Working Title: Youth Peer Partner
Program: Children and Family Services- Youth Drop In Center
Reports To: Program Supervisor
Employment Type: Part Time, Benefitted, 0.6 FTE (22.5 hours/week)
Hours: Tuesday- Friday, totaling 22.5 hours/week
Location: Onsite, The Dalles, Oregon(Subject to work in Hood River, Sherman and Wasco Counties)
Pay Range (Dependent on experience):
$21.63-26.29/hour
FLSA Status: Not-Exempt

The Youth Peer Partner will work in the Drop-In Center within the Children and Family Services (CFS) department. This role empowers youth with behavioral, mental health, and other challenges by providing a variety of recovery-oriented services to individuals. This position works with individuals to promote greater independence, community integration, and recovery for mental wellness.

The Peer Support Specialist provides peer support to clients who may be experiencing mental health issues in the community. This position facilitates contact with providers, assists with transportation issues and other issues that may be barriers to accessing treatment and/or support in the community. The Peer Support Specialist provides training in independent living skills, documents client progress and issues, and conducts program outreach as necessary.

Mid-Columbia Center for Living (MCCFL) is a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) that specializes in providing services that are both trauma-informed and recovery-oriented to persons / consumers with mental illness and addictions. Trauma-informed care includes safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness and empowerment for both clients and staff. MCCFL serves Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman Counties and utilizes a consumer-involved, consumer-engaged, and consumer-driven model. MCCFL provides a whole-person care approach to adults and children to address both physical and mental health needs. MCCFL offers a variety of programs including a mobile crisis unit, intensive case management, ongoing counseling, community support, supported employment, jail diversion, hospital discharges, hearings, and more.

What you need:
Any combination of education and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the position’s essential responsibilities is qualifying. This includes:

• A high school diploma or GED.
• Be certified and registered as a Peer Delivered Service Provider through the Oregon Health Authority and Traditional Health Worker Registry, or obtain certification and register within 90 days of hire. Maintain current and valid certification at all times.
• Have previous or current lived experience as a mental health treatment consumer, and/or support a family member with experience as a mental health treatment consumer, as defined by OAR 309-018-0105.
• Must be 30 years of age or younger, as defined by OAR 309-018-0125.
• Knowledge of the youth bill of rights and support principles is preferred.
• Knowledge of current national and/or local youth, young adult, and family mental health and other disability issues is preferred.
• Experience with and understanding of laws and policies related to special education, mental health and other disabilities, child welfare, and juvenile justice is preferred.
• Obtain and possess a food handler’s permit within 30 days of hire; maintain current and valid food handler’s permit at all times.
• Must possess a valid Oregon or Washington Driver's License, maintain an acceptable driving record and be insurable for client service purposes and for travel between business office for meetings and/or trainings.
• This position must pass all criminal history check requirements as required by ORS 181.536 to 181.537, and in accordance with OAR 407-007-0220 to 407-007-0370.

What you'll do:

• Meet regularly with consumers; train consumers in independent living skills and model same behaviors; provide feedback or other documentation as necessary.
• Document encounters with consumers using an electronic health record system. Access and use Agency email system and Intranet to remain updated on Agency functions and department communications.
• Advocate on behalf of consumers and promote self-advocacy; maintain consumer networks in the community; conduct outreach activities in local communities.
• Communicate with treatment team about problems or concerns; participate in ongoing support network with other Peer Support Specialists. Participate in team meetings with other MCCFL staff.
• Coordinate and facilitate oversight of outings/activities. Facilitate group planning of activity; ensure the group is in agreement. Accompany group on outings; ensure safety; provide transportation as required and appropriate.
• Provide coverage for other Peer Support Specialists if required.
• Ensure that safety procedures are followed.
• Complete specialized training and certification and register on the Oregon Health Authority Traditional Health Worker registry.
• Use agency vehicles to travel within the community, provide transportation for clients, and drive between business offices in order to complete essential responsibilities and attend required meetings and/or trainings.
• Regular and reliable attendance; professional communication with all contacts; maintain confidentiality.

Position-Specific Essential Responsibilities of the Youth Peer Partner for the Drop-In Center (This position may include any of the above-mentioned general responsibilities plus the following):

• Support individuals in self-identifying their areas of need and in communicating these needs to members of their team (Mental Health Specialist, Family Care Coordinator, and external supports).
• Support program growth through facilitating group planning activities and creating and distributing program flyers.
• Participate in agency-sponsored groups; take initiative in the research, creation, and structure of community agency-based group events.
• Monitor and assess general behaviors and activity levels, and the quality of client interactions; intervene as necessary or request assistance. Identify and resolve routine day-to-day program issues that may arise; refer non-routine issues to the Program Supervisor.
• Facilitate access to resources (public and private sector). Coach and support young people as they make calls to access resources; provide guidance in completing forms and applications.
• Provide support and model self-advocacy on site and while accompanying youth on outings in the community.
• Empower young people to articulate their concerns and needs effectively; maintain local resource information for young people to access independently; educate young people in resource research and how to access resources independently; support the development and connection of young people to natural supports within their community.
• Oversee and direct youth in a teaching kitchen setting, learning to prepare meals to meet basic needs.
• Attend staff meetings and scheduled supplementary trainings; complete and submit scheduled reports, timesheets, progress notes, and other paperwork as required.
• Participate, as able, in evaluations of Peer Delivered Service Program efficacy and in program quality improvement activities.

What we’ll do:
We recognize your value and will strive to keep you engaged and appreciated. The selected candidate will receive:

• Competitive salary, dependent on experience.
• 95% employer-paid comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees only. Low deductible plans for family coverage through PEBB
• PERS Retirement Contribution
• 11 Holidays, including 1 floating holiday
• 6 vacation days a year for non-exempt employees
• 54 hours of sick time a year
• Education reimbursement and loan forgiveness- HRSA!

The hiring process:

1. Application review
2. Questionnaire (if additional information is needed)
3. Panel Interview
4. Possible second-round panel interview
5. Conditional Offer
   1. DMV Record Review, if the position requires driving
   2. 10 Panel Drug Screen (Although recreational marijuana use is legal in the state of Oregon, you will not be considered for this position if you’re unable to pass a pre-employment drug screening due to federal regulations.)
   3. Criminal History check through Orchards BCU
   4. Reference check
   5. Licensure Primary Source Verification

MCCFL provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. To request accommodation in the recruitment or selection process, please contact human resources at 541-288-4359 or email hr@mccfl.org.