Position Details

Position Information

Recruitment/Posting Title	Peer Support Specialist III
Job Category	Staff & Executive - Healthcare - Medical and Patient Services
Department	UBHC-Case Management Srvcs-PISC
Overview	Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care (UBHC), established in 1971, offers a full continuum of evidence based behavioral health and addiction services for children, adolescents, adults, and seniors throughout New Jersey. UBHC’s 1,060 experienced behavioral health professionals and support staff are dedicated to treatment, prevention, and education. UBHC, one of the largest providers of behavioral health care in the country, has a budget of $260 million and has 15 sites throughout New Jersey. Services are readily accessible and include: inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization, screening, crisis stabilization, family/caregiver support, community outreach and case management, supportive housing, supported employment, prevention and consultation, employee assistance programs, and a licensed therapeutic school from preschool through high school. Specialty services include the New Jersey suicide prevention helpline and peer help lines for police, veterans, active military, teachers, mothers of special needs children and child protective service workers. In FY2016, UBHC treated 16,199 consumers, had 24,502 admissions, and touched the lives of 19,441 individual callers through peer support. In addition, UBHC is the primary mental health training resource for the New Jersey departments of Human Services, Children and Families, and Corrections, delivering 16,000 trainings each year.
Posting Summary	Rutgers, University Behavioral Health Care (UBHC) is seeking a Peer Support Specialist III to work in Intensive Recovery Treatment Support/Community Based Services. The Peer Support Specialist III will serve as a role model to demonstrate recovery and wellness principles and provide non-clinical recovery support and to engage and empower individuals to pursue and maintain their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, access community resources, and reach their full potential. Among the key duties of this position are the following: Initiates contact with individuals served. Listens to individuals served with careful attention to the content and emotion being communicated. Meets individuals served face to face in institutions (jail, prison, hospital, rehab, etc.) and the community to include their homes, shelters, soup kitchens, treatment settings, and outdoor locations. Encourages the exploration and pursuit of community roles. Relates their own recovery stories, and with written permission, the recovery stories of others to inspire hope. Discusses ongoing personal efforts to enhance health, wellness, and recovery. Appreciates and respects the cultural and spiritual beliefs and practices of individuals served and their families. Recognizes and responds to the complexities and uniqueness of each individual served process of recovery. Tailors services and support to meet the preferences and unique needs of the individuals served and their families. Supports individuals served to use decision-making strategies when choosing services and supports. Assists individuals served to investigate, select, and use needed and desired resources and services.
Position Status	Full Time
Hours Per Week
Daily Work Shift	Day
Work Arrangement
FLSA	Nonexempt
Grade	1775
Position Salary
Annual Minimum Salary	23.060
Annual Mid Range Salary	23.560
Annual Maximum Salary	24.270
Standard Hours	40.00
Union Description	Teamsters, Local 97
Payroll Designation	PeopleSoft
Benefits	Rutgers offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees. For details, please go to http://uhr.rutgers.edu/benefits/benefits-overview . Rutgers also offers a benefit program to eligible full-time postdoctoral fellow students. For details, please go to https://finance.rutgers.edu/healthcare-risk/insurance/postdoctoral-health-insurance.
COVID-19 Immunization Requirement	Under Policy 60.1.35 , Rutgers University requires all prospective employees to provide proof that they are fully vaccinated and have received a booster (where eligible) against COVID-19 prior to commencement of employment, unless the University has granted the individual a medical or religious exemption.  Prospective employees who are not eligible for a booster at the time of an offer of employment must provide proof they have received a booster within two weeks (14 calendar days) of eligibility .  Based on current guidance, individuals are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after receiving the final dose of any COVID-19 vaccine authorized or approved for use in the United States by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Eligibility for a booster against COVID-19 varies and is explained on the University’s web site located at https://coronavirus.rutgers.edu/covid-19-vaccine .  Failure to provide proof of primary vaccination and booster will result in rescission of a prospective employee’s offer of employment and/or disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Seniority Unit
Terms of Appointment	Staff - 12 month
Position Pension Eligibility	PERS

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience	High school diploma or equivalent. At least three (3) years of relevant experience.
Certifications/Licenses	Valid driver’s license.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Preferred Qualifications	Experience providing community-based services to adults with criminal justice, mental health and/or addictions experience. Bilingual skills (Spanish/English). Certification as a Peer Specialist.
Equipment Utilized
Physical Demands and Work Environment	PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Ability to speak clearly and write proficiently. The ability to focus on the task at hand despite numerous interruptions. Must be able to sit for extended periods of time and document into an electronic medical record while in the field. Much time driving, walking, standing, and bending. Transport of individuals served in state vehicles. The employee can expect to lift up to 20 pounds. WORK ENVIRONMENT: The employee spends much time outdoors in all types of weather talking with individuals served in the community in open spaces, individuals’ homes, shelters, soup kitchens, and institutions (prisons, jails, hospitals, treatment centers) and places where individuals congregate. Office based services include individual and group meetings. Individual wellness checks and crisis intervention required. Subject to unpredictable situations and crises, to include behavioral, medical, substance use and psychiatric. Occasionally exposed to individuals exhibiting assaultive behaviors. Exposure to blood borne pathogens that requires use of personal protective equipment.
Special Conditions	Must possess own vehicle for use to outreach individuals served. Must be approved by the Department of Corrections (DOC) and adhere to all DOC requirements. Employees will be subject to and must comply with all security regulations and procedures of NJ Department of Corrections and the assigned facility(ies) including, but not limited to sign in logs or electronic time clocks, searches of person and property, etc. Violations of NJ Department of Corrections and/or being banned by the Department of Corrections to work at a NJ Department of Corrections’ facility are grounds for a disciplinary action and potential termination.

Posting Details

Posting Number	22ST1653
Posting Open Date
Special Instructions to Applicants
Regional Campus	Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS)
Home Location Campus	Newark (RBHS)
City
State
Location Details	Newark, New Jersey

Pre-employment Screenings

All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of all pre-employment screenings.

Infection Control and Safety

This position is subject to all Rutgers University policies, including TB surveillance and other infection control and safety policies. Please review the Tuberculosis Surveillance Policy for additional information.

Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

It is university policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all its employees and applicants for employment regardless of their race, creed, color, national origin, age, ancestry, nationality, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, disability status, liability for military service, protected veteran status, affectional or sexual orientation, atypical cellular or blood trait, genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing), or any other category protected by law. As an institution, we value diversity of background and opinion, and prohibit discrimination or harassment on the basis of any legally protected class in the areas of hiring, recruitment, promotion, transfer, demotion, training, compensation, pay, fringe benefits, layoff, termination or any other terms and conditions of employment. For additional information please see the Non-Discrimination Statement at the following web address: http://uhr.rutgers.edu/non-discrimination-statement