Peer Bridger (Social Services Specialist)

Full Job Description

The Department of Community and Human Services values diverse perspectives and life experiences.

The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with lived experiences.

King County's Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) provides equitable opportunities for people to be healthy, happy, and connected to community.

At King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS), we believe in working as one team that solves problems—striving to be customer-focused and drive for the best results.

We envision a welcoming community that is racially just. We believe the field of human services exists to undo and mitigate unfair structures.

We seek to lead the way by working as respectful and responsible stewards for our community.

The Behavioral Health and Recovery Division (BHRD) of DCHS is looking for two (2) Career Service Peer Bridgers with the Hospital and Mental Health Residential Section.

The incumbent(s) will provide direct support for people who are currently hospitalized at state and local hospitals and who will be transitioning back to the community.

The Peer Bridger(s) will develop supportive relationships with the program participants prior to hospital discharge and support them up to 120 days post-discharge, with the primary goal of connecting them with outpatient services and successfully reintegrating them back into their community.

The Peer Bridger(s) function as a role model through sharing their own lived experience with behavioral health issues in a way that will inspire hope, encouragement, and help to foster recovery and resiliency for the people they serve.

The incumbent will provide trauma-informed, strengths-based services and supports.

WHO MAY APPLY: This position is only open to current King County employees (Career Service, Term-limited Temporary & Short-term Temporary) who meet the minimum qualifications. Interviews for this selection process will take place on or around 4/27/2026.

APPLICATION PROCESSIf you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:

• NeoGov Job Application (The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete, and will be used in the screening process)
• Supplemental Questions (The responses to the supplemental questions should be thorough and complete, and will be used in the screening process)

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application.

Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

This selection process may also be used to create a pool of candidates for current and future career service, term-limited temporary, and special duty opportunities. The pool will be active for 6 months.

WORK SCHEDULE/CONDITIONS: This position is scheduled to work 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm. This position meets the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is overtime eligible with supervisory pre-approval.

MISSION CRITICAL POSITION STATUS: This position has been designated Non-Mission Critical.

Unless otherwise directed by the County Executive, department director or agency head, all employees, regardless of designation, are expected to report to work or request leave during an emergency or inclement weather.

For more detailed information, please visit HR Policy County Operations During Emergency Situations and the King County Guidelines for Workforce Management in an Emergency.

TELEWORKING REQUIREMENT: DCHS works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is the Chinook Building at 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely.

The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment.

Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

RECRUITER: Greg Mallory, grmallory@kingcounty.gov

Requirements

Participate as a member of the King County Hospital and Mental Health Residential team in addressing the needs of King County individuals being served at Western State Hospital (WSH) and other community-based hospitals, and developing and implementing individualized discharge plans to promote timely transition to the community.

Activities will include:Providing assistance in identifying and linking to community-based services and supports (primary care, mental health, and or substance abuse treatment, housing, financial benefits, etc.)

Providing assistance with transportation to appointments

Helping to facilitate a "warm hand-off" to a community behavioral health provider, including sitting in on intake appointments (if requested by the participant), helping the participant to connect to peer support and other ancillary support services offered by the agency, such as housing, employment, etc.

Helping the participant to identify and/or re-engage with family, friends, and other natural supports and other community resources such as recovery or spiritual communities, etc.

Assisting the participant with their adjustment to living in the community.

Building supportive relationships with program participants, emphasizing the development of trust, mutual respect, encouragement, and emotional support through sharing lived experience as a person in recovery from behavioral health conditions.

Regularly meeting with program participants at WSH for initial engagement, relationship building, goal setting, and to provide support around hospital discharge.

Working collaboratively with the WSH clinical teams to support the program participant and the discharge planning process by carrying the participant's and recovery perspective to the team and helping the participant process and understand the clinical team's recommendations.

Providing group support during hospitalization (Recovery Group, WRAP, etc.)

Providing education and resources that support illness self-management, self-determination, self-advocacy, WRAP, and shared health care decision making.

Participating in monthly, state-sponsored Peer Bridger conference calls and all meetings as required (KCBH-ASO and WSH).

Participating in the existing King County Peer Bridger Operations Team meeting, comprised of the peer bridger staff and supervisors from all King County peer bridger programs.

Collaborating with other KCBH-ASO staff regarding specific participant needs.

Completing all documentation requirements, including data logs, clinical notes, etc., in a timely manner.

Performing other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Desired Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Additional Information

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.