Duties and Responsibilities:

The following are essential job accountabilities:

1. Draws on common experiences as a peer to provide guidance and encouragement to patients to take responsibility and actively participate in their own recovery.

2. Assists designated peers with rehabilitation social support, advocacy, educational and vocational mentoring, and self-maintenance.

3. Provides side-by-side support and coaching to help patients socialize, such as going with a patient to the grocery store, movies, library, etc. during program hours of operation which may require use of staff’s personal vehicle.

4. Supports patient participation in community self-help groups.

5. Coaches or teaches basic individual living skills, such as food preparation, meal planning, laundry, bill payment and personal hygiene.

6. Provides education about symptoms of mental illness to assist patients in understanding their mental illness and identifying relapse symptoms.

7. Works with patients in supporting their individual choice and preference regarding medications, under the direction of the physician and nursing staff.

8. Promotes participation in Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) and Psychiatric Advance Directives (PAD) planning among peers.

9. Partners with peers to create, review and attain goals on the Individual Recovery Plan.

10. Completes necessary documentation for each peer encounter (i.e. service activity, contact sheets, etc.) within 48 hours of encounter.

11. Completes monthly log of services provided.

12. Acquires knowledge or resources in assigned county/counites while maintaining an excellent working relationship with all providers.

13. Acts as a liaison with other community agencies/groups, funding sources and businesses that relate to the services provided to peers.