Behavioral Health Peer Specialist

The Position

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Under general supervision, provides peer support such as sharing recovery stories, identifying wellness goals, and providing emotional support to consumers of behavioral health services and their families.

Current recruitment includes (but is not limited to) the following positions: Wellness Crisis Call Center & Response Team. Click here (Download PDF reader) for more information on this exciting new opportunity. Access Team. Click here (Download PDF reader) for more information on this exciting new opportunity.
The following table illustrates the salary range for this position should you be assigned to one of the programs that receives a differential:
Program Differential Amount Combined Salary Homeless Engagement and Response Team (In the Field/Encampments)5%$46,833.17 - $51,644.17Community Wellness Response Team (CWRT)10%$49,063.32 - $54,103.42

Examples of Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge of

• Applicable laws, rules and regulations related to behavioral health services
• Public and private agency services available for families, children, and adults with behavioral health and recovery challenges
• Crisis intervention techniques
• Needs and difficulties faced by ethnically diverse consumers and families/caregivers of consumers of behavioral health services
• Methods and techniques to communicate effectively with behavioral health consumers, families/caregivers, the community, and treatment/care teams
• Cultural and social factors affecting behavioral health and recovery
• Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and other specialized applications related to area of assignment
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Principles of effective customer service

Ability to

• Read and understand written and verbal rules, policies, and procedures
• Maintain client confidentiality
• Compose and maintain accurate and appropriate records of services provided
• Meet required timelines for referrals, follow-up, and coordination of care
• Establish and maintain cooperative, effective working relationships with clients, co-workers, other agencies, and the general public
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing
• Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action
• Effectively organize and prioritize work assignments
• Interpret and apply applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations
• Apply customer service skills, including the identification of customer needs and follow up to ensure customer commitments have been met

Employment Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Currently or previously a consumer of behavioral health services (such as mental health or substance use), or a parent or family member/caregiver of a behavioral health consumer.

Note: If the word “experience” is referenced in the minimum qualifications, it means full-time paid experience unless the minimum qualification states that volunteer experience is acceptable. Part-time paid experience may be accumulated and pro-rated to meet the total experience requirements.

General Qualifications

Criminal History and Background Checks: The County may access criminal history information on candidates who have accepted a conditional offer of appointment for this class consistent with the provisions of Board of Supervisors Resolution No. 82-602, Personnel Policies, and applicable federal and state laws. The County shall not consider for employment any candidate who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor that relates to or impacts the candidate’s ability to perform the job duties of this class unless it is determined that mitigating circumstances exist. For purposes of accessing criminal history information, the candidate will be fingerprinted. A subsequent arrest notification may be obtained.

The County may also conduct a background check on the candidate prior to appointment to a position within this class. The background check may include personal and professional reference checks, credit history checks where authorized by Labor Code section 1024.5, Social Security Number verification, professional license/registration verification, military service information and driving history. Information obtained in the course of this background check will be considered by the appointing authority in the selection process. In obtaining such information, the County will comply with applicable consent and disclosure practices in the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act.

License Requirement: A valid California Driver License, Class C or higher, shall be required at the time of appointment. Failure to obtain or maintain the appropriate California Driver License may constitute cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Certification/Training Requirement: Incumbents in this class will be required to complete Federal or State required training and/or certification upon written notice from the appointing authority. Failure to obtain or maintain the appropriate certification or training may constitute cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement.

Child and Elder Abuse Reporting:Persons selected for employment in this class must, as a condition of employment, sign a statement agreeing to comply with Section 11166 of the California Penal Code and Section 15630 of the Welfare and Institutions Code relating to child and elder abuse reporting.

Physical Requirements: Positions in this class require the incumbents to be able to lift boxes of outreach materials or other items weighing up to 25 pounds without assistance.

Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Working Conditions: Positions in this class require the incumbents to:

• Be exposed to emotionally disturbed or mentally ill persons and/or confrontational interpersonal situations.
• Work in dangerous, high crime areas of the community.
• Work during non-routine hours, including evenings, holidays, and weekends.
• Work outside in all types of climatic conditions including inclement, very hot or very cold weather.

Probationary Period

The probationary period for this classification is six (6) months.