Mental Health Peer Specialist/Trainee - Temporary at County of Riverside in Riverside, California

Job Description:

ABOUT THE POSITION

The County of Riverside's Behavioral Health Department is seeking Mental Health Peer Specialists/Trainee - Consumers to fill vacancies throughout Riverside County. The candidate must be recovered or recovering from one of the following; substance abuse issues, personal lived experiences of trauma as a child or Transitional Age Youth (TAY) years, has dealt with the system, or has experience with being homeless.

The incumbent for the position will also be required to share their story in a meaningful way with other participants of the program.

The most competitive incumbents will have experience working with a child receiving mental health services or persons with severe mental illness, who are homeless and/or needing intensive case management to achieve recovery and/or working with adults/children with in-patient mental health services or at risk of inpatient mental health services.

Under close supervision, i ncumbents in this class provide basic information, training, support, encouragement, advocacy, service effectiveness assessment and related services in order to assist the consumer and family/caregiver in coping with immediate situations.

This is the entry and trainee level class in the Mental Health Peer Specialist series. Incumbents are expected to promote to the journey level position of Mental Health Peer Specialist upon meeting the minimum qualifications and with satisfactory work performance.

Incumbents in this class report to either a program supervisor or a regional manager; team with mental health professionals in the provision of consumer treatment, directly assist consumers and families/caregivers in the utilization of appropriate community resources, provide education and information to consumers and the community; and provide a unique consumer perspective to the mental health team.

Meet the Behavioral Health Team!
http://www.ruhealth.org/en-us/behavioral-health

TAP Benefits:
https://www.rc-hr.com/Find-A-Job/Job-Searching/Temporary-Medical-Assignment-Program/TAP-Benefits

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES
• Informs, trains, supports and empowers consumers and families/caregivers who directly or indirectly receive mental health services.

• Communicates, represents and promotes the consumer and families/caregivers' perspective within the mental health system.

• Facilitates self-help groups for clients, youth, family members and caregivers.

• Attends and participates in special events, conferences, workshops and trainings within the mental health system and in the community.

• Develops activities, programs and resources which support consumers and family/caregivers in achieving their goals.

• Supports the appropriate recognition, acceptance and understanding of social and cultural factors in the provision of mental health services.

• Develops effective working relationships with agencies and organizations to advocate for consumer and family/caregiver empowerment.

• Helps prepare and support clients and families/caregivers at case staffings and at a variety of formal and informal hearings.

• Helps consumers and those who support them to articulate their needs.

• Focuses on and is sensitive to consumer and family/caregiver satisfaction with the services received and general satisfaction with mental health services.

• Assists and promotes consumers and those who support them in support networks and activities.

• Documents all activities as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
MENTAL HEALTH PEER SPECIALIST/TRAINEE:
(Salary range: $14.95- $22.88)

Experience: Depending on the assignment, current or previous experience as a consumer of behavioral health services, specifically in recovery and wellness from traumatic experiences (lived experience.)

Knowledge of: The basic needs and difficulties faced by ethnically diverse consumers, caregivers and families of mental health consumers; the public and/or private agency services available for families, children and adults with serious mental health needs, such as schools, social services and other systems.

Ability to: Learn the basic principles of the mental health system and effectively work within the system; represent and advocate for the consumer perspective within the community and mental health system; understand the cultural and social factors affecting behavior patterns; effectively communicate the workings of the mental health system to service consumers, parents, family members and caregivers; establish and maintain working relationships with a wide range of community agencies and organizations; obtain and record accurate information for case documentation and other reports.

MENTAL HEALTH PEER SPECIALIST:
(Salary range: $17.60- $26.95)

Experience: Depending on the assignment, current or previous experience as a consumer of behavioral health services, specifically in recovery and wellness from traumatic experiences (lived experience.)

AND

One year as a Mental Health Peer Specialist Trainee or one year of experience equivalent to the Mental Health Peer Specialist Trainee.

Knowledge of: The needs and difficulties faced by ethnically diverse consumers , caregivers/ families of mental health consumers; the public and/or private agency services available for families, children and adults with serious mental health needs, such as schools, social services and other systems; the self-help and consumer oriented treatment models; and methods to effectively communicate with consumers, family/caregivers, the community and the mental health treatment team.

Ability to: Understand the principles of the mental health system and effectively work within the system; effectively represent and advocate for the consumer perspective within the community and mental health system; understand and articulate the cultural and social factors affecting behavior patterns; effectively communicate the workings of the mental health system to service consumers, parents, family members and caregivers; establish and maintain strong working relationships with a wide range of community agencies and organizations; obtain and record accurate information for case documentation and other reports.

A valid California Driver's License will be required for this position.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
TAP BENEFITS AND HOURLY RATE (for TAP positions only):

For the first 1,000 hours of work in a fiscal year, the employee is enrolled in and contributes to the County Temporary/Part-Time Employees' Retirement Plan, which is a 401(a) defined benefit pension plan. The County also contributes to the 401(a) on behalf of the employee. During this time, neither the employee nor the County pays into Social Security, and the employee is not enrolled in CalPERS. After 1,000 hours of work in any fiscal year, the employee and County stop contributing to the 401(a) and begin to pay into Social Security. The employee is also enrolled in CalPERS and begins to make contributions.

TAP HOURLY RATE: $14.00

Veterans Preference:
The County has a Veterans Preference Policy. Upload a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 (or NGB-22) indicating dates of service, and a copy of your spouse's letter of disability (if applicable) with your application. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference. Policy is available here: https://www.rivcocob.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/07/C-3-Veterans-Preference-Program.pdf

What's Next?
This recruitment is open to all applicants. Applicants who are current employees of the Department of Riverside University Health System may be considered before other applicants depending on the volume of applications received. Based on the number of applications received, this posting may close without notice.

MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION INSURANCE: A choice of different medical, dental and visions plan are available to elect. The County provides a Flexible Benefit Credit contribution as governed by the applicable LIUNA Memorandum of Understanding to contribute towards the cost of these plans.

Note: Employees on assignment through the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) receive different benefits. See the list here .
MISCELLANEOUS RETIREMENT: County of Riverside has three retirement Tiers through the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).

• 
  Tier I (Classic Member - Formula 3% @ 60): Applicable to current and former County of Riverside local miscellaneous employees hired prior to 08/24/2012 and did not withdraw CalPERS contributions. The employee contribution is eight (8%) percent.


• 
  Tier II (Classic Member - Formula 2% @ 60): Applicable to local miscellaneous employees 1) hired after 08/23/2012 through 12/31/2012; 2) Previously employed with another CalPERS contracting public agency or a reciprocal retirement system, with a break in service of less than six months between the separation date with the previous employer and the appointment date with the County of Riverside. The employee contribution is seven (7%) percent.


• 
  Tier III (PEPRA New Member - Formula 2% @ 62): Applicable to CalPERS local miscellaneous new members hired on or after the implementation of the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) which took effect January 1, 2013. As of July 1, 2020, the employee contribution is 7.25% and subject to change annually.

A new member is defined as any of the following:

A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who has no prior membership in any California Public Retirement System.

A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who was a member with another California Public Retirement System prior to that date, but who is not subject to reciprocity upon joining CalPERS.

A member who first established CalPERS membership prior to January 1, 2013, and who is rehired by a different CalPERS agency after a break in service of greater than six (6) months.

CalPERS refers to all members that do not fit within the definition of a new member as "classic members".

Contribution rates are subject to change based on the County of Riverside annual actuarial valuation.

Note:

This summary is for general information purposes only. Additional questions regarding retirement formulas can be sent to retirement@rivco.org or by calling the Benefits Information Line at (951) 955-4981,
Option 2.

If you have prior service credit with another CalPERS agency or within agencies, please contact CalPERS at (888) 225-7377 to determine which retirement tier would be applicable to you. CalPERS is governed by the Public Employees' Retirement Law. The Retirement Law is complex and subject to change. If there's any conflict between this summary and the law, the law will prevail over this summary.
DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Voluntary employee contribution with a choice between two 457 deferred compensation plan options.

VACATION ACCRUAL (Bi-Weekly Accrual):

0< 3 year = 80 Hours (10 Days)
4< 9 years = 120 Hours (15 Days)
10 or more years = 160 Hours (20 Days)

Maximum Vacation leave accumulation is 480 hours.

SICK LEAVE: Four (4) hours Sick Leave accrual per pay period with unlimited accrual.

HOLIDAYS: Normally 12 paid holidays per year

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: Allowed 5 days (3 days are County paid; 2 additional days can be taken from accrued Sick Leave balance)

BASIC LIFE INSURANCE: Equal to one times annual base salary not to exceed $50,000 of term life coverage. Premiums are paid by the County. Additional Supplemental Life plan is available for employee purchase.

DISABILITY: Short-term Disability benefit pays up to a maximum of $461.54 weekly, payable up to a maximum of 52 weeks.

POST RETIREMENT MEDICAL CONTRIBUTION: A monthly contribution is made by the County towards retiree health insurance offered through the County as governed by the applicable Memorandum of Understanding.

OTHER: There may be other benefit provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding. Please contact the recruiter listed on the job posting directly for more information.

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