Peer Support Specialist - Part-Time (20 hours per week)

Definition & Distinguishing Characteristics

Join the Colusa County Behavioral Health Department as one of two permanent part-time Peer Support Specialists (20 hours per week) and make a meaningful impact in the lives of community members and Medi-Cal behavioral health clients. This unique position, approved under the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), allows you to use your lived experience to support individuals in achieving their recovery and wellness goals. As a Peer Support Specialist, you will guide clients through skill-building activities, wellness and recovery programs, and behavioral health support interventions. You will work closely with peers and families, providing encouragement and hope while modeling effective coping strategies. If you're passionate about helping others while being part of a dedicated, collaborative team, this role offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the well-being of Colusa County residents. For more details about the position, please click on the job description HERE .

There are two positions available. This recruitment will be used to fill current vacancies and establish an eligibility list to fill future openings without reposting.

What's this Job All About?
Under the direction of a Peer Support Supervisor and Clinical Program Manager, this position will provide peer services, offering guidance and support based on lived experience to assist community members and clients. Peer services may be provided at our drop-in centers (Bright Vista Youth Center and Safe Haven Wellness and Recovery Center), at our clinic, or within the community. The position will involve facilitating wellness and/or recovery groups to help those we serve achieve their personal goals. Once certified, the Peer Support Specialist will also respond to behavioral health crises in the community as part of our department's mobile crisis team.

This position follows a structured weekly schedule, with consistent afternoon hours to accommodate operational needs. The typical work schedule is as follows:

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday: 2:30 PM - 6:15 PM
• Wednesday: 1:15 PM - 6:15 PM

This schedule ensures coverage during peak hours and allows for a midweek adjustment to accommodate early release or other scheduling considerations. Employees should be available during these hours and may be required to adjust their schedule slightly based on program needs or special events.

How do we make a difference?
We make a difference by supporting Colusa County community members and Medi-Cal behavioral health clients in reaching their recovery goals. Through one-on-one sessions, group facilitation, and peer-driven interventions, we provide guidance, encouragement, and resources, fostering positive change and community growth.

Embracing the Colusa County Work Culture
Our Core Values are more than just words; they’re a way of life here in the Behavioral Health Department. We know that departments with a strong culture & a higher purpose perform better in the long run.

Culture is at Our Core
We are a community-based, outpatient behavioral health clinic dedicated to serve our most vulnerable populations. Our department has various mental health and substance use programs, including drop-in wellness centers that are available to all community members. Our leadership team is comprised of dynamic, team-oriented leaders who support staff success with the understanding that successful team members equal outstanding client care.

Do our values speak to you?

• Deliver excellent Customer Service to Others & Our Community
• Embrace and Drive Change
• Create FUN and a Little Weirdness
• Be Adventurous, Creative, Open-Minded
• Pursue Growth and Learning
• Build Open and Honest Relationships with Communication
• Foster a Positive Team and Family Spirit
• Be Passionate and Determined
• Be Humble and Kind
  
  

What are the benefits?

• A beautiful, safe community in which to work and serve.
• A caring, empathetic, & fun work family that you will be welcomed into - where we work hard, but play hard, too!
• A job with WORK-LIFE BALANCE
• Competitive salary commensurate with education & experience
• A LIFETIME PAYCHECK (3% @ 60 for Classic Members and 2% @ 62 for New Members) - As long as you work for 5 years and vest in the CalPERS system, you will receive a retirement paycheck for the rest of your life.
• Amazing health care BENEFITS
• Authentically kind and engaged leadership who truly enjoy developing staff.
• 457 Deferred Compensation.
• PAID vacation, PAID holidays (13), and PAID leave if you get sick.
• Vacation Parity - Previous service with a public agency counts towards vacation accrual at Colusa County. A public agency includes cities, counties, districts, military and similar entities. To learn more about vacation parity please see our benefit summary.

WORK FOR THE COLUSA LIBRARY: WHERE KNOWLEDGE TAKES ROOT!

Supervision & Examples of Duties

Receives general supervision from the Peer Support Supervisor.

Qualifications

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Training:
High School Diploma or GED.

Experience:
A past or present consumer of mental health or substance use treatment or has a family member who is a past or present consumer of mental health or substance use treatment. These services may have or have not taken place at Colusa County Behavioral Health.

Experience sharing lived experiences to recognize mental health risks and protective factors. Relevant experience may include both paid and volunteer work in the community, such as:

• School volunteer.
• Parent Advocate.
• Any help at your church such as helping with any groups, ministries, food banks.
• Helping at senior centers.
• Helping support local community events, resource fairs, health fairs.
• Helping at vaccination clinics.
• Helping individuals with physical disabilities.
• Efforts to help spread the word on local community resources that people need.
• Any efforts to help others with social, spiritual, health, economic, emotional wellbeing, housing, employment etc. information and resources.

Incumbent must possess a clear understanding of the mental health client culture and community as well as challenges faced by adults and youth experiencing behavioral health issues, including a culture of stigma and discrimination.

Current involvement with the mental health culture and local community is strongly preferred.

Customer Service skills and bilingual in Spanish is also preferred.

Licensing or Certifications:
Within one year of employment, obtain Peer Support Specialist Certification to be eligible to bill Medi-Cal. The Behavioral Health Department will cover the cost of the required training and exam. During employment, must maintain Peer Support Certification with no disciplinary actions.

A valid State of California driver's license.

Supplemental Information

The salary range above consists of 15 steps. Steps 1-6 are annual merit steps with approximately 5% difference between each step, based on successful performance. Steps 7-15 are additional merit steps, requiring 2 years of satisfactory performance at the previous step. Steps 7-14 provide 2.5% increases, while Step 15 offers a 5% increase. The final salary offered will depend on the applicant's experience and qualifications, ranging from steps 1 to 15.

Colusa County offers an excellent benefit package. For a summary of benefits, please click here: 2025 Benefit Summary

Closing Date/Time: 2/19/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• County of Colusa

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