Kitsap Mental Health Services Careers

Youth Inpatient Peer Support Specialist - Full Time 
Hiring Range: $20.07 - $24.58 per hour

Benefits: 

• Comprehensive and generous health, dental and vision benefits
• Up to 19 days of PTO, 2 mental health days and 10 paid holidays your first year (pro-rated for part-time)
• Company paid short-term disability, long-term disability and life insurance
• Student loan payment assistance and extensive training
• An incredible team approach that is dynamic and collaborative

Are you dedicated to helping young individuals facing severe and persistent mental illness on their journey to recovery? Kitsap Mental Health Services is seeking a committed Peer Support Specialist to join our Youth Inpatient Unit (YIU) team. In this role, you will utilize your personal experience, knowledge, and insights to provide crucial support to our clients and the team.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Draw on common experiences as a peer to validate clients’ experience and to provide guidance and encouragement for clients to take responsibility and participate in their own recovery.  Promote hope and empowerment designed to help clients attain recovery goals and maintain the highest possible level of independence, even during periods of instability. 
• Provide individualized direct support to the client according to that client’s plan while supporting the client’s individual choice and building confidence by providing coaching, guidance, and support.
• Assist the client in understanding components of recovery and resiliency and applying skills to achieve life goals in developing the recovery care plan.
• Participate in clinical activities as directed by a supervisor, including but not limited to:
  • Facilitate approved group activities
  • conduct ongoing observation and assessment of client’s mental status during each shift
  • follow specific behavioral protocols for clients as directed by a supervisor
  • Other clinical activities as directed by a supervisor. 
• Complete all paperwork involved in providing direct client care.
• Participate in shift pass-downs to ensure clients’ needs are met 24/7 while in our care.
• Act as an interpreter to the rest of team while providing expertise and consultation from a client perspective in areas such as symptoms, effects and side effects of medications, client opinions of treatment, and client experiences of recovery.
• Help clients and staff to identify, understand, and combat stigma and discrimination.
• Collaborate with staff and clients on awareness of client rights, including grievance and complaint procedures; support clients with filing, mediating, and resolving complaints.
• Increase client and staff awareness of client self-help and consumer advocacy groups which promote recovery, while acting as the liaison between the team and such groups.
• Assist in the provision of ongoing assessment and direct services to clients, responding to such challenges as an increase in suicidality, the need for substance abuse education and treatment, and the clients’ readiness for meaningful daily activity.
• Assist clients to plan and carry out social and leisure time activities to include evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries while balancing the sometimes conflicting demands of being both a peer to clients and an employee of the agency.  Seek appropriate clinical supervision where necessary, particularly around boundary issues.

Minimum Qualifications:

EDUCATION: High School Diploma or GED

EXPERIENCE: Entry level (no prior related work experience)

Valid WA State Food Worker Card (Can be obtained after hire)

LICENSURE: Agency Affiliated Counselor Registration. Completion of the Washington State Mental Health Division’s Peer Counselor Training and the subsequent certification as a Peer Counselor within six months of employment.

Preferred Qualifications:

EXPERIENCE: Relevant experience working with clients with severe and persistent mental illness.

Capacity to work well with children and families.

Our recruitment processes are designed to prevent discrimination against our people regardless of gender identity or orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, citizenship, or any aspect, which makes someone unique.