Youth Peer Support Specialist

Join our team as a Youth Peer Support Specialist! Are you a passionate advocate with firsthand, lived experience navigating mental health? If so and you're excited about making a difference in the lives of young people, apply with a copy of your resume and cover letter!

Position Summary:

The Youth Peer Support Specialist provides strength-based, recovery-oriented peer support services to children and adolescents experiencing serious emotional disturbance (SED) or serious mental illness (SMI). The ideal candidate is a young adult with personal lived experience of SED/SMI prior to age 21 who has achieved a level of stability in their recovery and is ready to empower, mentor, and advocate for youth navigating similar behavioral health challenges. This role plays a key part in engaging youth in services, promoting wellness and resiliency, and fostering hope for recovery.

Key Responsibilities:

• Use lived experience to build rapport, provide mentorship, and offer encouragement to youth with SED/SMI.
• Actively engage youth in their own recovery and treatment planning processes.
• Provide support and coaching to promote healthy decision-making, emotional regulation, and goal setting.
• Help youth develop effective self-advocacy, communication, and coping skills.
• Assist youth in identifying and accessing community resources, peer supports, and wellness activities.
• Facilitate individual or group peer support sessions in various settings such as clinics, schools, or homes.
• Model recovery, resilience, and healthy lifestyle choices.
• Support youth in navigating systems such as mental health, child welfare, juvenile justice, and education.
• Document services in an Electronic Health Record system in compliance with program and agency standards.
• Promote a youth-driven, culturally competent, trauma-informed approach to care.
• All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Must have personal lived experience with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) or Serious Mental Illness (SMI) prior to age 21.
• Must demonstrate a level of recovery and emotional maturity appropriate to serve as a role model for others.
• Must submit separate application to ADMH Office of Peer Support to insure qualifications.
• Must be certified or become certified as an ADMH Certified Youth Peer Support Specialist within six (6) months of hire (training time included in paid work hours).
• Valid driver’s license, safe driving record, and current proof of insurance required.
• Strong communication, active listening, and relationship-building skills.
• Must be willing to share lived experience, promote recovery, and help youth feel heard and supported.

Transportation Responsibilities:

• Provide transportation for consumers as needed using agency or personal vehicles.
• Maintain a safe driving record and valid driver’s license with personal liability insurance.
• Follow all agency transportation policies, including seatbelt usage, safe cellphone practices, and vehicle documentation.
• Immediately report any vehicle issues, accidents, or violations to appropriate personnel.

Work Environment & Schedule:

• This position is community-based and includes travel to locations throughout the service area in response to behavioral health emergencies.
• Standard hours are Monday through Friday, allowing for flexible scheduling to include nights, weekends and on-call shifts.
• This position requires in-person work and is not eligible for remote or hybrid work arrangements.
• Exposure to emotionally stressful situations may occur.

In-Service Training & Continued Education Requirements:

• Must complete required agency and ADMH trainings, including ADMH Certified Youth Peer Specialist training and certification exam within six (6) months of hire (included in paid working hours).
• Participate in ongoing continuing education and supervision as required by the program and certification standards.
• Completion of PCM Practitioner I or II training required based on program needs.