Peer Support Specialist​/Counselor

Peer Support Specialist/Counselor

Join to apply for the Peer Support Specialist/Counselor role at Lutheran Community Services Northwest
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Our Mission:
Lutheran Community Services Northwest partners with individuals, families and communities for health, justice and hope.

About Us:

Lutheran Community Services Northwest is a non‑profit human services agency that improves lives of people in communities throughout Washington, Oregon and Idaho. We provide a wide variety of services to adults, adolescents, children, families, schools and communities. We are privileged to touch lives of all ages, cultures and faiths.

The WISe Peer Support Specialist will maintain the integrity of the WISe/wraparound process. Peer counselors have lived experience in systems that service children, youth and families. A Peer counselor ideally inspires hope and the vision that recovery and resiliency is possible. A peer counselor can be a peer of an individual with behavioral health challenges, or a peer of a parent or guardian who is raising or has raised a child with behavioral health challenges.

The ideal candidate will display a compassionate nature, have the ability to demonstrate and implement creative thought processes, and provide exceptional service. Communication, confidentiality and professionalism are essential parts of this position. The ability to work flexible hours including evenings and managing your work time effectively within 37.5‑hour work weeks is essential.

• Provide peer support on a one‑to‑one basis, in peer support groups, in the community such as the peer’s home, meetings, courtroom, hospitals, schools, etc. for up to 25 youth.
• Help promote a culture that sees youth/family participation as valuable and integral to achieving youth‑identified goals.
• Maintain timely case notes and records set by the agency’s documentation standards.
• Collaborate with other members of the WISe team (clinician, care coordinator) to identify how each WISe team member is addressing ongoing youth/family needs identified on cross‑system care plan.
• Attend monthly child and family team (CFT) planning meetings that address youth and family goals with other professional supports, natural supports, and community partners.
• Ensure youth/families are present when decisions about them are made and encourage them to take an active role in their care planning.
• Provide parent, guardian, and/or youth with resources to community programs.
• Provide assistance to the care coordinator in support of coordination for the youth and families.
• Participate in required weekly individual supervision, case consultation, and staff meetings to explore approaches for engaging with youth and families, process themes of transference/counter transference as they occur, and identify support needed for professional growth in field.
• Demonstrate respect for and build on the values, preferences, beliefs, culture, and identity, of the child/youth and family, and their community.
• Travel throughout countywide service area with mileage reimbursement allocated monthly.

Other duties as assigned by the Program manager, supervisor or director.

• Be in mental health/behavioral health recovery for at least one year.
• Ability to participate in effective team meetings and group discussions.
• Ability to read, write and speak fluently in English is required.
• Ability to speak one of the following languages is beneficial:
  Spanish, Amharic, Somali, Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Pashto, Russian, Ukrainian. Candidates with demonstrated language competency are eligible for language‑based pay increase.
• Proficient in the use of personal computer and corresponding programs; preferred experience with Microsoft Office, Gmail and Google Calendar or similar web‑based and computer programs.
• Dependable, flexible, punctual, strong work ethic and service‑oriented.
• Respect and work cooperatively with a variety of persons, including coworkers, community partners (social service agencies), the public, volunteers and parents of the children.
• Must have a current driver license, car insurance, and consistent access to a reliable vehicle.
• Clearance through the…