Peer and Family Advocate

The Job

Be an agent of change and make a difference in delivering health and wellness to millions of residents.

Join a team that is passionate about the services they provide and is committed to making a difference throughout San Bernardino County.

The San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health invites qualified individuals to apply for the position of Peer and Family Advocate who provide outreach and education support for the Department. This position will provide linkages to services, and support for consumers of behavioral health services. This position requires public speaking in the delivery of information and assistance services, establishing and maintaining a current directory of community resources, and planning/preparing events, trainings, and presentations on a variety of topics.

The Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) values the expertise that peer providers bring to the system of care. Peer providers are individuals who have self-identified as having lived experience with the process of recovery from mental illness, substance use disorder, or both, either as a consumer of these services or as the parent or family member of the consumer and use that experience to deliver services in a variety of roles.

The essential duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:

• Conduct one-on-one or group sessions with consumers and/or their families
• Collect and report data which may include billing and chart documentation
• Develop and facilitate educational, skills building, recreational and advocacy groups
• Plan, develop, prepare, and conduct presentations on a variety of topics
• Develop partnerships with diverse community and consumer groups
• Serve as a mentor in facilitating and engaging consumers and family members
• Develop and implement human resource development projects and training to improve consumer relations, consumer satisfaction, and consumer understanding in culturally diverse communities
• Assist with the development and maintenance of communications materials for consumers and family members

For additional details, please refer to the Peer and Family Advocate job description.

This position is in the Unclassified Service and serves at the pleasure of the appointing authority.

The Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) is responsible for providing mental health and substance use disorder services to county residents who are experiencing major mental illness or substance abuse related issues. DBH provides mental health and substance use disorder prevention and treatment services to all age groups, with a primary emphasis on treating children/youth who may be seriously emotionally disturbed, adults who are experiencing a serious and persistent mental illness, and individuals who are experiencing substance use disorders. DBH also provides an array of outreach/engagement, prevention, and early intervention services. DBH's core values are service, integrity, accountability, and trust.

DBH is a unique County Department comprised of eight (8) direct service areas: Community Outpatient and Transitional Age Youth Services; Youth Collaborative and Justice Involved Services; Substance Use Disorder and Recovery Services; 24 Hour and Specialty Services; Adult Justice Involved and Diversion Services; Medical Services; Community Engagement and Equity Services; Office of Patients' Rights and five (5) indirect service areas: Administrative and Fiscal Services; Public Relations and Outreach Services; Program Support Services; Disaster and Safety Unit; and the Office of Compliance. The Department currently has a workforce in excess of 1000 positions and an approximate $700 million-dollar annual budget.

Click HERE to learn more about the Department of Behavioral Health

Click HERE to learn more about San Bernardino County

The list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future vacancies as they occur throughout the Department.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Work Schedule: Must be willing to work non-traditional hours, such as evenings and weekends.

Travel: Regular travel throughout the County may be required, with some positions requiring field-based travel. Employees may be required to make provisions for transportation (mileage reimbursement at current IRS rate is available). A valid California Class C driver license and proof of automobile liability insurance must be provided and maintained for the individual providing the transportation.

Sponsorship: Please note San Bernardino County is not able to consider candidates who will require visa sponsorship at the time of application or in the future.

Minimum Requirements

Must possess a valid CA Identification Card or CA Driver's License along with:

Education: High School Diploma or general equivalency degree (GED)

--AND--



Experience: Two (2) years of full-time equivalent experience ( 4,160 hours of paid or volunteer experience) in mental health, substance use, social, or human services.

NOTE: A certification of completion in a Peer Behavioral Health Training Program must be completed prior to the end of the probationary period as identified by the Department.

Desired Qualifications

Applicants fluent in American Sign Language, Arabic, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog and/or Vietnamese are strongly encouraged to apply. Additional compensation is associated with positions requiring the use of bilingual skills. Testing of bilingual skills may be required to receive additional compensation.

The following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Strong interpersonal and communication (oral and written) skills
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure and perform multiple tasks with accuracy
• Possess initiative
• Strong meeting facilitation skills, including the ability to effectively present information to a wide variety of audiences
• Ability to build and maintain trust-based relationships with multiple internal and external stakeholders
• Technology savvy with solid proficiency in using Outlook, Word and Excel
• Awareness and understanding of mental health stigma and discrimination
• Willingness to learn from others, take feedback, and make adjustments to communication and behavior
• Experience taking initiative to self-educate about unfamiliar subjects or concepts
• Affirmative and accepting approaches toward people from diverse backgrounds and experiences

Selection Process

There will be a competitive evaluation of qualifications based on the information provided in the Application and the Supplemental Questionnaire. You are encouraged to include detailed descriptions of your qualifying experience , as only the most highly qualified applicants will be referred to the Department. Please ensure all relevant experience is indicated in the Application and responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire, as resumes and other attachments will not be reviewed for the competitive evaluation.

Completing your application with statements such as "see/refer to resume" or "see attached" rather than completing your work history may affect your eligibility or competitive evaluation score. Be sure to clearly describe your experience in meeting the minimum requirements.

If you require technical assistance, please click HERE to review the Government Jobs online application guide , or contact their Toll-Free Applicant Support line at (855) 524-5627. Please note that Human Resources is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by computer or browser used to submit the application.

EEO/ADA: S an Bernardino County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant employer, committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants.

ADA Accommodation: If you have a disability and require accommodations in the testing process, submit the Special Testing Accommodations Request Form (Download PDF reader) within one week of a recruitment filing deadline.

Veterans’ Preference: Eligible veterans and their spouse or widow(er) who are not current County employees may be awarded additional Veterans’ Preference points. Click HERE for information and instructions to request Veteran's Preference points.

Please click HERE for important Applicant Information and the County Employment Process .

Administrative Services Unit

The County of San Bernardino offers a range of benefit programs for employees and their eligible dependents. These include health, dental, vision, and life insurance, as well as a variety of voluntary benefits. Programs and benefit amounts vary and are based on bargaining unit, family size, hire date, plan selection, and number of hours worked.

For a summary of benefits, please click here .

Refer to the appropriate MOU, contact the County's Employee Benefits and Services Division at (909) 387-5787 or visit the Benefits website for more detailed information at hr.sbcounty.gov/employee-benefits/ .

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

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• San Bernardino County

• 9093878304

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