Peer Support Specialists - Houston, TX

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.

The R&R Unit is
responsible for working directly with consumers and families upon request,
recruiting consumers and families for Optum initiatives, supporting existing
consumer initiatives, supporting the Grievance process, engaging in Quality
initiatives, collaborating with Care Managers, Providers, and community
agencies to support consumer access to needed services; Designing and
scheduling orientation; Creating and implementing a comprehensive, ongoing
Training program with and for consumers, families, Consumer and Family
organizations, Providers and staff; Implementing specific projects at the
direction of the Executive Director, and creating and maintaining communication
with consumers, youth, families, Consumer- and Family-run organizations, and
Providers.

The Peer Support
Specialists support the work of contract for Optum and the Health Plan at the
direction of the Clinical Program Manager. He/She is specifically charged with
supporting consumers and families on a daily basis, communicating with families
and consumers to support their engagement, recruiting family members and
consumers to serve on committees and task forces, and maintaining excellent
relationships with all consumer- and family-run services and programs.

Primary
Responsibilities:

• 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 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.


• Recruit 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

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: 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.