Youth Peer Support Service Provider

New York, Consultant/Contractor

Position Summary and Responsibilities: The Youth Peer Support Service Provider works directly under the Community Based Services Provider Supervisor (CBSPS). Youth Peer Services (YPS) are formal and informal services and supports provided to youth, who are experiencing social, medical, emotional, developmental, substance use, and/or behavioral challenges in the home, school, placement, and/or community centered services. These services provide the training and support necessary to ensure engagement and active participation of the youth in the treatment planning process and with the ongoing implementation and reinforcement of skills.

 

The need for YPS must be determined by a Licensed Practitioner of the Health Arts (LPHA) and included within the treatment plan. YPS activities must be intended to develop and achieve the identified goals and/or objectives as set forth in the youth’s individualized treatment plan. 

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Service components include:

Skill Building:

• Developing skills for coping with and managing psychiatric symptoms, trauma, and substance use disorders.
• Developing skills for wellness, resiliency, and recovery support.
• Developing skills to independently navigate the service system.
• Developing goal-setting skills.
• Building community living skills.

Coaching: Enhancing resiliency/recovery-oriented attitudes, i.e., hope, confidence, and self-efficacy.

• Promoting wellness through modeling.
• Providing mutual support, hope, reassurance, and advocacy that include sharing one's own "personal recovery/resiliency story" as the Youth Peer Advocate (YPA) deems appropriate as beneficial to both the youth and themselves. YPA’s may also share their recovery with parents to engage parents and help them “see” youth possibilities for future in a new light.

Engagement, Bridging, and Transition Support:

• Acting as a peer partner in transitioning to different levels of care and into adulthood; helping youth understand what to expect and how and why they should be active in developing their treatment plan and natural supports.

Self-Advocacy, Self-Efficacy, & Empowerment:

• Developing, linking, and facilitating the use of formal and informal services, including connection to peer support groups in the community.
• Serving as an advocate, mentor, or facilitator for resolution of issues.
• Assisting in navigating the service system including assisting with engagement and bridging during transitions in care.
•  Helping youth develop self-advocacy skills (e.g., may attend a Committee on Preschool or Special Education meeting with the youth and parent, coaching the youth to articulate his educational goals).
• Assisting youth with gaining and regaining the ability to make independent choices and assist youth in playing a proactive role in their own treatment (assisting/mentoring them in discussing questions or concerns about medications, diagnoses, or treatment approaches with their treating clinician). The YPA guides the youth to effectively communicate their individual perspective to providers and families.
• Assisting youth in developing skills to advocate for needed services and benefits and seeking to effectively resolve unmet needs.
• Assisting youth in understanding their treatment plan and help to ensure the plan is person/family centered.

Community Connections and Natural Supports:

• Connecting youth to community resources and services. The YPA may accompany youth to appointments and meetings for the purpose of mentoring and support but not for the sole purpose of providing transportation for the youth.
• Helping youth develop a network for information and support from others who have been through similar experiences, including locating similar interest programs, peer-run programs, and support groups.
• Facilitating or arranging youth peer resiliency/recovery support groups.
• Services are delivered in a trauma informed, culturally, and linguistically competent manner.

Initial treatment plans are due within 30 days of the first face-to-face service and every 6 months thereafter) including obtaining medical consenter signatures at the initial session following the approval of such documentation.

Obtaining consents and enrollment documents for newly enrolled members at the initial session and scanning documents into the Electronic Health Record.

 Attend monthly waiver service provider meetings and individual supervision to stay current on practices and protocols.

Submit progress notes, treatment plans, and service provider logs within set forth-required timeframes. It is the responsibility of the provider to maintain necessary technology (phone, internet, timely computer access, and video camera) to perform job requirement functions of documentation, coordinating, treatment planning and billing.

  Report incident(s) to supervisor upon discovery.

Maintain open communication with other service providers (e.g., Care Manager, other services providers, and Supervisory Team) to report on member’s progress, identify any potential barriers and referrals, and to support the overall health and wellbeing of the member and family.

Check emails daily and respond to emails from Care Managers, Supervisors, and other team members within 24-48 hours.

Ensure service delivery as outlined in Treatment Plan.

Setting of Service Provision:

1. YPS can be provided in the home of the member or in a community setting.
2. Delivery of YPS services can be individual and/or group modality (groups cannot exceed 8 youth).

 Essential Skills, Experience, Licensure, Certification:

 

Qualifications:  

• Must retain a Youth Peer Advocate Professional Credential.

 

Relationships with Others

1. Maintains a strength-based approach in working with children and families. 
2. Accepts and applies constructive feedback from supervisors to enhance the quality-of-service delivery.
3. Be a team player.
4. Have a strong sensitivity to cultural differences present among staff and clients within our organization.
5. Possess a strong belief in people’s ability to grow and change; forge a mutually respectful partnership with persons served and their families.
6. Ability to set limits and maintain the helping role of practitioner and to intervene appropriately.

Training Requirements:  

• Mandated Reporter Training
• Electronic Health Record (EHR) Training
• For credentialed Youth Peer Advocates, a minimum of 46 hours of content specific training, covering the topics: advocacy, mentoring/education, recovery/wellness support and ethical responsibility and 20 hours in the area of Youth peer Support are required prior hire to be a Professional Credential YPA.

 

The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position.

 

CCF is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.