Summary
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT: Deschutes County Health Services supports over 400 staff in Behavioral and Public Health programs working to promote and protect the health and safety of the community in a broad variety of community based settings.
Deschutes County Behavioral Health (DCBH) is the Community Mental Health Program providing safety net and core clinical services for community members in Deschutes County dealing with mental health and substance use conditions. DCBH is also a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). As such, DCBH relies on multi-disciplinary teams to provide innovative, evidence based, recovery oriented services in behavioral healthcare settings co-located with physical health providers.
To hear from staff about working at Deschutes County Behavioral Health, please click HERE. ABOUT THE COUNTY:We know where you choose to live, work and play matters. Deschutes County is one of the largest employers in Central Oregon and the largest municipal government in the region. Our dedicated and passionate workforce of more than 1,200 employees provide County services in a number of departments, divisions, and offices.
Located in the heart of Central Oregon, between the towering Cascade Mountain Range to the west and the high desert plateau to the east, Deschutes County is the outdoor recreation capital of Oregon. We enjoy a renowned quality of life, with big-city opportunities and small-town neighborhoods.
We hope you’ll consider joining our talented team.
ABOUT THE JOB:The Peer Support Specialist will primarily be focused on providing peer support services to clients in crisis, as well as clients identified as Forensic diversion clients in a variety of settings: stabilization center, jail, community. This role requires working collaboratively within a team, both the larger crisis team as well within the Forensic Diversion team embedded with Deschutes County Crisis team. Peer Support Specialists on the crisis team share their life experience to connect with and support individuals who are struggling and/or in crisis. The goal of services is to help individuals who have come up regularly in crisis or for law enforcement to attempt to support individuals working towards their goals, getting engaged in the appropriate services, in order to reduce crisis contact, recidivism, and increase independence, self-efficacy, and quality of life for the individual’s we work with. Peer services often include advocacy upon behalf of individuals, building strong supportive relationships, outreach and in-reach services, coordination, system navigation, linking to supports, problem solving, skill development, education, and working within a team to provide wraparound services.
This role, based at Deschutes County Stabilization Center, where the Forensic Diversion team is based, this is a full time position, working Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm.
Key Responsibilities: - Providing outreach/in-reach to clients identified as needing peer support by the crisis team, or identified as forensic diversion team clients.
- Advocating for and supporting client’s goals while attempting to engage and support clients accessing appropriate services.
- Working in crisis setting, adaptability and flexibility throughout workday.
- Working collaboratively on a team.
What You Will Bring:Knowledge of or experience with:
- SPMI and/or co-occurring diagnoses.
- Modeling personal responsibility and self-care.
- Advocating for clients.
- Teaching coping/life skills.
- Sharing own experiences in appropriate ways.
- Keeping boundaries and forming appropriate relationships with clients.
Skill in:
- Time management.
- Advocacy.
- Performing a wide variety of tasks to assist client's wellness.
- Communicating effectively both verbally and in writing.
- Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with others at all times.
- Use of personal computer and keyboard.
*This posting is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities, but rather constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function.
Notification to all candidates will be sent via
email and/or text only. Please opt in for text messaging or check your email and your Governmentjobs.com account for application status.
Review the full job description by clicking
HERE. Compensation
$4,014.20 to $5,379.47 per month for a 173.33 hour work month. Excellent County benefit package when eligible. This union-represented position is available immediately.
BENEFITS:Our robust health plan is offered at a minimal cost of $95 per month for employee only or $116 per month for employee plus dependents, which includes an innovative on-site clinic, pharmacy, and wellness and wellbeing services. Additionally, we include life insurance, retirement (PERS), generous paid time-off (14-18 hours/month to start, pro-rated for part-time), holidays, and professional development opportunities. Please click
HERE for full benefit details.
Minimum Qualifications
- Must have a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
- As defined by Oregon Administrative Rule 309-032-1501, a "Peer Support Specialist" provides peer delivered services to an individual or family member with similar life experience, under the supervision of a qualified Clinical Supervisor.
- A Peer Support Specialist must complete an Addictions and Behavioral Health Division certified peer support specialist training program either at the time of hire or within four months from date of hire, and be a self-identified person currently or formerly receiving mental health services; or a self-identified person in recovery from a substance use disorder, who meets the abstinence requirements for recovering staff in alcohol and other drug treatment programs; or a family member of an individual who is a current or former recipient of addictions or mental health services.
Necessary Special Requirements
Driving is a requirement for this position. Possession of or ability to obtain a valid Oregon driver's license within 30 days of hire date. The employment offer will be contingent upon presentation of an acceptable and verifiable driver's license, pre-employment screening for criminal history, driving history, and controlled substances (NOTE: Positive test results for marijuana use may result in rescission of a contingent offer of employment). This screening must be completed with satisfactory findings in order for a formal offer of employment to be extended.
Must have dependable transportation and be able and willing to drive throughout Deschutes County in sometimes adverse weather conditions.
NOTE: Per OAR 407-007-0000 to 407-007-0100 (Download PDF reader) this position requires a Criminal Background check through the State Background Check Unit/Orchards, which may also include being fingerprinted. These rules provide for the reasonable screening under ORS 181A.195, 181A.200, 409.027 AND 413.036 of the County’s employees to determine if they have a history of specific criminal behavior identified in federal or state law or rules such that they should not be allowed to work, be employed, or perform in positions covered by these rules. Please click HERE (Download PDF reader) to review Criminal Records Check Rules. All offers of employment for this position are contingent upon the candidate receiving final approval from the State Background Check Unit/Orchards to work in this position.
Must be willing to work a flexible schedule when necessary, to meet client and department needs.
Must complete an Oregon Health Authority approved Certified Peer Support Specialist training program within four months of hire date.
Necessary Special Requirements: If identified as being in recovery from a substance use disorder, must be able to document continuous abstinence under independent living conditions or recovery housing for the immediate past two years as defined by Oregon Administrative Rule 309-032-1520. Will be asked to discuss recovery experiences during interview process. If offered the position and incumbent is a current client of Deschutes County Health Services Behavioral Health, incumbent must be reassigned to another agency for services.
Physical Requirements: Requires sufficient ambulatory ability to drive throughout Deschutes County and to provide face-to-face services in a variety of settings in the community, including but not limited to, hospitals, jails, clinics, client homes, and community and residential settings within required response times; possess sufficient hand coordination to perform keyboarding and data entry; arm/hand movements to retrieve work materials and operate a variety of general office equipment. The position is frequently required to sit, walk, stoop, bend, reach, stand, grasp, talk, hear, see, and lift up to 10 pounds.
Excellent County benefit package when eligible.Deschutes Countyoffers eligible employeesa comprehensive healthcare package that covers medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage at a minimal cost of $95 per month for employee only or $116 per month for employee plus dependents. Coverage becomes effective the first of the month following1month of employment. Included in the health care package is the Deschutes Onsite Clinic (DOC), which provides a wide range of health, wellness, and primary care services to employees and their dependents. The DOC offers convenient hours and no out-of-pocket costs to patients. The DOC Pharmacy is a full service pharmacy available to employees and dependents to have their prescriptions filled at a discounted co-pay. In addition to the health care package, DeschutesCounty provides a generous and comprehensive benefits program to eligible employees.
Employer paid benefit offerings include: - Life Insurance for employee and dependents
- Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
- Long-term Disability Insurance
- Employee Assistance Program
- Retirement Program through Oregon PERS
- Time Management Leave
Employee paid voluntary benefit offerings include: - 125 Flexible Spending Program
- 457 Deferred Compensation Program
- Supplemental Life and Accident Insurance
To learn more about Deschutes County's generous benefit offerings, please visit www.deschutes.org/hr and click on Employee Benefits.
Closing Date/Time: 5/1/2024 11:59 PM Pacific
