Peer Support Specialist

Overview

The Peer Support Specialist embraces CII’s North Star and utilizes a whole-family approach, ensuring that all program participants have access to comprehensive, high-quality services and support to reach their full potential. Provides direct services by utilizing their own life experiences to support, engage, and motivate caregivers, children, youth, and non-minor dependents connected to the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. This position shall reflect the cultural, ethnic, and demographic population served by the program.

• Mentors and supports caregivers, children, youth, and non-minor dependents who have former or current experience in the child welfare and/or juvenile justice systems.
• Meets regularly with caregivers, children, youth, and non-minor dependents virtually, in person, and through text/email communications.
• Maintains appropriate case notes and other records and prepares periodic reports as required.
• Ensures participant records are audit ready.
• Meets and/or exceeds client service delivery goals.
• Participates as a member of a multi-disciplinary team and ensures coordination of care.
• Provides insight into the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, sharing personal experiences, and assistance throughout services.
• Supports the oversight of the youth commission and works directly with youth in driving programming.
• Identifies, refers, and connects children, youth, and non-minor dependents to leadership development and social support opportunities.
• Provides additional hands-on coaching and support to youth in meeting their goals.
• Models and encourages direct, professional communication with peers and outside providers.
• Actively engages in outreach and engagement efforts to increase youth participation in services and elicit ongoing feedback to improve services.
• Participates in regular clinical supervision.
• Participates in Continuous Quality Improvement process for the division.
• Participates in integrated case conferences and team meetings to monitor individual needs and services plans to ensure effective quality clinical service delivery in alignment with CII’s whole-family approach to services.

• Other duties and special projects as assigned.

• This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED) preferred.
• Requires an individual with personal experience connected to the child welfare and/or juvenile justice systems.

• Valid driver's license and state-required auto insurance.
• Required to travel to sites (25% to 50% of the time).
• Bilingual Spanish / English preferred.
• Ability to handle confidential information.
• Maintains patient privacy, including protecting the confidentiality, safeguarding the integrity and availability, and limiting the use and disclosure of patient Protected Health Information (PHI) to authorized individuals and entities.
• Participates in, conducts, and sustains performance quality improvement activities according to designated role and responsibilities.
• Sensitivity to service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Punctual and dependable attendance.

• None required.

• Must have working knowledge of computer programs in a Windows environment.

• No special vision requirements.

• New Hire Orientation
• Mandated Reporter
• 40 hours of adoption-specific training
• Safely Surrendered Babies

Children’s Institute (CII) believes that all children and families have boundless potential to achieve emotional well-being and educational success, which build pathways to economic mobility and lifelong health. Using a whole family, two-generation approach, CII offers education, counseling services, parenting support, convening spaces and enrichment programs in the community, at our early education centers, K-12 schools, and neighborhood hubs. Our employees value passion, partnership, innovation and equity.

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