Peer Support Specialist

The Position

About the Position:
Job Appointment: Regular

Work Schedule: Employees in this position will work four (4) 10-hour days with three (3) days off a week. Shifts include days, afternoons, and nights. Ability to work any shift and on any day of the week is essential. During training, your shift may change depending on the availability of the trainers. After completing probation, you will be able to bid on an open shift based on your seniority.

Work Location: 330 SW Curry St., Portland OR 97239

Benefits: Please check our benefits tab for an overview of benefits for this position

Language Pay Premium Eligible: This position is or may be eligible for Language Pay Differential for qualifying employees.

Union Representation: This classification is represented by the Professional Technical Employees, Local 17 (PROTEC17) collective bargaining agreement. To view this labor agreement, please click here.

Application Material: Please click APPLY to submit your application via the City of Portland’s online portal. You will need respond to the supplemental questions and attach a resume.

About Portland Street Response (PSR):
Portland Street Response assists people experiencing mental health and behavioral health crises. The goal of Portland Street Response is to update our first responder system by providing an additional compassionate first response option when 911 is called on someone experiencing low-acuity behavioral health issues. PSR is dispatched by The Bureau of Emergency Communications (BOEC) to respond to non-life-threatening crises currently responded to by Police and Fire, such as behavioral health issues and welfare checks.

Program Values:

• PSR strives to uplift the dignity and worth of all Portlanders, particularly those who have been historically marginalized and criminalized, by ensuring timely and professional person-centered first response.
• PSR is situated both in the City of Portland’s first responder system, and in the broader continuum of crisis care. To ensure the best possible outcomes for our clients, we work collaboratively with community partners, health systems, and traditional first responders.
• PSR operates from a framework of Trauma-Informed Care with the recognition that adverse life experiences (including health systems and carceral trauma) create barriers for clients to connect with the care and supportive services they need to thrive in the community.
• PSR aims to respond to the complex care needs of individuals experiencing low acuity crises in the community.

This Program is Expected to:

• Reduce the number of calls traditionally responded to by Police where criminal activity is not present.
• Reduce the number of individuals transported to the emergency department for low acuity medical related issues that could instead be addressed in a pre-hospital care setting.
• Reduce the number of behavioral health and substance use/intoxication calls traditionally responded to by Police and Fire.

Position Summary:
The Peer Support Specialist (PSS) serves alongside an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and a Mental Health Crisis Responder, responding to low-acuity, non-life threatening 911 calls pertaining to behavioral health, substance use, and/or welfare checks. In addition to co-responding to 911 calls, the PSS will follow up with individuals as needed and provide support, recovery mentorship, advocacy, and/or education in overall health and wellness. The PSS is a specialized and distinct role on PSR multidisciplinary teams as they facilitate critical health and social service connections by sharing their lived experience receiving services and navigating complex systems in early recovery. In addition to direct client work, the PSS may also engage in outreach and community education. The PSS will report to a Community Health Supervisor.

Virtual Zoom Meet & Greet Opportunity

We may offer a virtual Zoom meet & greet, but do not have a date/time confirmed yet. If you would like to be notified if we hold this session, please email: karen.ehn@portland.oregon to receive further information.
Questions?

Karen Ehn, Recruiter

Bureau of Human Resources

karen.ehn@portlandoregon.gov

To Qualify

The following minimum qualifications are required for this position: Experience working with diverse groups and clear understanding of cultural differences, especially as they relate to race, sexual orientation, gender-identity, socio-economic status, etc. and their intersections; Ability to identify one’s own bias and remedy microaggressions.
Ability to maintain appropriate boundaries and ethics while operating effectively within the peer scope i.e., sharing lived experience with addictions and/or mental health disorders and personal recovery story.
Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with colleagues of differing disciplines and in a variety of settings. May include, but are not limited to first responders, health agencies, and community services and organizations.
Ability to observe and recognize escalation by clients and to effectively respond and mitigate these issues when they emerge.
Ability to respect privacy and understand mandatory reporting.
Applicants must also possess:
(At least one of the following certifications is required at the time of hire. Applicants may have more than one):

• Certified Peer Support Specialist by Oregon Health Authority or comparable jurisdiction -Or-
• Certified Peer Wellness Specialist by Oregon Health Authority or comparable jurisdiction -Or-
• MHACBO Certified Recovery Mentor certification

Although not required, you may have one or more of the following:

• One year of community-based experience providing advocacy and support which has included significant public contact;
• Personal lived experience with mental health, substance use, and/or houselessness/housing insecurity (must have two or more years of continuous sobriety and/or active recovery )
• Bi-lingual fluency;
• Experience working with or representative of diverse communities (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, LGBTQ+, immigrant and/or refugee communities, etc.); or
• Experience in on-call, crisis, or emergency response.

The Recruitment Process

STEP 1: Apply online between July 1, 2024- July 22, 2024

Required Application Materials:

• Resume
  
• Answer to the Supplemental Questions (click on the Questions tab to preview the questions)
  

Optional Application Materials:

• If you would like to request Veteran's Preference, please submit your Veteran documents (ex, DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter, etc ) by the closing date of the recruitment.
  

Application Tips

• Your responses to the supplemental questions should include details describing your education, training and/or experience, and where obtained which clearly reflects your qualifications for each of the numbered items in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement.
  
• Your résumé should support the details described in your responses to the supplemental questions.
  
• Salary Range/Equity Pay Analysis : Please note per the Oregon State Pay Equity Law your salary is determined based on the experience and education listed in your resume/application. It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all directly related and equivalent experience.
  
• Do not attach any additional documents. Please note, all completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than on the closing date and time of this recruitment. All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process. Do not attach materials not requested . E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.
  

STEP 2: Minimum Qualification Evaluation: Week of June 22- July 29, 2024

• An evaluation of each applicant's training and paid and unpaid experience, as demonstrated in their resume and supplemental questions, weighted 100%.
  
• Your résumé and responses to the supplemental questions will be the basis for our evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Incomplete or inappropriate information may result in disqualification.
  
• You have 14 days from the notice of the minimum qualification evaluation results to let us know if you would like to review and discuss your evaluation result. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01 for complete information.
  

STEP 3: Establishment of Eligible List: week of July 29- August 2, 2024

• Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the equally ranked eligible list.
  

STEP 4: Selection (Interview): early August

• Hiring bureau will review and select candidates for an interview
  

• Please note, the selection process may take up to 90 days from the notification of being placed on the eligible list.
  

STEP 5: Offer of Employment August

STEP 6: Start Date: TBD

• A start date will be determined after all conditions of employment have been met.
  

Additional Information

Click here for additional information regarding the following:

• Click here for additional information regarding the following:
  • City of Portland Core Values
  • Recruitment Process - Work Status
  • Equal Employment Opportunity
  • Veteran Preference
  • ADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations

Did you know? The City of Portland has How to Apply Videos and offers How to Apply Classes once per month. If you have questions after watching the videos you are invited to contact the recruiter listed on the announcement.

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

A Career with the City of Portland offers many Employee Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to

• Health Care (Medical, Vision and Dental)
• Carrot Fertility
• Wellness Benefits
• Life Insurance
• Short- and Long-term disability coverage to eligible employees and their families.
• Employee Assistance Plan
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Retirement
• Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), includingcontributions to the PERS IAP plan paid by employer
• Family Medical Leave
• City Paid Parental Leave

AND SO MANY MORE!

Benefits may vary depending on bargaining unit and employment status. Click here to review the many different benefits the City of Portland offers .

Closing Date/Time: 7/22/2024 1:20 PM Pacific

Portland, Oregon United States View Map