Family Peer Specialist

Overview

Responsibilities

Essential 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 help participant's families develop insight into mental illness
• Promotes recovery-oriented skills to help achieve goals created in the treatment plan
• Provides support activities that build on the strengths and resiliency traits of parents/primary caregivers
• Establishes linkages that result in the participant's family/caregiver's active use of resources in the community
• Assists participant's family/caregivers in developing empowerment skills through self-advocacy and advocates on behalf of participants 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 habilitation
• Conducts community meetings with participants
• Plans and conducts family peer support groups focusing on topics related to recovery
• Other tasks as assigned by supervisor

Clinical 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 towards consumers, visitors and co-workers:

• Treats participants with care, dignity and compassion
• Respects participants's privacy and confidentiality
• Is pleasant and is 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 as 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-service training and other workshops

Qualifications

High school diploma or equivalent required

Must be 23 years of age or older, maintain a valid Alabama driver's license, and must have proof of current liability insurance

Must be a parent or primary caregiver who has raised or currently raising a child/young adult with emotional, behavioral, mental health or substance abuse needs

Must be a parent or primary caregiver who has experience with navigating at least two child-serving systems (IEP, DHR, juvenile court system) 

Must be willing to identify as parent/caregiver of a recipient of mental health services and speak openly regarding personal experiences

Ability to work flexible hours

Ability to attend Department of Mental Health approved Family Peer Specialist training for certification