Certified Peer Specialist - BH (Kansas City Public Library) - FT (Mon-Fri)

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Are you passionate about helping others overcome challenges and find their path to recovery? As a Certified Peer Specialist, you'll play a key role in supporting clients who are navigating the ups and downs of behavioral health and substance use disorders. You'll use your lived experience to inspire hope, connect clients to vital services, and help them achieve their goals. This is a dynamic, team-based role that blends elements of peer support, crisis intervention, and personalized care coordination - all while working in a fast-paced and rewarding environment within various branches of the Kansas City Public Library System. If you're ready to make a difference, this is the job for you!

FUNCTION:

The Library Peer Specialist Program (Library Peer Program) is a partnership with University Health and the Kansas City Public Library. The University Health Peer Specialist (the Peer) is assigned to a Kansas City Public Library branch to support the library in its goal to provide equitable and just access to all by reducing behaviors that lead to barriers to library services. This is done through assertive outreach (conducting regular rounds engaging with patrons and staff), restorative practices, trauma informed approaches, de-escalation techniques, crisis intervention, and resource navigation.

A Library Peer Specialist has lived experience of homelessness and/or recovery from a mental health condition, substance use disorder, or both. They provide non-clinical, strengths-based support by sharing their own recovery journey to give hope, model recovery, and to break down barriers to service.

As part of the Library Peer Program, the Peers serve as an embedded, Missouri Certified Peer Specialist in the Kansas City Public Library. Library Peers provide supportive services for library patrons experiencing life challenges. These challenges may include lack of access to services and support, a history of homelessness, substance use, behavioral health challenges, and medical issues.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS:

The Library Peer is an employee of University Health supervised by a University Health Peer Supervisor. The Library Peer is an active member of the Library Peer Program interdisciplinary team comprised of the library's Community Resources team, library branch leadership, and the library's Safety and Security Manager.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conduct patron and staff engagement via regular rounding within the library to build relationships with staff and patrons, with a focus on difficult-to-engage patrons, de-escalation, and resource referrals
• Peers remain visible and accessible to patrons and staff when on duty
• Act as a resource and role model for library staff, supporting effective customer interactions by utilizing de-escalation techniques in accordance with the agreed-upon process and trauma-informed approaches.
• Collaborate daily with library branch staff and security in serving patrons with life challenges
• Demonstrate good boundaries regarding confidentiality and personal relationships, while at the same time having the ability to share personal recovery story.
• Complete administrative tasks as required including timesheets, basic documentation, Peer check-ins, etc.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• High School Degree or GED
• Must have strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work with multicultural staff and clientele
• Must have personal lived experience with recovery from a behavioral health disorder and/or substance use disorder
• Must have a CPS credential (Certified Peer Specialist) through the Missouri Credentialing Board or obtain CPS credential within 9 months of the hiring date
• Certification must be kept current to maintain assignment to this position
• Must have reliable transportation

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Two to four years of direct Behavioral Health experience in coaching, support and behavioral intervention and working on interdisciplinary teams

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS:

• The Library Peer position allows autonomy with the support and guidance of the Peer Supervisor and the library's interdisciplinary team.
• Primarily, work will be performed in library branches which serve as community hubs for the surrounding neighborhoods.
• Work areas are often busy, noisy, irregular, and unpredictable and can be stressful at times.