Rural Counties Peer Support Specialist - SSVF

St. Patrick Center provides opportunities for self-sufficiency and dignity to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Individuals and families build permanent, positive change in their lives through safe and affordable housing, sound mental and physical health, and employment and financial stability.

Working collaboratively with individuals, businesses, government and other service providers, St. Patrick Center will end chronic homelessness in the St.

Louis region through Housing First, an evidence-based practice that tells us to remove barriers, do intake and assessment early, move people into housing and offer them support to achieve their goals.

St. Patrick Center, a ministry of Catholic Charities, is a USA Today 2024 Top Workplaces winner! We are recognized as a multi-year St.

Louis Post Dispatch Top Workplaces for our Purpose and Values, having received this distinction consecutively in 2022 and 2023.

We are valued by employees for our culture excellence as demonstrated by winning the Top Workplace's Culture Excellence awards for Employee Appreciation, Employee Well-Being, Work-Life Flexibility, Professional Development, and Innovation in 2023.

St. Patrick Center has also gained recognition as a 2023 Top Workplaces Woman-Led organization, Regional award, and Nonprofit Industry award winner.

Job Summary

St. Patrick Center, a ministry of Catholic Charities, is hiring a Rural Counties Peer Support Specialist to join our Support Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program.

The peer support specialist will be primarily based out of our Festus, MO location and will act as role model to veteran families while traveling extensively within the regions of Warren, St.

Charles, St. Francois, Franklin, Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson counties of Missouri. The specialist will meet with clients and collaborate with the Rural Counties team to track the success of the client's housing goals, engage case managers to coordinate services and provider involvement, and document all support related activities and services.

The core working hours are Monday through Friday, 8 : 00 AM-4 : 30 PM. The salary range is between $36,000-$46,000.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead one or more peer support groups.
• Contribute to the ideas and processes of the Rural Counties team.
• Help individuals to identify and work toward their goals and address long-term financial stability needs.
• Make in-home visits to observe indicators of the client’s progress.
• Using a peer-to-peer approach and build rapport with persons in recovery.
• Provide emotional and informational support for permanent housing by assessing strengths, desires, and immediate / long term needs of client.
• Develop or contact family and natural supports which exist in the community.
• Receive input from team members regarding employment, housing, mentoring, substance abuse, and other immediate / long term needs.
• Encourage individual veterans within the peer group to develop their own skills and learn self-advocacy.
• Support veterans in recovery from mental illness, addiction, or homelessness
• Help to identify person-centered strength and abilities.
• Adhere to the strategies and goals outlined in the ISS and housing goals.
• Serve as an advocate for the client.
• Coach clients to make solid, well-informed decisions which maintain housing.
• Share relevant information with staff about health or psychiatric risk.
• Refer client to additional resources to address other service needs i.e., legal assistance, VA benefits, community substance abuse counseling etc.
• Research additional benefits available to enhance service being provided.
• Engage the client, the family, and natural support within the community setting when feasible and desired by client.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

• Ability to facilitate and mentor clients who are at risk of homelessness.
• Ability to be a positive role model for clients.
• Ability to communicate clearly and accurately.
• Ability to provide support and education to clients.
• Open to learning new service ideas and methods.
• Willingness to take on new tasks.
• Ability to work in a team setting.
• Ability to maintain healthy work and personal boundaries.
• Ability to handle confidential information.
• Ability to remain calm in stressful situations.
• Requires driver license (MO residents require a Class E).
• Requires reliable vehicle.
• Requires valid and current auto insurance.
• Requires extensive travel within the Rural Counties region.
• Work a minimum of 37.5 hours a week.
• Life experience overcoming substance use, mental health and / or homelessness preferred.
• Veteran status preferred.

St. Patrick Center does not discriminate on the basis of handicapped status in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its federally assisted programs and activities.

St. Patrick Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, or disability.

Pre-Employment Screening

All candidates receiving an employment offer must submit a pre-employment screening. The screenings will include criminal background check and other background checks (as needed), Family Care Safety Registration, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure / certification verification, and Covid-19 and Influenza vaccination.

Various positions will require physical examination, Tuberculosis screening and Hepatitis A. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.