AltaPointe’s Adult Residential Services are designed for consumers with serious and persistent mental illness who require social rehabilitation and community support. Combining medical, nursing and clinical services, our staff provides care and treatment for more than 200 adults in need of intensive service provision. The Adult Residential Services Program consists of group homes, which are supervised 24 hours/day when consumers are on the premises.  Expected outcomes are the same for each adult group home: to prevent re-hospitalization and to maximize and maintain successful community placement. Residential care focuses on the rehabilitation and return to the community of seriously mentally ill consumers.

Peer Specialist are responsible for providing social interaction on a group and individual basis with residential consumers, promoted recovery-oriented activities, assisting consumers in developing advocacy skills, and assisting staff and consumers in understanding the recovery process.

Essential Functions

• Provides social interaction, both individually and as a group, to develop social skills and to help consumers develop insight into their mental illness
• Promotes recovery-oriented skills to help achieve goals created in the treatment plan
• Establish linkages that result in the consumer’s active use of resources in the community
• Assist consumers in developing empowerment skills through self-advocacy and advocates on behalf of consumer when needed
• Assists staff  and consumers in understanding recovery and share unique experiences leading toward rehabilitation
• Serve as a role model to help staff in understanding recovery and share unique experiences leading toward rehabilitation
• Works with recreation staff to plan and implement recreational activities for consumers
• Conducts community meetings with consumers in each assigned group home
• Conducts peer support groups for adult day treatment programs
• Documents in a timely fashion per AltaPointe policy
• Documents legibly and in a clear and concise manner
• Documents individualized consumer responses to services provided
• Seeks supervision and consultation as needed
• Accepts and employs suggestions for improvement
• Actively works to enhance skills
• Attends and participates in staff meetings as required
• Treats consumers with care, dignity and compassion
• Respects consumer’s privacy and confidentiality
• Is pleasant and cooperative with others
• Assists consumers and visitors as needed
• Personal values don’t inhibit ability to relate and care for others
• Is sensitive to the consumer’s needs, expectations and individual differences
• Is gentle and calm with consumers and families
• Actively participates in Performance Improvement activities
• Actively participates in AltaPointe committees as required
• Completes assigned tasks in a timely manner
• Follows AltaPointe policies and procedures
• Attends appropriate in-services training and other workshops

Physical Requirements

• There is frequent standing, sitting, and walking which are in bursts of 5 to 10 minutes.  However, there are times when this can be extended to pacing with the consumer (time could be undetermined), and at times sitting and standing can be extended with the employee having the ability to change positions as permitted by the observance and behavior of the consumer at that time.
• Lift up to 15 pounds occasionally during shift.
• Strong grasp is needed to use keys to open doors throughout the facility
• Pushing/pulling force up to 25 pounds occasionally during a shift.
• Any other duties as assigned by supervisor.
• Physical Requirements are subject to change with notice.

High school diploma or its equivalent; must be a current or former recipient of mental health services for no less than one (1) year; ability to identify as a consumer of mental health services and speak openly regarding personal diagnosis and treatment; a valid, verifiable driver’s license, a good driving record, reliable transportation and verifiable vehicle liability insurance; ability to attend out-of-town Peer Specialist training for certification; demonstrated experience with and knowledge of the Alabama public mental health system; knowledge of adult specific competencies, outlined below, to be attained within six (6) months of employment:

• Knowledge of psychiatric disorders in the adult population
• Knowledge of cultural diversity
• Knowledge of behavior management, crisis intervention and interventions common to acute psychotic consumers, as well as, to non-violent crisis intervention practices.
• Knowledge of Psychiatric Rehabilitation principles
• Knowledge of educational methods appropriate to adults with severe and persistent psychiatric disorders