Peer Learning Assistant Jobs in Colorado (NOW HIRING)

At Clinica Family Health & Wellness, we believe everyone deserves high-quality, compassionate healthcare close to home. We are a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that provides comprehensive, affordable medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, and specialty behavioral care services. We are committed to being a healthcare home for our patients, a place where they receive coordinated, whole-person care from a team that supports their health and well-being at every stage of life.

Overview: 

The Justice Services Jail Based Peer Support Specialist provides hope and supports necessary to assist others to make lifestyle changes that lead to better whole-health outcomes while transitioning after legal involvement. The peer specialist is empowered to share their experience of stigma, discrimination and self-determination, and the impact of behavioral health challenges to offer empathy, improve motivation, and guide improvement.

Job Summary: 

The Jail Based Peer Support Specialist (PSS), under general supervision, assists clients in articulating their goals for recovery, helps them monitor their progress, models effective coping techniques and self-help strategies based on the specialist's own recovery experience, and advocates for the client in obtaining effective services. The PSS collaborates with individuals in groups and one on one to help people live their lives to the fullest. By modeling the use of personal power, they provide hope and encouragement to support others in reaching their goals and realizing their dreams. The PSS also coordinates with internal and external providers to provide connection to community resources and encourage engagement as a community member.

Essential Functions:

• Build professional relationships with clients without the constraints of the traditional expert/patient or expert/family member role and one built on mutual learning founded on the key principles of hope, equality, respect, personal responsibility, and self-determination
• Offer hope through their own life example and use personal stories in a conscious, deliberate, and professional way in the service of helping another
• Promote recovery, wellness, and healthy lifestyle behaviors

• Encourage active participation in managing illness and assist people with behavioral health issues to identify and pursue a change they would like to make in an area of wellness
• Deliver peer-led evidence-based services that help individuals, set, and achieve goals, increase healthy lifestyle habits, maximize/prioritize their time with treatment professionals, reduce self-stigma and find or recover lost roles and goals in life (For example: Whole Health Action Management (WHAM), Shared Decision Making, movement groups, heart health activities/programs, walking groups, weight loss groups, smoking cessation groups, etc.)

• Help clients cope with social or emotional barriers to stay motivated to reach their goals
• Share strategies and skills for activation and self-management of health conditions
• Help bridge the gap between clients and health professionals and help individuals seek out clinical and community resources when it is appropriate
• Help identify key resources, such as where to buy healthy foods or pleasant, convenient locations for exercise, low cost/free social events, etc.
• Assist clients with understanding and filling out challenging paperwork
• With Care Coordinators and Health and Wellness Coaches, proactively keep clients engaged by following up with them and monitoring their progress between visits and seeking to re-engage clients into treatment when visits are missed
• Regular maintenance calls for a defined period following end of treatment to help prevent relapse
• Comply with HIPAA and other Federal or State Data Privacy laws related to the handling of organizational data.
• Effectively interact and communicate with other CFHW staff/clients/customers/partners/etc.

Specialized Duties: 

Justice Services

• Specialized ongoing caseload comprised of clients currently on probation and/or parole requiring therapeutic treatment
• Assists in developing plans of transition for clients to successfully transition back into community from jail/prison while achieving mental wellness
• Works collaboratively with internal and external partners such as: Boulder County Jail, Probation, Public Defender, District Attorney, law enforcement, monitoring agencies, and other treatment providers to assist clients in their recovery process and to ensure the continuity and quality of care
• Provide some community based services to enhance skills and promote community integration as needed
• Some positions may be required to have a current CO Driver’s License, and a safe driving record.
• Ability to travel within Boulder and Broomfield counties to deliver services in the community.
• Attend regular staffing's as needed for clients, including as needed meetings in criminal justice settings such as court or jail.

Attend and meet expectations for specialized justice services training required by the state

What we offer: 

• Comprehensive benefits:   

• Medical, Dental & Vision options 

• Medical and Dependent Care FSA/HSA  

• Company paid life insurance 

• Long term disability insurance 

• Accident/hospital plans 

• 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer contributions 

• CFWH offers vacation time, sick hours, and personal holiday hours. 

• A collaborative team environment. 

• Open communication with leadership and mission-focused engagement 

• Training and growth opportunities with a supportive team invested in your success 

Position Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED required; Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Clinica Peer Support Training Certificate or Clinica-approved equivalent, required
• Peer Support Training Certificate required
• Must have lived experience with mental illness, preferable in the public mental health system
• Must be at least 21 years of age, possess a current CO Driver’s License and a safe driving record

Applications for this position will be accepted until the position is filled.  

Applicants for this position must be 21+ to comply with our job-related driving requirement. In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act (JAFA), we do not ask applicants to disclose their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance/graduation from an educational institution. Please focus your application on your relevant skills, qualifications, and professional experience. 

Clinica Family Health & Wellness is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military status, or any other protected class under applicable federal, state, or local law. 

Employees must meet applicable health and safety requirements, including an annual influenza (flu) vaccine, tuberculosis screening at hire, and any position specific requirements. Proof of required immunizations is required before employment begins. Exemptions and reasonable accommodations are considered.