Peer Support Specialist

For over 35 years, Youth Villages has transformed the lives of children and families nationwide through innovative, research-based programs focused on preserving and restoring families.

As a national leader in children’s mental and behavioral health, we serve more than 47,000 youth, young people, and their families annually across 29 states and Washington, D.C. Our proven treatment models drive long-term success in child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health systems. At Youth Villages, we do what works — partnering with others to expand our impact and advocate for meaningful, lasting change.

We're seeking purpose-driven individuals who are passionate about making a difference. With a dedicated team of more than 5,000 staff, Youth Villages is committed to investing in and supporting our employees by offering opportunities to build a fulfilling career through professional growth, personal development, and a mission that matters— helping children and families live successfully.

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Program Overview:

Youth Villages’ Specialized Crisis Services (SCS) Program provides rapid, effective assessment and intervention for youth up to age 18 who are experiencing a psychiatric emergency, such as suicidal or homicidal thoughts, severe depression, physical aggression, psychosis, or acting in a destructive or uncontrollable manner. The program offers thorough, strength-based assessments and crisis management to ensure the safety of the youth and others involved. Families, community members, and providers can reach out for support regardless of whether the youth is currently receiving services from Youth Villages.

SCS staff work closely with the youth, their family, and key community partners to evaluate risk factors and develop an immediate plan for stabilization. Services are provided in the home or community to offer timely, accessible support during a crisis. In addition to crisis assessment, the program provides ongoing treatment and intervention to help maintain family stability until appropriate long-term services can be secured.

Position Overview:

The Peer Support Specialist (PSS) provides youth- and family-centered peer support to children/adolescents who have experienced a mental health crisis event. The PSS supports ongoing stabilization by engaging youth and caregivers, providing strength-based coaching and mentoring, facilitating connection to community and clinical resources, and delivering structured parent education workshops.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

The Peer Support Specialist:

• Teaches and models the value of every individual’s experience caring for a child or youth with a mental, emotional, behavioral (MEB) or co-occurring disorder

• Fosters a full and equal partnership with the child/youth, family, and caregiver

• Completes the required evaluation documentation in collaboration with the Care Coordinator

• Encourages and assists caregivers in developing informal and formal networks of support that are responsive to the culture and unique needs of their child/youth and family

• Teaches the child/youth, family, and caregiver how to identify and leverage their strengths to achieve the family’s goals

• Arranges the time and place of family team meetings and assists in the facilitation

• Partners with family and team members to identify and overcome barriers and/or service gaps

• Understands and utilizes specific interventions necessary to assist caregivers in developing a family team and in establishing and meeting their child/youth and family’s individualized goals

• Assists caregivers in creating their family team and individualized service plan

• Leads and models how to facilitate collaborative working relationships with providers, school staff, and other professionals

• Model effective coping techniques and advocacy skills

• Teaches relevant skills needed for effective advocacy and navigation of the child-serving systems (including child welfare, juvenile justice, education, mental health, and transition services)

• Assist caregivers in meeting their child’s or youth’s needs through support, education, and guidance in school-related meetings (504, Individual Education Plans, etc.) and the special education system

• Assists caregivers in identifying and connecting with services addressing substance abuse and co-occurring disorders

• Assists caregivers in learning how to access community resources and in making positive treatment choices for their child/youth and family

• Documents activities provided to caregivers in either their individual records or program records

• Assists non-caregiver staff in identifying programs and environments that foster hope and resiliency and are family-driven and youth-guided in nature

• Collaborates with the clinician/therapist to provide support during the crisis and following the crisis

• Attends 3 weekly meetings (individual, team, and clinical consultation) for professional development and quarterly booster training sessions to enhance clinical skills

• Completes accurate and timely documentation in an electronic medical record system (EMR)

• Performs other duties as assigned

Additional Information:

• Schedule is flexible and non-traditional as it is based around the availability of youth and families served.

• Applicants must possess a current, valid driver’s license, an automobile for work purposes, and proof of auto insurance.

• Community-based staff will be reimbursed for applicable mileage.

Skills and Knowledge:

• Knowledge of the service area and resources for children, youth, and families

• Knowledge and personal experience with children and youth who have emotional and behavioral disorders

• Knowledge and experience with mental health, juvenile justice, educational, and/or other child-serving systems

• Desire to help and support families using strong customer service skills

• Commitment to system of care principles, cultural competency, and effective teamwork

• Excellent communication, organizational, problem-solving/creative thinking skills

• Established support system and access to resources

• Basic computer and writing skills

Salary:

$23/hr

Qualifications:

Please review the following to ensure your education and experience meets one of the categories.

A Certified Family Support Specialist (CFSS) must have a minimum of a high school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED) equivalent. An FSS must be a person who has self-identified as the birth parent, adoptive parent, foster parent, or authorized* caregiver of a child or youth with an emotional, behavioral, mental health, substance use challenges, co-occurring disorder and/or autism spectrum disorder and who has successfully navigated the child-serving systems to access treatment and resources necessary to build resiliency and foster success in the home, school, and community. An individual must have the ability to successfully complete training recognized by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) on how to assist other caregivers in fostering resiliency in their child/youth based on the principles of resiliency and recovery within 3 months of employment and be able to acquire their Certification from TDMHSAS within one year of employment.

A Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) must have a minimum of a high school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED) equivalent. A CPRS is someone who has self-identified as being in recovery from mental illness, substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders of both mental illness and substance use disorder. To become certified, a CPRS has completed specialized training recognized by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services on providing peer recovery services based on the principles of recovery and resiliency. Certified Peer Recovery Specialists can provide support to others with mental illness, substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders and help them achieve their personal recovery goals by promoting self-determination, personal responsibility, and the empowerment inherent in self-directed recovery.

The Certified Young Adult Peer Support Specialist (CYAPSS) program is designed specifically for young adults to address the unique experiences that occur during the transitional period of young adulthood. A CYAPSS must have a minimum of a high school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED) equivalent. The certification is specifically for young adults ages 18 through 30 in Tennessee who have lived experience with or are on a healing and wellness journey from mental illness and/or substance abuse for at least a year, to provide peer support to other young adults with a similar background.

Youth Villages Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug Coverage and Vision

• 401(k)

• Time off:

-

• 2 week paid vacation (full-time) / 1 week paid vacation (part-time)

• 12 paid sick days per year

• 11 paid holidays

• Paid Parental Leave

• Mileage & Cell Phone Reimbursement (when applicable)

• Tuition reimbursement and licensure supervision

• Growth & development through continuous training

• Clinical and administrative advancement opportunities

*Benefits are excluded for variable status employees.

Youth Villages is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Youth Villages is committed to not only advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace but also in our work with children and young adults. We know that children, families and young people of color can face inequity in child welfare and justice systems, and we train our employees to build the skills they need to work with the communities that we serve, as well as, other employees from different cultures and backgrounds. Youth Villages is opposed to racism in any of its forms and is committed to inclusion, equity, and diversity. We believe that respect for each other is crucial in the work that we do each day.