ACT Peer Recovery Specialist

Minimum Qualifications Who We Are: Mental Health Support Services (MHSS) is the provider of mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance use disorder services for children and adults in Chesterfield County.

The ACT team is an interdisciplinary team providing intensive, community-based services to individuals with serious mental illness diagnoses.

Minimum Education and Experience: High school diploma or GED; bachelor's degree or training as a peer advocate preferred; one year of experience in providing peer/recovery support services or in related behavioral health work; or an equivalent combination of training and experience; experience providing peer recovery services to adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses on an ACT team preferred; experience with an electronic health record (EHR) preferred; certification as Peer Recovery Specialist preferred.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Working knowledge of assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental illness.

Ability to support others in recovery and demonstrate efforts at self-directed recovery; to effectively represent and advocate for the consumer perspective within the community and the mental health system; to operate a personal computer and related software and other standard office equipment; to communicate effectively orally and in writing; to develop and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external customers.

Additional Requirements * Licensed or license eligible Peer Recovery Specialist with Virginia Board of Health Professionals through completion of a certified Peer Recovery Specialist Training Program preferred.

* Must be a self-identified current or former recipient of mental health services for a severe and persistent mental illness.

Current valid driver's license and good driving record required.

Based on the Virginia DMV point system, record must not reflect a total of six or more demerit points within the twenty-four months preceding the anticipated hire date, or one major violation of six demerit points within the preceding thirty-six months.

Out of state driving records must be obtained by applicant and presented at time of interview.

Records must reflect at least three years of history and be dated within thirty days of interview date.

Pre-employment drug testing, FBI criminal background check, and education/degree verification required.

This position is considered Safety Sensitive and is subject to random drug and alcohol testing.

Duties Duties include but are not limited to the following: * Provides individualized peer recovery supports in the community to individuals receiving ACT care to support community integration and client recovery goals; * Maintains a working knowledge of current trends and developments in the mental health field; * Serves as a recovery agent by advocating for effective recovery-based service; * Collaborates with peer recovery specialists throughout psychiatric rehabilitation services programs and the agency to provide recovery services and activities across programming; * May address skill development to include social, independent living, and crisis management skills in addition to addressing topics such as physical and dental health, use of drugs or alcohol, as well as education and employment; * Functions as a part of a multidisciplinary team to review cases, treatment approaches, clinical issues, client progress and treatment recommendations, and to promote a recovery perspective; * Serves as a recovery agent by providing and advocating for effective recovery-based services; assisting consumers by educating them about community and natural supports and demonstrating how to utilize these in the recovery process; and * Performs other work as required.

Shift Monday - Friday; 8:30 a.m.

- 5:00 p.m.

Required to work on holidays, weekends, and evenings on a rotating basis; 11:30 a.m.

- 8:00 p.m.

for evening hours.

Work Location Mental Health Support Services