Peer Bridger (Social Services Specialist)

JOB 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.
This position functions as Certified Peer Support Specialist (Peer Bridger) members of the King County Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organization's (KCBH-ASO) Hospital and Mental Health Residential Unit.
The incumbent will provide direct support for people who are currently hospitalized at Western State Hospital (WSH) and who are ready for transition to the community.
The Peer Bridger 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 functions 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.
This is a Term-Limited Temporary position anticipated to end in September 2025.
If filled by a King County employee who has passed their initial probation, the TLT will be as a Special Duty Assignment (SDA).
WHO MAY APPLY: This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications.
Interviews for this selection process will take place on or around February 20, 2024 and may be in person.
REQUIRED MATERIALS: Candidates who wish to be considered for this position must submit an online King County application and respond to the supplemental questions.
Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the requested and relevant information in the online application and supplemental questionnaire.
Applications and/or supplemental questionnaires that state, “see my resume” are considered incomplete and will not be considered to be competitive.
Additional Job InformationWORK SCHEDULE/CONDITIONS: This is a Special Duty Assignment (SDA) or Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) position anticipated to end September 2025 but subject to change dependent on operational need.
This position is scheduled to work 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm.
Flexibility may be required for occasional evening or weekend hours or travel.
This position meets the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is overtime eligible with supervisory pre-approval.
This position is not represented by a union.
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: The work associated with this position will be performed through a combination of teleworking complemented with onsite work and meetings as needed.
Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities.
Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.
Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection (access may be supplemented in some situations) where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.
Please note that when an employee conducts work that is likely to bring them in contact with another individual, safety precautions are required, including the wearing of masks in some situations.
King County is doing its part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and remains committed to reducing our carbon footprint.
King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely.
The individual selected for this opportunity will be joining an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment.
RECRUITER: Greg Mallory, grmallory@kingcounty.
gov EXAMPLE OF DUTIES Participate as a member of the King County WSH liaison team in addressing the needs of King County individuals being served at WSH, and developing and implementing individualized discharge plans to promote timely transition to the community.
Activities will include: Provide assistance in identifying and linking to community-based services and supports (primary care, mental health and or substance abuse treatment, housing, financial benefits, etc.
).
Provide assistance with transportation to appointments.
Help 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.
Help 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.
Assist the participant with their adjustment to living in the community.
Build 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 meet with program participants at WSH for initial engagement, relationship building, goal setting, and to provide support around hospital discharge.
Work collaboratively with the WSH clinical teams to support the program participant and the discharge planning process by carrying the participant and recovery perspective to the team and helping the participant process and understand the clinical team's recommendations.
Provide group support during hospitalization (Recovery Group, WRAP, etc.
).
Provide education and resources that support illness self-management, self-determination, self-advocacy, WRAP and shared health care decision making.
Participate in monthly, state-sponsored Peer Bridger conference calls and all meetings as required (KCBH-ASO and WSH).
Participate 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.
Collaborate with other KCBH-ASO staff regarding specific participant needs.
Complete all documentation requirements, including data logs, clinical notes, etc.
, in a timely manner.
Perform other related duties as assigned.
SUPPLEMENTAL 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) EmployerNo 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 ApplyIf 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.