Certified Peer Support Specialist- Adolescent SUD

Job Description:

Job Title: Certified Peer Specialist

Location: Independence, Missouri (Kansas City area)
Department: Recovery Services

Employment Type: Full Time

Shift: Monday – Friday (8:00am – 5:00pm CST)

Job Summary:

Are you a passionate and dedicated mental health professional looking to make a positive impact in the lives of children and adolescents? Do you want to work in a supportive and dynamic environment where you can grow your skills and advance your career? Join our team at Burrell Behavioral Health as a Certified Peer Specialist in the Kansas City, Missouri area!

Our Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) provide recovery-focused support to individuals experiencing mental health challenges. Drawing upon their personal experience with mental illness, CPSs offer hope, inspiration, and guidance to those seeking to manage symptoms, navigate complex systems, and reclaim their lives. Key job duties of a CPS include empowering individuals to recognize their strengths, set goals, and make informed choices; advocating on behalf of consumers to improve systems and policies and supporting individuals in advocating for themselves; providing emotional support through active listening, validation, and shared experiences; offering crisis intervention when necessary, including de-escalation and connection to appropriate services; teaching practical skills like problem-solving, communication, stress management, symptom management, and relapse prevention; linking individuals to community resources such as housing, employment, education, vocational training, transportation, financial assistance, and peer support groups; guiding individuals through complex service systems, explaining options and benefits, and attending appointments alongside them; modeling a recovery-oriented perspective centered around wellness, self-determination, and person-centered planning; exhibiting cultural competency by recognizing the impact of diversity and displaying cultural humility; and adhering to strict ethical standards, protecting client privacy, obtaining informed consent, avoiding conflicts of interest, and practicing self-care. By combining their own experiences with formal training, CPSs play a critical role in fostering growth, independence, and recovery among people navigating mental health challenges.

Living in the Kansas City area provides a wonderful blend of Midwestern charm and urban sophistication. Known for its world-class barbecue, jazz heritage, and professional sports teams, Kansas City offers a plethora of activities to entertain and engage residents. With a vibrant arts scene, an extensive park system, excellent school districts, a plethora of family-friendly attractions, and an affordable cost of living, the Kansas City area allows you and your loved ones to enjoy a high quality, balanced, and enjoyable lifestyle.

Position Perks & Benefits:

•             Employee benefits package - health, dental, vision, retirement, life, & more 

•             Paid time off - 29 days per year including vacation & holiday pay

•             Mileage reimbursement - company paid for work functions requiring travel

•             Top-notch training - initial, ongoing, comprehensive, and supportive

•             Career mobility - advancement opportunities/promoting from within

•             Welcoming, warm, supportive - a work culture & environment that promotes your well-being, values you as human being, and encourages your health and happiness
 

Key Responsibilities:

• Empowerment: Helping individuals with mental illness recognize their strengths, set goals, and make informed decisions about their lives.

• Advocacy: Supporting individuals in advocating for themselves and accessing needed resources and services, while also advocating on behalf of consumers to improve systems and policies.
• Emotional Support: Providing emotional support through active listening, validation, encouragement, and sharing personal experiences in ways that inspire hope and resilience.
• Crisis Intervention: Assisting individuals during crises, helping de-escalate situations, connecting them to appropriate services, and supporting coping skills development.
• Skill Building: Teaching practical skills like problem solving, communication, stress management, symptom management, and relapse prevention.
• Resource Connection: Connecting individuals to relevant community resources, such as housing, employment, education, vocational training, transportation, financial assistance, and peer support groups.
• System Navigation: Guiding individuals through