"Peer Support Specialist III"

Position Summary

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is seeking a Peer Support Specialist III for the Early Intervention Support Services (EISS) within Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care.

The primary purpose of the Peer Support Specialist III is to serve as a role model to demonstrate recovery and wellness principles and provide non-clinical recovery support and to engage and empower individuals to pursue and maintain their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, access community resources, and reach their full potential.

Key Duties:

• Initiates contact with individuals served.
• Listens to individuals served with careful attention to the content and emotion being communicated.
• Reaches out to engage individuals served across the whole continuum of the recovery process.
• Encourages the exploration and pursuit of community roles.
• Conveys hope to individuals served about their own recovery.
• Celebrates individuals served efforts and accomplishments.
• Relates their own recovery stories, and with written permission, the recovery stories of others to inspire hope.
• Tailors services and support to meet the preferences and unique needs of the individuals served and their families.
• Assists and supports individuals served to set goals and to dream of future possibilities.
• Assists individuals served to investigate, select, and use needed and desired resources and services.

Minimum Education and Experience:

High school diploma or equivalent. At least three (3) years of relevant experience.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Ability to speak clearly and write proficiently. The ability to focus on the task at hand despite numerous interruptions. Must be able to sit for extended periods of time and document into an electronic medical record while in the field. Much time driving, walking, standing, and bending. Transport of individuals served in state vehicles. The employee can expect to lift up to 20 pounds.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The employee spends much time outdoors in all types of weather talking with individuals served in the community in open spaces, individuals' homes, shelters, soup kitchens, and institutions (prisons, jails, hospitals, treatment centers) and places where individuals congregate. Office based services include individual and group meetings. Individual wellness checks and crisis intervention required. Subject to unpredictable situations and crises, to include behavioral, medical, substance use and psychiatric. Occasionally exposed to individuals exhibiting assaultive behaviors. Exposure to blood borne pathogens that requires use of personal protective equipment.

Special Conditions:

Must possess own vehicle for use to outreach individuals served.