Job Title: Certified Peer Specialist
Division/Location: all locations
Position Reports To: Team Lead (s)
Job Purpose Summary: Functions within the scope of practice as established by the
Certification of Peer Specialist. As a fully-integrated member of the service delivery
team, the Peer Specialist will provide peer support services to adults with a serious and
persistent mental illness or adolescents with a serious emotional disturbance who are
actively and currently involved in mental health treatment. All Peer Specialist services
will promote hope, wellness, and recovery outcomes for clients. The Peer Specialist will
also reinforce a culture of recovery and client-centered services.
Definitions:
Recovery: For persons living with a mental illness, recovery is an individual
experience and encompasses all aspects of one’s life. Recovery is a process of
change aimed at living a satisfying and meaningful life. The recovery journey
involves the development of hope, self-esteem, and purpose; making one’s own
choices; forming connections with others; and gaining knowledge to manage
one’s own life.
Recovery-based services: This service approach emphasizes client self-direction,
responsibility and empowerment; is holistic, non-linear, strengths-based, and
person-centered; offers respect and hope; and integrates peer support. (Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Consensus Statement
on Mental Health Recovery)
Education/Training/Certification/Experience Requirements: Must have personal
experience of living with a Serious Mental Illness and must have successfully emerged to
a place of recovery.
 Possess a solid understanding of the recovery process.
 Have a history of mental illness and be well-grounded in one’s own recovery,
with at least a year since diagnosis.
- Be willing to share one’s recovery experience with clients and staff.
Educational requirements:
High School diploma/GED with current Peer Specialist Certification.
Must pass a criminal background check conducted by the DHW.
Must have current driver’s license and reliable vehicle.
Essential Duties and Accountabilities:
Meets with each qualified participant in their home and in the community with the ability
to provide support and encouragement to each participant as requested in an effort to
reduce hospitalizations for each participant. Maintains confidentiality of all client
documents, files and communication in written, electronic and/or verbal form.
a. Peer Specialist services to clients:
 Works with persons individually and in group settings to develop recovery plans
which build on their strengths.
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Assists persons in achieving their recovery goals.
Provides hope and encouragement by serving as a role model in recovery.
Teaches skills and strategies to problem solve, identify and combat negative selftalk, overcome fears, cope, self-manage illness, and prevent relapse.
Provides individualized assistance and education in obtaining community
services, maintaining life supports such as housing or income, carrying out the
tasks of daily living, and participating in support groups or other community
networks.
Offers education and support in working toward physical and mental wellness,
including healthy living behaviors.
b. Peer Specialist role on the service delivery Team:
 Serves as a resource to the Team on incorporating recovery strategies and tools
into all client services. Reinforce an approach of client self-determination in all
aspects of service planning.
 Provides an ongoing perspective to the Team members on the experience of
mental illness and recovery.
 Participates in Team meetings providing input in developing client assessments
and service plans.
 Prepare daily case notes on services provided to clients. Maintain other client or
service documentation as required by the Team.
 Participate in any in-service training for Team members.
 When assigned, accepts weekend phone call check ins for clients.
c. Peer Specialist employee responsibilities to ACES Community Services:
 Submit time sheets every Monday for the week prior.
 Participate in 90 day and annual evaluation interviews regarding one’s experience
working as a Peer Specialist.
Job Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to
perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are
representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable
accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential
functions.
Skills and abilities:
 Have the ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
 Have the ability to teach coping/life skills, while maintaining appropriate
professional boundaries with clients.
 Have the ability and willingness to function as a member of a staff team.
 Possess skills in basic computer functions of email, document management, and
internet.
 Access to a vehicle for independent travel preferred.
Ethics:
 Ensures all client records are maintained in a confidential manner.
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Shares client information only with those who have been given client consent,
such as other Team members.
Works with clients of all ages, races, religions, and socio-economic backgrounds
in a respectful and non-judgmental manner.
Creates and maintains a recovery oriented environment by using person-first
language, respectful documentation, and person-centered planning.
Responds to client and staff telephone calls and email messages in a timely and
professional manner.
Maintains professional boundaries with clients, and specifically does not engage
in inappropriate relationships or exchange of money or gifts with clients.
Language Skills: Capacity to effectively present information and respond (in written
and/or oral format) to questions from team members clients, and other community
members as appropriate.
Supervision:
The Peer Specialist will be an employee of ACES Community Services. On the work site,
the Peer Specialist will report to a Team Lead and LCSW, LPC or LCPC. The
supervision provided will be responsible for day-to-day oversight and support of the Peer
Specialist’s client service delivery and functioning on the Team, and the Peer Specialist’s
understanding of and compliance with day-to-day agency procedures. The Team Lead
will provide support and technical assistance to the Peer Specialist through individual
coaching on applying the concepts and skills of recovery-based services with clients.
Continuing Education Requirements:
The Peer Specialist will be required to get a minimum of 1 Ethics CEU per year, and a
minimum of 3 additional CEUs pertaining to mental health per year, from date of hire.
Annual requirements of all ACES staff such as fire safety training also apply.
Disclaimer Provision: There may be other duties as assigned.
I have read and received a copy of this job description.
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