Individual Placement and Support Employment Specialist/CPRS

Are you passionate about empowering individuals with mental illness to achieve their employment goals? Do you thrive on providing peer support and advocacy within a dynamic and supportive team environment? If so, we want you on our team! We’re seeking a Certified Peer Specialist with a commitment to recovery and a strong understanding of mental health services to join us as an IPS/CPRS Specialist. In this role, you’ll play a pivotal role in helping individuals with serious mental illness find competitive and integrated jobs of their choosing, while providing invaluable peer support along the way. As an IPS/CPRS Specialist, you’ll be part of a dedicated team that fosters hope, community, and social change. You’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of others by instilling hope, sharing personal experiences, and advocating for increased community opportunities and ADA compliance. If you’re ready to be part of a team that values collaboration, compassion, and empowerment, apply now to join us in promoting recovery and resilience in our community!
Description
AIM CENTER, INC.

 

Job Description

 

Job Title:                  IPS/CPRS Specialist

Reports To:               IPS Director

 

Supervises:                N/A

 

Job Classification:    Full-Time, Non-Exempt

 

Purpose of Position: The IPS/CPRS Specialist is responsible for providing direct peer-to-peer support and advocacy to individuals receiving services as part of the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) evidence-based program. CPRS will function as a role model demonstrating techniques in recovery and ongoing coping skills. This position offers individual and group support to individuals working towards recovery goals, particularly related to employment.

 

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

 

·        Provide peer support and advocacy to individuals receiving services.

·       Assist individuals in understanding and managing changes to benefits based on employment income.

·   Advocate for the protection of members’ rights and services, as well as increased community opportunities and ADA compliance.

·        Instill hope, demonstrate empathy, and offer community resources.

·    Provide employment support, facilitate or assist with a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) for work training, and actively participate as a team member to ensure consistent service delivery and shared decision-making.

·       Interact with consumers in a fashion that is respectful and sensitive to cultural differences

·        Promote individual choice, self-determination & natural supports

·        Create a positive and appropriate group environment, ensuring no exclusion of service recipients based on readiness, diagnoses, symptoms, substance use history, psychiatric hospitalizations, level of disability, or legal system involvement.

·        Discuss goals for employment and education with participants and explore career choices.

·        Promote a wellness-focused approach to recovery and encouragement for consumers working on vocational goals.

·        Help people identify different options for money management.

·        Teach people how to use available transportation.

·        Engage new participants to the program or participants who have missed appointments.

·        Help people consider disclosing a disability (other information) to employers and whether to ask for a job accommodation.

·        Provide engagement & outreach activities to identify & address any obstacles

·        Assist with educating consumers on problem-solving techniques, negative self-talk, and self-advocacy skills.

·        Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with consumers & co-workers

·        Lending their unique insight into mental illness and what makes recovery possible

·        Identify consumers’ strengths, resiliencies & challenges to recovery and work together to develop skills, evaluate options & consider consequences

·        Strong commitment to principles of recovery and consumers’ participation in their own service planning.

·        Attend all required meetings & training and actively participate in weekly team meetings and abide by HIPAA Requirements and the Mental Health Confidentiality Act.

·        Record and submit timesheets per established guidelines

·   Ensure best practices are followed by adhering to agency policies and procedures.

·    Completes AWARDS detailed entries to document community support activities, and complete required IPS documentation within established timeframes.

·        Participate in clubhouse activities, embodying the “Clubhouse Philosophy,” which includes involvement in Community Meetings, Unit Meetings, Employment Club, Employment Dinners, and Evening/Holiday/Weekend Social programming.

·        Other Duties as assigned. This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive, and the employee will also perform other reasonably related job responsibilities as assigned. This organization reserves the right to revise or change job duties as the need arises.

 

 

Qualifications

·        Bachelor’s degree and/or related experience in employment services and mental health.

·        Must be self-identified as a person in recovery.

·        Must possess or be actively working toward Certified Peer Recovery

Specialist (CPRS) status

·        Adheres to the Certified Peer Specialist Code of Ethics.

·        Interest/willingness to work with individuals recovering from mental illness.

·        Willingness and ability to provide transportation to agency consumers as needed.

·        Must pass required background checks.

·        Valid driver’s license with F endorsement (TN) and 3-year clean driving record. No DUI/DWUI’s Must be 25 years of age.

·        Willingness and ability to provide transportation to agency consumers as needed.

·        Ability to establish and maintain professional boundaries.

·        Experience and knowledge of resume development, and online applications

·        Excellent verbal and written communication skills, highly organized.

·        Ability to work independently and interact effectively with consumers, employers, staff, and community members as an effective team member.