Job Description Summary:
The Community-Focused Peer Support Specialist plays a crucial role in bridging community members with necessary support services. This position emphasizes community engagement, crisis intervention, and collaboration with law enforcement. Key aspects of this role include:
- Lived Experience: Peer support specialists bring their own lived experience of overcoming mental health challenges or substance use. This unique perspective fosters empathy and understanding.
- Holistic Approach: Peer support services focus on the whole person, considering social, emotional, and practical needs.
- Reducing Stigma: By sharing their stories, peer specialists help reduce stigma around mental health and substance use.
- Building Trust: Community members often feel more comfortable confiding in peers, leading to stronger relationships and better outcomes.
- Trauma Informed: Services are delivered within trauma-informed principles
Responsibilities:
- Community Outreach and Engagement:
- Actively engage with community members to identify those in need of peer support services.
- Build relationships with local organizations, community leaders, and residents.
- Crisis Intervention:
- Respond promptly when law enforcement identifies individuals requiring peer support.
- Provide emotional support, active listening, and practical assistance during crises.
- Help de-escalate situations and prevent further legal entanglement.
- Resource Connection:
- Connect individuals to mental health services, substance use treatment, housing, domestic violence, housing, and other community resources.
- Collaborate with social workers, counselors, and other professionals.
- Collaboration with Social Work Team:
- Work closely with other members of the Police Social Work team.
- Consult and coordinate services to ensure comprehensive support for community members
- Perform all other duties as assigned.
Physical Requirements:
- Typical physical demands include prolonged sitting, frequent standing, bending, and stooping.
- Requires normal range of hearing and manual dexterity sufficient to operate keyboard, telephone, photocopier, calculator, and other office equipment as needed.
- Requires ability to work under stressful conditions and to work irregular hours.
- TB test upon hire.
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