Caring. Hope. Giving back. Our mission at the Bert Nash Center as the Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) of Douglas County is to advance the health of the community through comprehensive behavioral health services responsive to evolving needs and changing environments. We accomplish this by believing in our team. Each person that works for the Bert Nash Center contributes directly to the success of our clients, organization, and community. Our values of compassion, integrity, equity and hope reflect in everything we do.

Salary is commensurate with experience within a range of $16.25-$22.32.  This position is full-time, non-exempt and eligible for our benefits. Bert Nash offers excellent benefits which include medical, dental, vision, KPERS retirement, life insurance, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providing free counseling and resources, and generous PTO.

A. Responsibilities and Duties: The primary responsibility of the Peer Behavioral Health Specialist position will be to provide supervision, assistance, and support to consumers who are in the active stages of their recovery process in a residential environment. Consistency is a must. Specific duties include:

1. maintaining a safe, stable, supportive, and productive environment during the time spent with residents for the purpose of reducing the need for hospitalization;

2. working with individuals and groups to identify what works in their recovery;

3. providing services as a member of a pool of Community Support staff, to be activated on an as-needed basis for attendant and psychosocial services;

4.  assist in acclimating new residents when needed by following established admission procedures

5. Helping consumers regain the ability to make independent choices and take a proactive role in  treatment.  Specific activities may include:

  a.   helping consumers discuss questions or concerns about medications, diagnosis or treatment approaches with their treating clinician;

  b.  helping consumers articulate in their own words their goals and aspirations in the development of their individualized plan.

6. Engaging residents during un-structured time to help build social skills and model recovery strategies

7. delivering reimbursable hours of service compliant with established standards;

8. completing all paperwork associated with the financial, clinical, legal, or regulatory management of the [img> case or BNCs operations in a timely and accurate manner; and

9. Assist in management of supply inventory, reporting maintenance needs and/or safety concerns to Program Supervisor

10. attend staff meetings on Wednesday mornings at 9am and other required staff meetings.

11. provide crisis on-call services for housing program residents as needed ? required on-call rotation

12. this position is based at the transitional housing program

13. regular and predictable attendance is an essential function of the job

14. Additional responsibilities may be assigned as circumstances warrant.

B. Accountability: The Peer Behavioral Health Specialist will be directly accountable to a CSS Program Supervisor or his/her designee. The Program Supervisor or his/her designee will, no less than annually, complete a performance evaluation in compliance with personnel policies.

 C.   Qualifications: The Peer Behavioral Health Specialist position requires:

1.  Have one year of college course work in the field of human services or one year of experience in the field of human services; or other experiences with adults who have severe and persistent mental illness which can serve as a basis for understanding symptoms and treatment; and/or be a consumer of mental health services with a minimum of one year in the active stage of recovery (i.e. did not require services more intense than medications services, individual therapy or group therapy

2.  reliable transportation and valid, unrestricted driver's license;

3.  be 21 years or older;

4.  prior computer experience and basic computer fluency; willingness and ability to learn new programs; familiarity with MS SharePoint is a plus

5.  must be able to achieve within one's first 6 months of employment a working competency in the management and use of the Center's electronic medical record (EMR) software as demonstrated by timely and accurate documentation of the clinical record;

6.  complete certification to provide peer support within 6 months of date of hire;

7.  an ability to work independently and in cooperation with others;

8.  strong organizational and time management skills;

9.  strong oral and written communication skills;

10.  strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work with persons with severe and persistent mental illness;

11.  demonstrated ability to make good decisions in a variety of human service situations;

12.  although a shift is assigned, there may be occasional need for scheduling flexibility;

13.  a commitment to interdisciplinary and community mental health center approaches; and

14.  an energetic and positive approach to the rapidly evolving changes and challenges of a complex work

place.

Bert Nash Center requires proof of Covid-19 immunization prior to starting any position. Covid-19 vaccine series must be completed or in process to be cleared for new hire orientation.