WRAP Youth Peer Support

POSITION SUMMARY: A Young Adult Wraparound Support Partner empowers youth, and young adults with behavioral, mental health, and other challenges by providing a variety of recovery-oriented services to individuals who have self-identified as desiring peer support, in order to promote greater independence, community integration and recovery for mental wellness. Services provided by young adult wraparound support partners include a wide range of support, services, and advocacy that contributes to an emerging adult's journey into self-reliance.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Respond to requests and referrals for youth, and young adult peer support
• Support individuals in self-identifying their areas of need
• Support individuals in communicating these needs to members of their team.
• Facilitate a process with young people that:
  • Identify strengths and needs;
  • Clarify and prioritize their needs;
  • Provide emotional support;
  • Identify available resources, both formal supports and natural supports;
• Facilitate access to resources (public and private sector):
  • Coach and support young people as they make calls to access resources;
  • Provide guidance in completing forms and applications;
  • Provide support and model self-advocacy in a variety of settings; settings included but not limited to:
    • Child and Family Team Meetings
    • Schools
    • Courtroom
    • Child Welfare reunification planning
    • Treatment Reviews (inpatient and outpatient)
    • Other medical/therapeutic appointments
  • Empower young people to articulate their concerns and needs effectively;
  • Maintain local resource information for young people to access independently;
  • Educate young people in resource research and how to access resources independently.
• Attend staff meetings and scheduled supplementary trainings;
• Complete and submit scheduled reports, timesheets, progress notes, and other paperwork as required;
• Adhere to staff policies and procedures;
  • Review and sign confidentiality statement annually;
  • Review and sign code of ethics annually.
• Perform other duties as necessary.

Supervision and Evaluation:

• Young Adult Wraparound Support Partners shall participate in evaluations re Peer Delivered Service Programs as able;
• Young Adult Wraparound Support Partners shall contribute to ongoing quality improvement of Peer Delivered Service Programs as able

Special Conditions or Requirements:

• Must have reliable transportation: required to travel to attend meetings, activities and programs.
• Must have an approved criminal background check.
• Must be able and willing to schedule work in a flexible manner, including some evenings and weekends.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• One year of lived experience and show knowledge of the mental health system and how to navigate it.
• Effective communication, written and oral
• Ability to advocate for mental health assessment, treatment and service terminology to be shared with young people at a level they can truly understand so they can be meaningfully informed and involved in their plan(s)
• A sincere interest in the welfare of their peers, including the ability to see each person as a unique individual
• Act as a role model to persons in recovery to inspire hope, share life experiences and lessons learned as a person in recovery.
• Empower young people to be a part of the development of their individual plan of care
• Fairly computer literate (i.e. Android Apps, Microsoft Office, etc.)
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team;
• Ability to work with people of diverse cultural, religious, racial, educational, and socio-economic backgrounds;
• Ability to maintain personal boundaries;
• Ability to adapt and assimilate new information as resources, laws, and policies evolve.
• Prior knowledge of youth bill of rights and support principles, current youth, young adult, and family mental health and other disability issues nationally, in Oregon, and locally preferred;
• Prior knowledge of (or experience with) laws and policies related to special education, mental health and other disabilities, child welfare, and juvenile justice preferred.
• Must be able to lift and carry boxes/totes weighing up to 35 pounds
• Prior knowledge of (or experience with) the wraparound process preferred.
• MHACBO certification as QMHA

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Must be able to develop good relationships with clients, families and service providers in the community, and communicate clearly in verbal and written format.
• Experience working with children, adolescents and families is required.
• Must be able to prepare concise and complete written documentation of services plans and notes.
• Must be computer literate and be familiar with Electronic Health Record systems, and other computer programs such as Word.
• Organize, establish priorities and multi-task effectively
• Interact and relate to clients, staff, supervisors and others with professionalism, confidentiality, respect and dignity
• Ability to think/ speak critically, compassionately, empathetically and effectively, particularly with clients experiencing a crisis situation
• Basic mathematical skills
• Ability to learn quickly, adapt to changing environment and adhere to general office procedures
• Hands on experience with office machines (phone systems, fax machines, printers, shredder) *required
• Familiarity with electronic scheduling tools
• Strong organizational and planning skills in a fast-paced environment
• Familiarity with and utilization of a Trauma Informed Care approach is highly valued

CONFIDENTIALITY: This position requires the handling of highly confidential information. Must adhere to rules and laws pertaining to client confidentiality.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS: Must be able to communicate information in both oral and written form with the ability to present and exchange information internally across teams and co-workers, and externally with clients and the public, Information communicated ranges from routine/ basic information to complex and confidential information

LEADERSHIP & TEAMWORK: Must be able to work effectively and constructively with other office staff, clinicians, the administrative team and all other staff. Participates in staff meetings.

PHYSICAL DEMAND:

This position requires you to be regularly available for work as scheduled. Position requires professional and personal skills to cope with stress associated with work involving a high degree of mental, emotional and physical demands. This position also requires the ability to bend, stoop, push and pull. While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; talk and hear; use hands and fingers and handle or feel; reach with hands and arms. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable persons with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. Getting in and out of cars; walking up stairs; occasionally lifting office supplies and binders associated with job; typing on computer.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Work can be completed in an office or meeting room at WVCW but all positions listed require ability/flexibility to meet individuals in their natural environments or where they prefer to receive services.

Work is performed in an office environment and the noise level is usually moderate, but occasionally may be exposed to loud noise such as raised voice levels and alarms. Occasionally the work environment may extend to other community offices, residential houses, and off-site locations.

This position may be exposed to the everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as an office (i.e., moving mechanical parts, airborne particles, and electrical shock). This person will be serving clients from all demographics within the community.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable persons with disabilities to perform the essential function.

Wallowa Valley Center for Wellness is an equal opportunity employer.

Position open until filled.

To apply, submit an application online. Be sure to include a resume and cover letter.