Peer Support Specialist - Albuquerque, NM - Full-time / Part-time

Position Description:


Energize your career with one of Healthcare’s fastest growing
companies.  

 

You dream of a great career with a great company - where you can
make an impact and help people.  We dream of giving you the opportunity to
do just this.  And with the incredible growth of our business, it’s a
dream that definitely can come true. Already one of the world’s leading
Healthcare companies, UnitedHealth Group is restlessly pursuing new ways to
operate our Service Centers, improve our Service levels and help people lead
healthier lives. We live for the opportunity to make a difference and right
now, we are living it up.

 

This opportunity is with one of our most exciting business areas:
Optum - a growing part of our family of companies that make UnitedHealth Group
a Fortune 14 leader.

 

Optum helps nearly 60 million Americans live their lives to the
fullest by educating them about their symptoms, conditions, and treatments;
helping them to navigate the system, finance their Healthcare needs, and stay
on track with their Health goals. No other business touches so many lives in
such a positive way. And we do it all with every action focused on our shared
values of Integrity, Compassion, Relationships, Innovation, and Performance.


Each Peer Support Specialist will work with a case load of up to 30 and will be working with members with either a mental health, behavioral and medical challenges.  The Peer Support Specialist will help the consumer set and work on their wellness goals including such things as diet, exercise, staying with medication, etc.  The specialist will help provide education about their illnesses and about the treatments in the wellness plan.  They will assist the peer in creating and using a WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) plan.  The specialist will help connect the peer to local support groups and community resources. The specialist will help the peer identify questions and learn to advocate for themselves with their providers.  They will promote practices that are anchored in the belief that people with mental and medical illness are able to live, act, work, and participate productively in their communities and are resilient and able to rebound from trauma, stigma and other stresses with a sense of mastery.
Primary Responsibilities:


Meet with the peer in their home and form supportive relationships.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Use his/her own Recovery experience and training to assist families and consumers with defining their Recovery goals, and developing the skills and knowledge needed for the consumer’s recovery.
Support the creation and assist with the implementation of a comprehensive Training and Education program with peers, families, Providers and staff.
Establish and maintain strong collaborative relationships with existing Consumer and Family organizations, so members of those organizations become actively involved with Optum/Health Plan activities.
Communicate Plan information to consumers and Consumer-operated organizations and with families and family organizations. In addition to communicating, a wide array of other topics including Clinical policies, analysis of data and Program evaluation.
Identify and outreach to community and leaders of ethnic minority groups to identify and develop programs that are both culturally competent and also use recovery and resiliency.
As directed, serve as a designated member of internal subcommittees.
Participate in Optum and Health Plan Quality Review processes.
Enable us to communicate effectively with consumers and their families about all aspects of the Mental Healthcare Delivery system as well as their rights and responsibilities.
As requested, provide support to consumer or family members in making needed appointments.
Work with the Clinical Program Managers and the Clinical team to implement intensive, enhanced care coordination when requested, which may include peer support as well as other community-based services designed to stabilize the consumer’s condition, including working with the consumer in the development of a WRAP plan and a Crisis plan.
Be available to provide direct support to consumers being discharged from 24-hour care or to refer them to a support group.
Assist and support consumers and family members with Grievance processes.
Collaborate with Care Managers, Providers, and Community agencies and organizations to facilitate access to and transition between services.
Collaborate with Care Managers, providers, and community agencies and organizations to identify consumers who may benefit from peer support.
Respond to concerns and questions from consumers and families.
Participate in Treatment planning with consumers and families who request that support.
Work with the Ombudsman, if requested, to provide information and assistance to consumers who have received a Notice of Action.
Work with community agencies along with and/or on behalf of consumers and families.
Provide feedback about Treatment planning development based on their interactions with other consumers and families.
Advocate on behalf of the consumers and families.
Provide peer support to consumers and family members at critical points in their treatment process.
Serve as liaison between Optum, the Health Plan and those who use services.
Invite and support consumers, parents and family members to participate in all phases of the operation of Optum and the Health Plan, from the Governing Body and Mental Health Advisory Board to Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement (QA/PI) Committees and all other critical initiatives.
Competencies:

Integrity - Can be relied upon to act ethically, to safeguard confidential information and to adhere to the UnitedHealth Group Code of Conduct and all legal and regulatory requirements.
Leadership -  Ability to build a sense of shared purpose and commitment in others
Coaching -  guides others and provides education on person centered thinking
Decision - making  makes quality decisions in a timely manner
Relationship building - Networks outside and inside the organization and builds positive strategic relationship with key individuals and advocacy groups.

Required Qualifications:

High School Diploma/GED
Must be able to travel within the local area up to 70%
Must be willing to successfully complete the Certified Peer Specialist Training program within one year of employment
Access to reliable transportation that will enable you to travel to client and/or patient sites within a designated area
Self-disclosure as a current or former consumer of Mental Health or Substance Abuse services
Demonstrated understanding of the principles of recovery and resiliency
Ability to facilitate training events and other peer support activities
Previous experience working with a computer on a daily basis and utilizing Microsoft Office in a professional setting
Preferred Qualifications:


Certified Peer Specialists (CPSS) in the State of service
Bilingual
Careers with Optum. Here's the idea. We built an entire organization around one giant objective; make the health system work better for everyone. So when it comes to how we use the world's large accumulation of health-related information, or guide health and lifestyle choices or manage pharmacy benefits for millions, our first goal is to leap beyond the status quo and uncover new ways to serve. Optum, part of the UnitedHealth Group family of businesses, brings together some of the greatest minds and most advanced ideas on where health care has to go in order to reach its fullest potential. For you, that means working on high performance teams against sophisticated challenges that matter. Optum, incredible ideas in one incredible company and a singular opportunity to do your life's best work.
Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.