This recruitment has been reopened for additional applicants. If you have already applied for recruitment #070-2023-5, you do not need to reapply.

Marion County Adult Behavioral Health is hiring a Peer Support Specialist to come along side those in our community with severe mental illness. Join the Marion County Adult Behavioral Health peer team and use your lived experience to support others on their wellness journey. The Peer Support Specialist provides recovery-oriented supports in a one on one and group setting and helps individuals identify their personal strengths to reach their goals. The Peer Support Specialist uses recovery tools, shares personal recovery stories, acts as an advocate, is an addition to clinical mental health staff, utilizes understanding and respect for those on their recovery journey, espouses SAMHSA’s recovery model, and appreciates variety in their workday.
Marion County offers great benefits, excellent training, and are a qualifying site for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Provide support, encouragement, and assistance to individuals receiving mental health services at Marion County Adult Behavioral Health (ABH).

Support Recovery

• Promote activities that foster recovery and empowerment by sharing personal experiences when appropriate, modeling self-help and wellness activities.
• Provide outreach to engage individuals and assist them in overcoming barriers to participating in services. Offer support to develop personal recovery and wellness goals, explore self-help strategies, review dimensions of wellness, engage in wellness activities, act as a peer advocate, and provide encouragement and hope.

• Facilitate and connect individuals to services and activities with a focus on building self-efficacy.
• Assist to link with peer and community resources to build natural supports.
• Support and assist individuals to strengthen linkages to community peer delivered services.
• Support individuals to access and acquire services related to medical, social, educational, transportation, housing, employment, and other applicable services.
• Provide education and/or training to assist individuals in acquiring skills that will maintain community stability and independence.
• Promote skill building activities in the local community to support personal wellness and ongoing recovery.
• Provides case management support regarding eligibility and referral requirements for various programs. Provides supportive navigation, information, and coaching during application processes. Shares information regarding accessing various services and supports.
• Support individuals to develop self-help skills, social skills, and community integration.

• Assists in the development of person-centered plans, including wellness and recovery goals.
• Provide expertise, experience, and consultation to the team to promote a culture where individual point of view is recognized, respected, and integrated into treatment.

• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of clinical records in accordance with Federal, State, County, and treatment program requirements under the direction of the clinical supervisor.
• Meet performance expectations for time and billing standards.

• Participate fully as a member of the Marion County ABH team as a supportive, reliable, positive, collaborative, and professional team member during the development of individual treatment planning, team meetings, and crisis intervention.
• Work with a team and supervisor for clinical supervision, treatment planning, staff and departmental meetings, and trainings.
• Other job duties as assigned by your supervisor.

EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING
As defined by OAR 309-019-0105 (81) "Peer Support Specialist" means an individual providing peer delivered services to an individual or family member with similar life experience under the supervision of a qualified clinical supervisor and a qualified peer delivered services supervisor as resources are made available.

• 
  A self-identified person currently or formerly receiving mental health services; OR,
• A self-identified person in recovery from an addiction disorder, who meets the abstinence requirements for recovering staff in alcohol and drug treatment programs; OR
• A self-identified individual in recovery from problem gambling; OR
• The family member of an individual currently or formerly receiving addictions or mental health services.

• Applicants will be asked to discuss recovery experiences during the interview process.
• Must successfully complete a Mental Health approved peer support training program within six (6) months of hire.
• The finalist for this position will be required to pass a criminal history background check; however, conviction of a crime may not necessarily disqualify an individual for this position.
• Must possess a current driver's license in the applicant's state of residence and an acceptable driving history. Marion County will obtain a copy of the driving record for all qualified applicants from Driver and Motor Vehicle Services and review the driving record according to the Marion County policy and procedure for Driving on County Business. The policy can be found at: http://apps.co.marion.or.us/APAP/.
• This is a safety sensitive/special needs position. Final candidates selected for this position will be required to pass a pre-employment drug screen, including testing for marijuana. The Marion County Drug and Alcohol Use and Testing Policy can be found at: http://apps.co.marion.or.us/APAP/policy.aspx?p=policy&pid=518.
• This position may be subject to the following: Must not be excluded from participation in the federal health care programs (Medicaid, Medicare and other federally funded programs that provide health benefits); AND must not be excluded from participating in federal procurement (Federal Acquisition Regulation) and non-procurement activities (Executive Order No. 12549).
• This position is represented by a union.
• This is a Full-time position, which is eligible for overtime.
• Typical Work Schedule: flexibility depending upon the needs of the department and program

Knowledge of: approaches to support others in recovery and resiliency and demonstrates efforts at self-directed recovery; community resources and how to connect individuals to those resources.
Ability to: understand and carry out directions and instructions; maintain confidentiality; interest and skill in providing services to adult consumers; speak, read and write English; provide documentation consistent with department standards for quality and timeliness, willingness to work hours conducive to reaching the identified population; ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with consumers, coworkers, and other agencies; asked to discuss recovering experiences during interview process.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Operates a motor vehicle; sees using depth perception; stands; sits; moves about the work area; bends forward; reaches overhead; climbs 1 floor of stairs; lifts, pushes, pulls, moves carts and carries items weighing up to 5 lbs.; operates a keyboard; speaks with a clear and audible voice; reads a 12 pt. font; hears a normal speech level; on rare occasion, may work in client homes or other areas exposed to dust or second-hand smoke; may work in uneven areas.

PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS
Marion County is a qualifying public employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, full-time employees working at the County may qualify for forgiveness of the remaining balance on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan. Questions about your loan eligibility should be directed to your loan servicer or the US Department of Education.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE
Applicants are eligible to use Veterans’ Preference when applying with Marion County in accordance with ORS 408.225, 408.230, and 408.235 and OAR 105-040-0010 and 105-040-0015. Preference will be awarded only if the applicant meets the minimum requirements of the position and attaches the required documentation at the time of application.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR VETERANS’ PREFERENCE

• One of the following:
  • MEMBER COPY 4 of the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214 or 215); OR
  • Letter from the US Department of Veterans Affairs indicating receipt of a non-service connected pension; OR
  • Certification that discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions will take place not later than 120 days after the submission of the certificate.

• In addition to one of the above documents, Disabled Veterans must also submit one of the following:
  • A copy of their Veterans disability preference letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs; OR
  • Certification that medical separation from active duty under honorable conditions will take place not later than 120 days after the submission of the certificate.

You can request copies of your military service record through the National Archives website at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/

Marion County is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Veteran and Disability employer committed to increasing the diversity of its workforce.