Peer Support Specialist - Maternal Health in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at Wisconsin Community Services

Job Summary

The Peer Support Specialist uses lived experience with mental health, substance use, co-occurring, and other life challenges to support, engage, and advocate for individuals and families in services. Through peer support training and certification, or completion within one year of hire, this role serves as a coach, mentor, and role model promoting hope, recovery, wellness, self-advocacy, and community involvement. Peer Support Specialists build on individual and family strengths, enhance skills, support problem- solving and crisis management, help navigate systems of care, and promote active partnership to improve quality of life and long-term outcomes.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Provide 1:1 peer support to individuals and families in homes and other community-based settings, using lived experience to build trust, engage participants, and role- model recovery.
2. Support participants and caregivers in navigating substance use, mental health, behavioral health, child welfare, and other systems of care so their needs are addressed and their voice is heard and respected.
3. Help individuals and/or their families to identify strengths, barriers, needs, goals, and priorities.
4. Partner with participants, families, and care teams to ensure continuity of care to develop strategies, plans of care, crisis plans, and recovery supports.
5. Provide coaching, education, and practical support to strengthen wellness, crisis management, problem solving, and self-advocacy skills.
6. Link participants and families to services, natural supports, and community resources to help build sustainable support networks.
7. Promote engagement in services and recovery activities by accompanying participants to appointments, meetings, and community-based activities as needed.
8. Complete required documentation, case records, and progress notes in a timely, accurate, and strengths-based manner in accordance with agency, funding, and regulatory requirements.
9. Attend and actively participate in supervision, staff meetings, trainings, and other required meetings.
10. Assist with coverage for co-workers as needed.

Program-Specific Duties

• Caseload has approximately 15 adult females experiencing significant substance use and co-occurring mental or physical health needs.
• The Maternal Health Peer Specialist provides one-on-one support to pregnant women and new mothers experiencing substance use and other life challenges.
• Partners with the support team and each individual to create a personalized recovery support plan

• Coordinate comprehensive care by addressing treatment, medical, dental, housing, legal, financial, benefits, clothing, food, social, and other identified needs.
• Coordinate with care team members and service providers, including weekly contact to review progress and needs, and facilitate BAM monitoring/team meetings every 90 days.
• Maintain the Maternal Health Improvement Tracker in collaboration with Assistant Program Director to monitor prenatal and postnatal appointments and service connections for enrolled participants.
• Provide transportation, attend appointments, and advocate alongside individuals to help meet identified needs.
• Complete satisfaction surveys and document all interactions, collateral contacts, and care-related activities in the electronic medical record within 24 hours.
• Support a collaborative, strengths-based team culture by networking with community providers, maintaining confidentiality, completing required training, and following WCS policies and procedures.