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The Peer Support Specialist maintains an active caseload, providing intensive community-based support and advocacy for individuals with mental health or substance use challenges. They collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to facilitate recovery, document progress, and provide practical assistance such as transportation and resource navigation.
Requirements summary
Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent and a valid driver's license with reliable transportation. Personal lived experience with mental illness or substance use disorder is required, and a Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certificate is preferred.
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Job description
Organization and Mission
Founded in 2003, AMI Housing is a California-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to house and support the most vulnerable residents of the Sierra Region by enhancing the lives of people with mental illness by providing housing, employment, and supportive services
Position Summary
This position is employed by AMIH, but is co-located within one of Placer County’s facilities Auburn, CA. Under the supervision of AMIH Program Supervisor and ASOC Program Supervisor, this position serves as a core member of Placer County’s multidisciplinary teams within the Adult System of Care, providing specialty mental health, substance use disorder, and community outreach services. They also provide individualized advocacy, mentoring, education, and peer support, using their personal lived experience to establish credibility, rapport, and trust with their clients. Finally, ASOC Peers represent the perspective on the system level, helping to shape Placer County’s programs, services, and policies in response to community needs and concerns.
The ideal peer is someone
With personal lived experience recovering from a mental illness and/or substance use disorder OR
With lived experience as the primary family member or caretaker of someone with a mental illness and/or substance use disorder AND
Is enthusiastic, eager to learn, and passionate about using their lived experience to help others
Job Responsibilities (but not limited to)
Maintain an active caseload of FSP participants requiring intensive, community-based support.
Build trusting relationships with participants by modeling recovery principles such as self-determination, empowerment, mutual support, and resilience.
Collaborate closely with clinical staff, case managers, psychiatrists, and other multidisciplinary team members to support coordinated care.
Provide outreach and engagement services in the community, including homes, shelters, encampments, hospitals, and other community settings as needed.
Assist participants in accessing housing resources, benefits, healthcare services, and other community supports that promote stability and recovery.
Support participants in developing individualized recovery and wellness plans aligned with their personal goals and strengths.
Benefits
Pay differential for certification
Certification funding
Provide practical support such as transportation, accompaniment to appointments, court dates, housing meetings, and other essential services.
Help participants identify early warning signs of relapse or crisis and develop strategies to maintain stability.
Facilitate peer support groups, skill-building activities, and wellness-focused programming when appropriate.
Document services in compliance with agency, county, and program requirements, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and confidentiality.
Advocate for client needs within a multi-disciplinary team
Remain up to date on community resources and link clients to appropriate resources
Document client progress utilizing an electronic health record system
Facilitate support groups
Evoke hope, recovery, and wellness
Provide some amount of client transportation in personal vehicle, dependent on team needs and part of scope of service, and reimbursable by AMIH
Ability to share lived experience when appropriate while maintaining professional boundaries
Report to multiple supervisors and manage position on multiple teams
Manage workplace stress and remain calm, especially while dealing with client crises
Qualifications
High school diploma or equivalent is required.
Valid driver's license and reliable transportation is required.
Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certificate is preferred and pay differential is offered. (AMIH can fund and facilitate the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certificate to active employees.)
Lived experience recovering from a mental illness and/or substance use disorder OR lived experience as the primary caretaker for someone with a mental illness and/or substance use disorder
Strong computer proficiency (i.e., Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Microsoft Teams/Zoom, SurveyMonkey, Google Docs, internet, and Calendar) and use electronic records systems with little to no direction.
Strong desire to help others through the recovery process and provide advocacy and support.
Compassion, patience and tolerance for working with vulnerable populations
Excellent time management skills and ability to work independently
A positive attitude and ability to work well with different personalities
Pay Structure and Peer Certification
PSS II start at $23.00 per hour ($25.00 per hour with Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certificate)
AMIH will fund and facilitate the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certificate upon employment and offer a pay differential when certificate is obtained.
AMIH is an equal opportunity and drug free employer.
