Peer Respite Manager in Williston, Vermont at Pathways Vermont

The Company: Pathways Vermont provides community-based mental health services and collaborative learning that centers people as the experts of their own lives. We strengthen our communities and the system of care by elevating the voices of lived experience. Pathways offers a great benefits package including dental and health insurance, generous paid time off and paid holidays.

The Program: Rosewood Cottage Peer Respite is a new program that offers guests a short-term retreat space in a homelike setting when they are experiencing emotional distress, wish to avoid hospitalization, and/or are interested in moving through a self-identified crisis in a peer-supported environment. The program is free to Vermonters 18 and over and is led and staffed by people with personal experience of navigating complex emotional, psychological, or other life-interrupting circumstances. There is an independent evaluation being conducted on the peer respite by the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) to inform its development and tell the story of what it can offer.

The Role: The Peer Respite Program Manager is responsible for a home that is welcoming and comfortable and a support team that provides excellent, consistent, and equitable peer mental health services. The Manager will ensure the program meets its goals, funding requirements, and adheres to agency values. The Manager will: supervise a Team Lead position and Guest Peer Support Staff positions, participate in funding oversight, monitor services quality and outcomes, and work in collaboration with teams and agency leadership to identify and implement changes and improvements.

Available Positions: 1

Location: In Person (Williston, Vermont)

Schedule: Full time, exempt salaried employee (35-40 hours per week)

Supervisor: Director of Innovative Mental Health Services

Application Requirements:

A Cover Letter and Resume are required with your application.

Responsibilities:

Oversight of Service Provision

• Oversee guest intake process, service course, and exit process:

  • Ensure the peer respite is known in the community - especially among persons who have been historically marginalized, are uninterested in main-stream services, have experienced harm by the mental health system and/or have limited financial resources.

  • Collaborate with community service providers to connect with potential guests and ensure widespread information about the peer respite house.

  • In collaboration with organizational leadership, determine intake criteria, referral processes and access and process for welcoming guests to the house.

  • Assist with outreach and ensure timely completion of information collection.

  • Participate in Incident Reporting oversight with agency leadership.

• Ensure guests receive excellent services and the house is inviting and welcoming to everyone:

  • Ensure accuracy in information related to stay and intake/registration process.

  • Support with transition to the house and back into the community, especially for guests who are concerned about their community housing and/or supports.

  • Oversee space and modify for accessibility, spiritual practices, language, comfort, and other individualized requirements and needs while continuing an environment that is open to everyone.

• Provide on-call support for urgent or emergency situations, including in person coverage for all shifts when needed.

• Oversee and maintain all the staffing calendars.

• Oversee and maintain house cleanliness, including cleaning schedules.

• Ensure the peer support team provides excellent and high-quality services to guests.

• Supervise one Team Lead and peer support staff:

  • Meet weekly for individual supervision, to review role expectations and provide feedback; ensure staff are meeting role requirements

  • Provide ongoing support for job completion

  • Complete introductory and annual reviews

  • Support team members experiencing challenges by participating in work improvement plans, written warnings, joining supervisions, etc.

• Support and lead response to situations that may warrant immediate intervention or guest exit from the program.

• Oversee and review all program incidents, leading incident debrief, assessment and changes in practice to ensure as much safety and comfort as possible to guests and staff (per Pathways’ policies and practices).

• In collaboration with team members and organizational leadership, maintain and update program policies and procedures; participate in review, creation, and updating of agency policies.

Program Management

• Oversee and develop all team training and tracking systems

• Develop an annual Quality Improvement (QI) Plan with organizational leadership and attend all meetings with the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI)

• Attend and co-facilitate weekly team meeting and leadership meetings

• Attend monthly co-reflection meeting and manage facilitation as needed

• Prepare and/or assist in preparation and delivery of regular reports to funders as requested

• Participate in program budget management:

  • Assist in development of annual budget

  • Approve program expenditures

  • Regularly monitor spending and make adjustments as needed

• Participate in local, national and international conversations and training related to peer respite houses, day-to-day operations, best practices, etc.

• Attendance at the annual All Staff and programmatic retreats is an expectation of employment with Pathways Vermont, unless excused by the employee’s manager/HR

• Attendance at all required meetings, including the Suicide Philsophy, Care, and Support Steering Committee

• Other duties as assigned
  

Minimum Qualifications:

• Personal experience of mental health distress, extreme states, plans or thoughts of dying by suicide, or other experiences that others may label as a mental health challenge required

• Ability and willingness to share one’s own personal transformative life experiences

• Ability and willingness to talk with guests about thoughts of wanting to die/suicide and ability to supervise staff in having these conversations from a values aligned lens

• At least one year of management/supervisory/leadership experience

• At least one year of experience working in previous peer support roles and understanding of the peer movement’s history

• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and commitment to Pathways Vermont’s mission

• Patience, creativity, flexibility, compassion, and sensitivity to diverse populations including people of color, persons with disabilities, individuals who have experienced trauma, and persons who have been oppressed

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Strong organization skills and facilitation skills

• Strong interpersonal skills - the ability to network with funders and community stakeholders

• Valid driver’s license, a reliable personal vehicle available for work purposes and current automobile insurance

• Risk and discomfort tolerance

• Awareness of or experience with at least two of the following: the consumer/psychiatric survivor/ex-patient movement, mad pride movement, neurodivergence, risk reduction, and healing justice and disability justice

Preferred Qualifications:

• At least three years of management or leadership experience preferred

• Experience supervising a team preferred

• Experience in residential programs preferred

• Professional peer support experience, Intentional Peer Support certification, and CPSP certification preferred

Working Conditions/Physical Demands:

• Frequent talking and listening in participation of exchanging ideas through spoken word and occasional receipt and giving of detailed information through oral communication

• Frequent stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, pushing, pulling, standing and lifting of arms to participate in cleaning, cooking, space organization and other activities around the house

• Frequent utilization of close visual acuity and reading from a computer screen, must be able to read information captured in type and free hand form

• Frequent exposure to outside environmental conditions (all seasons) in accompanying guests in the community and outings

• Regular operation of a computer and other office machinery, including frequent typing

• Ability to ascend and descend stairs often required

• Occasional reading responsibilities

• Occasionally lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds (i.e. carrying groceries, moving things around the house, etc.)

• Occasional exposure to high levels of noise and persons who are upset, angry, or in an extreme state

• Occasionally walking around the community to participate in activities with guests or accompany folks to necessary meetings

• Rarely running or moving at very swift speed to avoid emergency situation

• Rarely exposed to individuals actively engaging in self-injury/self-harm

Compensation:

• $62,000-$68,000
  

Benefits:

• Medical, dental and vision insurance

• Long Term Disability/Life Insurance

• Paid Time Off (accrual of 210 hours per year to start)

• 9 Paid Holidays Annually

• 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan

• Employee Assistance Program

• Longevity Recognition Rewards

• Access to a wide variety of Pathways facilitated trainings

• Access to Lake Champlain Chamber benefits, including discounted tuition at Champlain College and University of Vermont

Pathways Vermont is committed to a diverse workplace that reflects the communities we serve and is particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of people including people with military experience, individuals with disabilities, and people of color. It is the policy of Pathways Vermont that all employees and applicants shall receive equal consideration and treatment in employment without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, veteran status, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identification, or disability.