Peer Support Specialist

Schedule: Full time - full-time employees are benefits-eligible!
Pay rate: $18/hr

Benefits - Approximate full-time benefits package value = $19,000+:

• Low-cost medical, dental, and vision coverage. Health savings account. 403b retirement plan with employer match (50% match up to 3%).
• Employee Assistance Program for all employees
• 33 paid days off: 11 observed paid holidays, 12 sick days, and 10 vacation days to start. Vacation increases to 12 days after 1 year, 15 days after 2 years, and more at 5 and 9 years of service.
  • Sick and vacation time accrue hourly per pay period.
• $50,000 in employer-paid life insurance; additional coverage available.
• $1,200 annual employer contribution to your Health Savings Account (paid quarterly)
• Employee Referral Program including cash bonuses and paid time off

Volunteers of America, Utah builds a community-supported bridge that provides a path for those who are vulnerable to improve their lives and increase their self-reliance. Opportunities for advancement are available.

The Geraldine E. King Women's Resource Center exists to meet the distinctive needs of women who are experiencing homelessness by providing shelter, case management, life skills training, and connection to community services and resources with the ultimate goal of assisting all clients in obtaining safe and stable housing. Housing Advocates provide front line support to clients and assist clients with daily activities such as mail access, transport, property storage, program orientation, client check-ins, security screening, and more. Housing Advocates get to work with clients who are homeless including: single women, domestic violence victims; individuals with behavioral health and/or substance use disorders, those who are medically frail, and/or those exiting prison or jail.

Our Certified Peer Support Specialist will seek out and act as a liaison to women experiencing homelessness staying at the Women's Resource Center to assist them in accepting and participating in mental health, substance use and other treatments with the objective of promoting stabilization within the resource center and towards securing housing.

Duties include:

• Provide outreach and initiate contact with potential clients. Serve as peer mentor to individuals or groups. Offer a positive example of a person with lived experience who has been successful in managing their own recovery of mental health and/or substance use disorders.
• Educate clients about community resources and harm reduction practices.
• Provide crisis intervention as necessary.
• Increase awareness of and support client participation in consumer self-help and advocacy organizations.
• Develop and maintain professional working relationships with all resource centers staff and other service providers.
• Participate and present client information at case reviews with a clinical team to develop and implement individualized service/treatment plan and complete paperwork in a timely manner.
•  Attend community meetings as needed to enhance the work of the outreach team and/or continuum of homeless services.
• Provide ongoing assessment, problem solving, side-by side services, skill teaching support and environmental adaptions to assist clients with activities of daily living.
• Visit with clients who are recently housed and provide support for them as they stabilize in housing.

Qualifications

• Direct experience with homelessness, mental illness and/ or substance use disorders and demonstrates a level of recovery sufficient to manage their illness and function independently.
• Active Peer Support Specialist Certification or Participation in the State of Utah’s program for Peer Support Certification within 6 months of hire is required.
• Ability to independently plan, prioritize, and execute own work to ensure completion of daily tasks.
• Familiarity with Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing and Housing First philosophies and willingness to incorporate them in your daily work.
• Ability to uphold professional boundaries, confidentiality regulations, agency policies and procedures, and interact in a professional manner with a diverse workforce, clients, and the public.
• Willingness to accept supervision and direction.
• Ability to move around the facility and interacting with clients for extended periods.
• Must be at least 21 years of age, possess a current driver’s license, have a good driving record and be insurable on the agency liability policy.
• Ability to lift and carry 25 lbs.
• Pass Utah DHS - Office of Licensing background screening for those working with vulnerable populations.

Submit resume on the career page of our web site: www.voaut.org/careers

Volunteers of America, Utah is committed to creating a diverse environment, where all people feel valued, have the opportunity to do their personal best and where leadership development is fostered. The organization is proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All employment decisions are based on business needs without regard to race, ethnicity, skin color, nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, mental and developmental abilities, physical ability or religious belief. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.