in order to show by example that recovery is possible and attainable for everyone.  The Peer Support Specialist shares their own recovery story, as appropriate, and walks the road of recovery alongside the service recipient

• Endorse multiple paths to recovery

• Assist program participants in attending all required court dates, filing legal paperwork on time, and communicating with all necessary agencies to support their recovery

• Attend and positively participate in required meetings

• Ensure timely completion of all required documentation 

• Maintain a regular work schedule

• Complete all assignments in a timely manner

• Perform other duties as assigned

Supervision:

• Receive regular supervision from the Polaris Peer Supervisor, seeking additional supervision whenever necessary.  

• Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings and group supervision as required.

Other General Expectations: 

• Ability to work as a team member, remain flexible and establish priorities as a group. 

• Ability to display a non-judgmental attitude. 

• Creative, innovative and progressive problem-solver.  

• Ability to remain calm in a busy and stressful environment. 

• Ability to participate professionally and collaboratively in interdisciplinary meetings with outside agencies. 

• Proficiency in Outlook, Word, and ability to navigate new computer systems as needed. 

• Maintain Peer Support certification (20 CEUS over a three-year period) 

• Follow all New Narrative policies, procedures, and protocols. 

• Uphold the National Association of Peer Supporters Guidelines for Peer Specialists 

• Maintain security of all PHI (Private Health Information). 

• Maintain CPR and First Aid Certificate. 

• Must be able to pass a criminal history check through the Department of Human Services, including participating in an appeals process if desired. 

Core Competencies:  (Listing of skills, abilities, characteristics and knowledge)

• Communication: Direct and concise.  Keeps people informed.  Listens effectively to others.

• Teamwork: Effective at working in team situations.

• Individual Responsiveness: Responds well to internal or external individual needs.

• Dependability: Counted on to follow through on commitments; at work each day and on time; work completed in a timely fashion.

• Utilizing available resources for personal wellness: Communicates with Supervisor or other designated New Narrative personnel to meet personal wellness and safety needs.

• Independence: Receives no instruction on routine work; with general instruction on new assignments.

• Feedback orientated: Demonstrates, engages and promotes regular forms of feedback from program participants, New Narrative staff, and colleagues

• Aptitude: Ability to comprehend and apply new ideas, processes, procedures, or training.

• Organizational Awareness: Understands the culture of the organization; interests and concerns of various groups.

• Demeanor: Remaining calm in a crisis situation, empathetic, unbiased and excellent interpretation skills.  

Qualifications:

• A minimum of two years of peer working experience required.

• Current Peer Support Certification required

• Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred

• Self-identifies as a current or former recipient of mental health services, preferably familiar with criminal justice, restrictive environments (inpatient, outpatient, etc.), and/or altered states

• Incumbents with a history of substance use challenges must be in recovery and free of problems relating to active substance use for 1 full year preceding date of hire and must maintain this recovery.    

• All applicants must have completed peer support certification training and be registered with the state.

• Must maintain current Oregon driver’s license as position requires the ability to drive.

• Direct peer support experience in peer field preferred.

All of our job openings are located in Portland, Oregon, and the surrounding metro areas.