Certified Peer Specialist

Company Description

Families First is a Georgia non-profit family service agency. We assist over 37,000 children, women and families each year, and we have been serving metro Atlanta for more than 130 years. Our mission is to ensure the success of children in jeopardy by empowering families.

 Everything our agency does is about strengthening families—all kinds of families with all kinds of needs. We foster strong communities by delivering empowering and sustainable solutions to children and families—solutions that improve child well-being and family self-sufficiency. Families First accomplishes this by focusing on three impact areas: 

• Child & Youth Permanency – to ensure long-term stability and support, we provide adoption, foster care and residential group homes for children whose lives have been disrupted.
• Family Sustainability & Empowerment – we work collaboratively with other organizations to provide self-sufficiency through housing and supportive services for chronically homeless families.
• Healthy Families & Relationships – we offer training and affordable counseling solutions to equip parents and families with critical skills to build healthy and strong relationships.

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY:                                                                         

Under immediate general supervision, the Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) provides peer support services; serves as a consumer advocate; provides consumer information and peer support for consumers in a variety of settings.

​The CPS performs a wide range of tasks to support consumers in living their own lives and directing their own recovery and wellness process. The CPS will model competency in recovery and wellness.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. Using the 10-step goal setting process the CPS will:

a. Support consumers in articulating personal goals for recovery and wellness.
b. Support consumers in articulating the objectives necessary to reach his or her recovery and wellness goals.

​2. The CPS will document the following on the Individual Recovery/Resiliency Plan by:

a. Assisting consumers in identifying strengths.
b. Assisting consumers in identifying recovery and wellness goals.
c. Assisting consumers in setting objectives.
d. Assisting consumers in identifying barriers.
e. Support consumer in determining recovery and wellness interventions based on consumers' life goals.
f. Recognizing and reporting progress consumers make toward meeting objectives.
g. Understanding and utilizing specific interventions necessary to support consumers in meeting their recovery and wellness goals.

​3. Utilizing their specific training, the CPS will:

a. Lead as well as teach consumers how to facilitate Recovery Dialogues 
b. Support consumers in creating a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP).
c. Utilize and teach problem solving techniques with individuals and groups.
d. Teach consumers techniques for identifying and combating negative self-talk.
e. Teach consumers techniques for identifying and overcoming fears.
f. Support the vocational choices consumers make and support them in overcoming job-related anxiety.
g. Support consumers in building social skills in the community that will enhance job acquisition and tenure.
h. Support non-consumer staff in identifying program environments that are conducive to recovery; lend their unique insight into mental illness and what makes recovery possible.
i. Attend treatment team meetings to promote consumer's use of self-directed recovery tools.

​4. Utilizing their unique recovery experience, the CPSs will:

a. Teach and role model the value of every individual's recovery experience.
b. Support the consumer in obtaining decent and affordable housing of his or her choice in the most integrated, independent, and least intrusive or restrictive environment.
c. Model effective coping techniques and self-help strategies.

​5. The CPSs will maintain a working knowledge of current trends and developments in the mental health field by reading books, journals, and other relevant material.

a. Continue to develop and share recovery-oriented material with other CPSs at the continuing education assemblies and on the CPS electronic bulletin board.
b. Attend continuing education sessions when offered by the CPS Project.
c. Attend relevant seminars, meetings, and in-service trainings whenever offered.

​6.The CPSs will serve as a recovery agent by:

a. Providing and advocating for effective recovery based services.
b. Support consumers in obtaining services that suit that individual's recovery needs.  
c. Inform consumers about community and natural supports and how to utilize these in the recovery proce