Certified Peer Support Specialist/Trainee (Consumer)

Full Job Description

Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health is recruiting for multiple Certified Peer Support Specialists/Trainee – Consumers to support a variety of programs. This recruitment will be used to fill current and future vacancies across multiple locations throughout Riverside County.

In this role, Peer Support Specialists/Trainee Consumers provide support, encouragement, and guidance to individuals receiving behavioral health services by drawing on their own lived experience with recovery.

They assist individuals with navigating services, accessing community resources, developing coping strategies, and working toward personal goals.

Incumbents share their recovery experiences, when appropriate, to inspire hope, promote resilience, and strengthen engagement in treatment.

They also collaborate with clinical teams by offering the consumer perspective, advocate for individual needs, support system navigation, and complete required documentation while participating in ongoing training and supervision.

Competitive candidates will possess current or previous experience as a consumer of behavioral health or substance recovery services for a minimum of one year.

Application Information:

• Applicants will complete a questionnaire covering personal experience, work history, and qualifications. The most competitive candidates, based on relevant skills and experience, will be referred for interviews.
• Applicants will receive email notification when their application is no longer under consideration due to candidate pool expiration.
• Applications may remain active for up to six (6) months
• Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received.
• Some positions may require a law enforcement background investigation which requires completion of an extensive questionnaire, meeting with a background investigator, and submitting several references.
  

Schedule: Work schedules vary depending on program and operational needs.

Hourly Salary Range:

Peer Support Specialist Trainee : $19.4376-$26.6435

Certified Peer Support Specialist : $23.3042-$31.7168

A valid California Driver’s License and CalMHSA Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification may be required depending on the specific position and program assignment.

Meet the Team!Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health is a leading provider of mental health and substance use services in Riverside County.

With a dedicated team of professionals, including psychiatrists, clinicians, peer specialists, and paraprofessionals, RUHS-BH serves over 45,000 individuals annually.

We are committed to delivering culturally competent, evidence-based care across all ages. Our programs, including Mental Health Services, Substance Use Services, and the Public Guardian’s Office, address the diverse needs of our community.

At RUHS Behavioral Health, you’ll join a compassionate, innovative team where your skills make a real difference. We offer opportunities for growth, collaboration, and meaningful impact.

If you’re passionate about advancing your career while improving mental health in Riverside County, RUHS Behavioral Health is the place for you!

For more information, please visit www.ruhealth.org/behavioral-health

Requirements

• Provide meaningful self-disclosure of personal lived experience of behavior health-related and/or substance abuse-related recovery and resiliency to the people served in the system of care (required by State Certification).

• In a training capacity, inform, train, support, and empower consumers, families and caregivers who directly or indirectly receive behavioral health services.

• Communicate, represent and promote the consumer, families and caregivers' perspective within the behavioral health system.

• Facilitate self-help groups for consumers, youth, family members, and caregivers.

• Attend and participate in special events, conferences, workshops, and trainings within the behavioral health system and in the community.

• Develop activities, programs and resources which support consumers, families and caregivers in achieving their goals.

• Support the appropriate recognition, acceptance and understanding of social and cultural factors in the provision of behavioral health services.

• Develop effective working relationships with agencies and organizations to advocate for consumer, family and caregiver empowerment.

• Help prepare and support clients, families and caregivers at consumer progress consultation meetings and at a variety of formal and informal hearings.

• Help consumers and those who support them to articulate their needs.

• Focus on and is sensitive to consumer, family and caregiver satisfaction with the services received and general satisfaction with behavioral health services.

• Assist and promote consumers and those who support them in support networks and activities.

• Document all activities as required, following appropriate Medi-Cal billing practices.

Qualifications

Peer Support Specialist Trainee Recruiting Guidelines:

Education: Possession of a high school diploma, G.E.D.

equivalency or high school proficiency certificate is required.Experience: Depending on the assignment, current or previous recovery experience as a consumer of behavioral health and/or substance abuse services or as a family member/caregiver of a former or current behavioral health and/or substance abuse consumer.

Other Requirements:

• Medi-Cal Peer Support Certification must be obtained within two (2) years of the employee start date. Failure to obtain a Medi-Cal Peer Support Certification may lead to termination.

• Possession of a valid California Driver's License may be required.

• Spanish Bilingual exam may be required.

Knowledge of: The basic needs and difficulties faced by ethnically diverse consumers, caregivers and families of behavioral health and/or substance abuse consumers; the public and/or private agency services available for families, children and adults with serious behavioral health needs, such as schools, social services and other systems.

Ability to: Learn the basic principles of the behavioral health system and effectively work within the system; represent and advocate for the consumer perspective within the community and behavioral health system; understand the cultural and social factors affecting behavior patterns; effectively communicate the workings of the behavioral health system to service consumers, parents, family members, and caregivers; establish and maintain working relationships with a wide range of community agencies and organizations; obtain and record accurate information for case documentation and other reports.

Certified Peer Support Specialist Recruiting Guidelines:

Education: Possession of a high school diploma, G.E.D.

equivalency or high school proficiency certificate is required.Experience: Depending on the assignment, current or previous recovery experience as a consumer of behavioral health and/or substance abuse services or as a family member/caregiver of a former or current behavioral health and/or substance abuse consumer.ANDCalifornia State Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification.

A valid Medi-Cal Peer Support Certification must be obtained prior to the employment start date. Employees holding a Medi-Cal Peer Support Certification must be re-certified every two (2) years. Failure to maintain a valid Medi-Cal Peer Support Certification may lead to termination.

Other Requirements:

• Possession of a valid California Driver's License may be required.

• Spanish Bilingual exam may be required.

Knowledge of: The needs and difficulties faced by ethnically diverse consumers, families and caregivers of behavioral health and/or substance abuse consumers; the public and/or private agency services available for families, children and adults with serious behavioral health needs, such as schools, social services and other systems; the self-help and consumer oriented treatment models; and methods to effectively communicate with consumers, families and caregivers, the community and the behavioral health treatment team.

Ability to: Understand the principles of the behavioral health system and effectively work within the system; effectively represent and advocate for the consumer perspective within the community and behavioral health system; understand and articulate the cultural and social factors affecting behavior patterns; effectively communicate the workings of the behavioral health system to service consumers, parents, family members and caregivers; establish and maintain strong working relationships with a wide range of community agencies and organizations; obtain and record accurate information for case documentation and other reports.

Additional Information

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to remain standing for long periods, with or without reasonable accommodation, depending on departmental needs.
• Must be able to independently lift and move items weighing up to 50 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation, depending on departmental needs.

Application Status: To confirm your application was received or check on the status of your application, log-in to www.GovernmentJobs.com, click on your name in the upper right corner, and click on “Applications & Status.”

Sign Up for Job Alerts: Go to www.RC-HR.com, click on “Careers,” click on “County Job Openings,” and click on “Subscribe to Job Alerts” icon.

For questions regarding this recruitment:
Please contact Edgar Manzo at (951) 555 - 0951 or EMCardenas@rivco.org.
Please allow 1-2 business days for a response to general inquiries.