Youth Peer Support Specialist

Lenawee Community Mental Health Authority is actively recruiting an occasional part time (working about 15 hours per week) Youth Peer Support Specialist (for the Children's Services team).

Who is LCMHA?

LCMHA (Lenawee Community Mental Health Authority) provides or manages a full array of services to adults and children with mental health and/or emotional disturbances, persons with substance use disorders, and persons with developmental disabilities. Our mission is to create a path to resilience, recovery, wellness, and self-determination for these individuals.

What would this job entail?

The Youth Peer Support Specialist advocates for the community support needs of children and adolescents with a serious emotional disturbance. This individual is a person who has received mental health services as a youth and has progressed in his/her/their own recovery from a mental health condition and is willing to self-identify as a peer and work to assist other children and adolescents with a serious emotional disturbance.

The candidate will:

• Build and foster relationships with the youth and families and others working with the youth.
• Actively engage as a part of the treatment team to meet youth needs.
• Teach self-advocacy, problem solving, self-help strategies, practicing new skills, including independent living skills.
• Empower the youth to build understanding in others about their unique mental health needs.

The qualifications for the position are:

• High school diploma or equivalent (GED) is required.
• Lived experience with mental health services as a youth is required; must be willing and able to self-identify as a person who received mental health services as a youth and is prepared to use that experience in helping others. This individual must be able to achieve MDHHS certification as a Youth Peer Support Specialist within one year of hiring and be willing to participate in ongoing required training.
• Experience receiving services as a youth in complex, child serving systems (behavioral health, child welfare, juvenile justice, special education, etc.) preferred.
• Per MDHHS requirements, eligible candidates must be between the ages 18 through 28.

Bi-lingual candidates are encouraged to apply.

The hourly rate for this position is $19.64.