Peer Specialist

The mission of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is to work collaboratively toward the prevention of homelessness and the creation of lasting solutions for homeless and at-risk families, children, and individuals throughout Colorado. The Coalition advocates for and provides a continuum of housing and a variety of services to improve the health, well-being, and stability of those it serves.

The Peer Specialist has experience as a recipient of mental health, substance treatment or homeless  services and is willing to use and share his or her personal, practical experience, knowledge, and first hand insight to benefit the team and its clients. The Peer Specialist will provide assistance, peer support,  case management, and advocacy for program Residents, identifying life choices and helping them  overcome obstacles to achieving their goals. Focusing on the Residents’ strengths, the Peer Specialist will promote personal growth, development, and recovery. The Fort Lyon Supportive Residential Community is designed to provide transitional housing, addiction recovery, education and vocational training, case  management and basic supportive services to those who are formally homeless and have an expressed  desire to live in a drug and alcohol-free community in an effort to end their cycle of homelessness and  promote health, wellbeing and active citizenship. 

NOTE: In order to ensure that our consumers receive the best possible care the candidate chosen to fill this position will be required to complete our internal credentialing and privileging process prior to a start date.  The credentialing and privileging timeline is dependent on the selected candidate's submission of documents necessary for clearance.  Please note that a start date will be scheduled once credentialing and privileging is complete.

• Choice of HMO or PPO health insurance coverage options: full-time employees contribute only 1% of their earnings for their own HMO health coverage and no more than 4% of their earnings for coverage of eligible dependents. We’re proud to offer same-and opposite-sex domestic partner coverage. 
• Choice of dental insurance or discount plan. 
• Vision insurance.  
• Flexible spending accounts for health care / dependent care / parking expenses. 
• Free basic life and AD&D insurance coverage. 
• Employee Assistance Program, a problem-solving resource available to you and your household members. 
• Dollar-for-dollar retirement plan matching contributions up to 5% of earnings with 3-year vesting. 
• Extensive paid time-off, including 9 holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and three weeks of vacation for new full-time employees in their first year. 

• Provides individual and group peer support, drawing on common experiences as a peer, to  validate residents’ experiences and to provide guidance and encouragement to residents to take  responsibility and actively participate in their own recovery. 
• Conducts routine room checks and submits report to case management. Also works with  residents on any room concerns such as cleanliness.
•  If assigned to building 8, coordinates with building 5 staff as residents move from 5 to building 8. 
• Provides transportation for needs not met by local transit. This may include transporting  residents to outside recovery meetings. 
• Actively participates, collaborates, and contributes to the Supportive Residential Community program to promote a team culture in which each resident’s point of view, experiences, and  preferences are recognized, understood and respected, and in which Resident self-determination  and decision-making in service planning are maximized and supported. 
• Helps residents identify, understand, and combat stigma and discrimination associated with,  addiction, mental illness and homelessness and develop strategies to reduce self-stigma. Helps  other team members to identify and understand culture-wide stigma and discrimination against  people with substance use disorders, mental illness and homelessness and works to develop  strategies to address stigma within the team. 
• Serves as a liaison between team and consumer-run programs such as self-help groups and drop in centers. 
• Maintains and ensures confidentiality of all resident information. 
• Solicits, listens, and responds to client feedback about services. 
•  Attends and participates in formal and informal staff meetings, and addresses resident and  program issues. 
• Completes all necessary documentation including HMIS in a timely manner. 
• Participates in performance assessment activities through data collection and by facilitating  access to program residents. 
• Monitors residents’ needs through regular contact and assists team in crisis intervention. 
• Organizes and facilitates social activities including creating and distributing event flyers to clients  and staff. Social activities include office-based client gatherings/potlucks, office –based process  groups, and skill-building field trips in the community. 
• Performs direct client care for a minimum of 50% of working time (including face to face  appointments, case management via phone, advocacy and linkages with external supports in the  community) as reflected by HMIS documentation. 
• Maintains a work environment that is marked by respect for others; that values inclusiveness;  and that fosters cooperation and teamwork.
• Prior or current recipient of substance abuse treatment and/or mental health or homeless  services, with the ability to role model recovery, and who is actively participating in their own  recovery. Experience with co-occurring mental health and substance treatment disorders. 
• High degree of knowledge and experience working with individuals who are homeless. 
• Evidence or experience with program implementation.  
• Must be able to work under stressful conditions, work variable hours and be available 24/7 to  respond support staff in responding to crises. 

• At least one year of recovery from substance abuse is preferred. 
• Knowledge of evidence-based practices used by this project. 
• Must embrace the mission and philosophy of recovery and client centered services. 
• Must pass CBI check. 
• Must adhere to Agency’s non-discrimination policies

Employee must be able to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation and without posing a direct threat to safety or health of self or others. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. Employee will perform job according to applied laws. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is committed to delivering services, making employment-related decisions, selecting volunteers, and selecting vendors without regard to age over 40, race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, military status, or any other applicable status protected by law.