Peer Support Crisis Intervention Specialist

SUMMARY

ShelterCare's Birch Program of Eugene, OR is seeking to hire a full-time Peer Support Crisis Intervention Specialist to provide supportive Peer Support services to participants who are enrolled in the Birch Program. The Birch Program provides services to adults who are currently engaged in the Lane County Aid and Assist Program (370); which are people with pending legal involvement who have been determined by the courts to not be able to aid and assist in their court process because of their current mental health symptom or current level of cognitive impairment. The Birch Program Provides all participants with Shelter in the community and our role is to walk with them into mental health services and through all their court obligations. The program is centered on obtaining and retaining stability in the community, with the hopes of participants successfully transitioning into housing of their choice after graduation. The program is a partnership between Sheltercare and Lane County Behavioral Health Forensics' Program to provide intensive wrap-around services to people who are in a point of crisis in their lives, related to their mental health. Most participants have a long history of being unhouse, underserved, dual diagnosed and/or institutionalized with extensive trauma histories; and all currently presenting with a Several Mental Illness (SMI). The Peer Support Crisis Intervention Specialist takes the lead on role modeling recovery by utilizing their story of lived experience to foster hope and connections with participants The Birch Team is made up of four full time staff who serve up to nine adults, who are sheltered at three scattered site houses in the Eugene/Springfield area. Our team creates a culture of harm reduction and participant defined recovery; holding hope that we are able to make a positive impact in the lives of all of the people we work with.

ShelterCare is considered a healthcare organization. Following state rule 333-019-1010, covered healthcare providers and healthcare staff must provide their employer: Proof of vaccination showing they are fully vaccinated; or documentation of a medical or religious exemption.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The Peer Support Crisis Intervention Specialist earns a competitive starting wage between $21.51 -21.89 per hour, depending on experience. This is a non-exempt, hourly position.

Our employees enjoy excellent benefits including medical, dental, vision, and free life insurance; 11 paid holidays a year; generous PTO accrual starting at 6 hours per pay period* and increasing each year of employment; a pet-friendly environment; paid time volunteering for other organizations; employee assistance program; SEP-IRA employer contribution after 2 years of employment; and 40 hours of paid parental leave. If you have experience in mental health services or housing and want to pursue a rewarding career as a housing services professional, apply today!

*PTO accrual is prorated for employees working less than 40 hours a week.

A DAY IN THE LIFE AS A Peer Support Crisis Intervention Specialist

As a Peer Support Crisis Intervention Specialist, you will get to work out in the community, one on one with participants.

You will have daily staffing hours at a program house, providing scheduled and drop in services to participants. You will use your lived experience to assist in building rapport with participants, demonstrating that recovery is possible. You will provide general house milieu management and skill building for successful living inside with housemates. You will assist at weekly house meetings, assisting people in recognizing successes, setting goals and helping to assist in peer to peer conflict resolution. You will get to design a group of your choice, aimed at increasing stability. You will get to schedule and provide outings to prosocial fun activities in the local community. You will be vital in the process of connecting participants to resources and services and walk with them as they learn to utilize them. You will role model how and when to use coping skills and other tools of recovery to assist participants in gaining and retaining stability in their lives.

You will assist the team in screening referrals in person, at the jails and/or hospitals; support the intake process, assist with transporting new participants from jails and hospitals. You will help to connect participants to local resources and assist them in applying for various benefits including SSI, SNAP, Medicaid etc.

You will get to work closely with our partner team at Lane County Behavioral Health, helping to keep them informed on our participants in our program. You will get the opportunity to practice your crisis intervention skills, as needed with participants, and be trained in CPI's Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® curriculum.

As a Peer Support Crisis Intervention Specialist, you'll love being able to make a difference in the lives of those you serve!

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Must identify as having lived experience in at least one of the following: mental health, the criminal justice system, homelessness, addiction.
• Must have a strong personal recovery plan. You will be working with people with active substance use disorders and who are in a mental health crisis; our program does not have a sobriety requirement for participants nor does it requires medication compliancy in participants.
• At least 2 years of experience providing services to people with diverse backgrounds, preferably working with people experiencing, homelessness, substance use and/or criminal justice involvement.
• Experience in working with people who have been homeless and/or have mental health needs is required.
• Must have knowledge of mental health , substance use and homelessness needs and services; and experience providing interventions to that population.
• Bachelor's degree in social work or a related field, or the equivalence in years of experience.
• Essential Skills: Crisis de-escalation skills, effective communication, negotiation and collaboration, scheduling and time management, leadership, risk management, critical thinking and problem solving.
• Ability to drive agency vehicles
• Ability to successfully pass a DHS background check

Preferred

• Experience in working with people with co-occurring disorders
• Experience working with people in crisis
• An understanding of Harm Reductions, Housing First and Assertive Engagement
• Able to credential or already credentialed as a Peer Support Specialist or Certified Recovery Mentor

WORK SCHEDULE

The schedule for this full-time position is Monday-Friday 8am-5pm; with the ability to provide the occasional overtime hours/coverage; which might include weekends, evenings, and holidays.

ARE YOU READY TO JOIN OUR TEAM?

If you have experience in mental health or crisis services and would like to make a difference in helping the unhoused, please fill out our short, mobile-friendly application. We look forward to meeting you!

ABOUT SHELTERCARE

ShelterCare is a social services agency that is directed by a board of community volunteers. We have multiple programs in the Eugene/Springfield area. We offer a range of housing solutions combined with wraparound services for families and community members who are homeless or on the verge of homelessness. This includes adults who are homeless, have been homeless in the past, have a serious mental illness, or a combination of these. Because of the variety of services we offer, we are able to help many people in our community.

Our team values collaboration, person-centered approaches, agility and flexibility, integrity and care, and diversity, equity and inclusion in every aspect of our agency, striving to be the best we can at serving our clients and supporting each other. Here at ShelterCare, every employee has a voice. In addition to making a difference for the vulnerable populations we serve, we offer a fun, positive company culture and opportunities for growth and development.