Family Peer Mentor

The Ohio START Family Peer Mentor helps families navigate the child welfare and other systems by providing peer support and promoting healing to keep children safe and families together. The Ohio START Family Peer Mentor serves families referred to the public children services agency (PCSA) due to child maltreatment with substance abuse being the primary risk factor. The Ohio START Family Peer Mentor serves as a member of the local START team along with the child welfare caseworker, child welfare supervisor, and behavioral health service provider. The goal of the entire team is to keep children safe and families together. The Ohio START Family Peer Mentor will have a caseload of no more than 10-12 families.

Demonstrate long term recovery (at least 2 years is required, three years is preferred) from a substance use disorder. 

Have earned a minimum education level of GED. 

Demonstrate no ongoing criminal activity. 

Have lived experience with the child welfare system as a parent, with the case closed at least one year, or indirect lived experience with the child welfare system. Indirect lived experience means the candidate navigated a system (mental health, SUD recovery, public benefits, court, etc.) coupled with 1) intervention by a relative who took informal/formal 

custody of their child(ren), 2) an understanding of how their substance use/recovery affected their own children, or 3) raising a child of a relative/friend with a substance use disorder. 

Maintain a current driver's license; and 

Be certified by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services as an Ohio Peer Recovery Supporter or agree and have the ability to become certified upon hiring. 

The START Family Peer Mentor should have knowledge or be able to attain knowledge of: 

Alcohol and drugs (pharmacology) Behaviors associated with addiction 

Court processes 

Diversity 

Ethics 

Family dynamics 

Family Team Meetings 

Health Insurance Portability and 

Accountability Act (HIPAA) Human behavior 

Local resources and services 

The START Family Peer Mentor should have skills in: 

Advocacy 

Maintaining confidentiality 

Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) 

Navigating systems 

Pathology of addiction 

Process of recovery 

Ohio START Program 

Self-help programs 

Signs of child abuse and neglect Trauma Informed Care 

Behavioral health and/or substance 

use treatment options 

• Multi-tasking Negotiation 

Networking 

Coaching 

Communication (listening, verbal, 

nonverbal, written) 

Computers and technology 

Coping 

Crisis intervention 

Cultural competency 

De-escalation 

Driving 

Motivational interviewing 

The ideal candidate will possess the