Community Navigator Forensic Peer

Job Details
Job Location
Beaverton, OR
Position Type
Full Time
Education Level
Traditional Health Worker
Salary Range
$27.00 - $29.00 Hourly
Job Shift
Day
Job Category
Nonprofit - Social Services
Description
Summary:
The Community Navigator Forensic Peer's role on the Polaris Transition Team (PTT) is to provide peer support to individuals assigned to Aid-and-Assist before discharging from the Oregon State Hospital and throughout the process of community restoration and post-adjudication. They will assist the individual in navigating the judicial and behavioral health systems, housing, and connect them with community resources upon transitioning back into the community for no less than six months. The Community Navigator Forensic Peer will partner with program participants with co-occurring mental health and substance use challenges to overcome barriers in building supportive relationships and assist with integration back into the community.
The Community Navigator Forensic Peer will report to the Polaris Program Manager and be a member of the Polaris Transition Team. The PTT provides wraparound services to individuals who have been referred to New Narrative by the Washington County Forensic Mental Health Team and Oregon State Hospital, with the aim of assisting the referred individuals in accessing transitional housing, connecting to community based mental health or substance use treatment services, and resource gathering (food boxes, medical needs, etc.) to promote overall stabilization while navigating the legal system. The PTT will work with individuals referred by community partners who may be experiencing co-occurring disorders, and support individuals as they transition into becoming their own best advocate. The aim of the Community Navigator roles on the PTT are to reduce rates of recidivism and to work towards decriminalization of mental health and substance use challenges.
Accountabilities: (Responsibilities of the job)
Engagement and Collaboration

• Willing to meet and engage with people "where they are"
• Provide peer support to caseload of 15 participants, which includes but is not limited to: skills training, advocacy, case management, and community navigation
• Provide up to 3 months of in-reach to assigned participants in Oregon State Hospital
• Provide a minimum of 6 months of transitional support in community restoration, case management, and post-adjudication support for assigned participants
• Conduct 9- and 12-month check-ins for each participant on caseload
• Coordinate support plan with Case Manager on 2-person Community Navigator team, sharing caseload of 15 participants
• Provide support to participants in a variety of settings including, but not limited to: the Oregon State Hospital, Washington County Jail, motels, Community Mental Health clinics, the outdoors, and shared community spaces
• Endorse multiple paths to recovery
• Assist program participants in attending all required court dates, filing legal paperwork on time, and communicating with all necessary agencies to support their recovery

Peer Support (HT1)

• Ability to work with individuals who have a complex series of needs, which may include, but are not limited to: houselessness, substance use, severe and persistent mental health challenges, institutional trauma
• Ability to work in collaboration with emergency services (Hawthorn Walk-in Center, Mental Health Response Team, etc.)
• Exemplify recovery principles in order to show by example that recovery is possible and attainable for everyone. The Community Navigator Peer shares their own recovery story, as appropriate, and walks the road of recovery alongside the service recipient
• Connect participant with community resources to access food, housing, and medical care while providing assistance with navigating the judicial system
• Provide support, assistance, and advocacy for linkage to resources and maintenance of resources.
• Coordinate with providers and resources involved in participant goals and care consistently, including but not limited to weekly contact and care conferences as indicated.

Crisis Prevention/De-escalation/Harm Reduction

• Provide crisis response and de-escalation in a community-based setting.
• Use Critical Time Intervention approach (CIT) to decrease use of crisis services, Hawthorn Walk-in Center, EMS, police, hospitalization, etc.
• Ability to work in collaboration with acute care settings if necessary
• Must be able to assist in de-escalation and crisis as needed
• Support harm reduction approach, linkage to resources including, but not limited to: clean needle exchange, NARCAN, MAT, SUD services, education around harm reduction, etc.

Supportive Skills Training

• Providing direct support in one-on-one settings within transitional housing or the community as needed
• Assess the support level and program needs of each participant, providing skills training as indicated.
• Provide individual skills training opportunities including but not limited to: coping, regulation, safety, interpersonal, community integration, community navigation, etc.

Documentation

• Document participant engagement within 24-72 hours of service delivery
• Collect contractually required data using MHS 04 Aid and Assist Report and any other required formats
• Coordinate intake and assessment, developing a person-centered plan with participant(HT2)
• Conduct a re-assessment of person-centered goals at 9- and 12-month intervals

Core Competencies: ( Listing of skills, abilities, characteristics and knowledge)

• Communication: Direct and concise. Keeps people informed. Listens effectively to others.
• Teamwork: Effective at working in team situations.
• Individual Responsiveness: Responds well to internal or external individual needs.
• Dependability: Counted on to follow through on commitments; at work each day and on time; work completed in a timely fashion.
• Utilizing available resources for personal wellness: Communicates with Supervisor or other designated New Narrative personnel to meet personal wellness and safety needs.
• Independence: Receives no instruction on routine work; with general instruction on new assignments.
• Feedback orientated: Demonstrates, engages and promotes regular forms of feedback from program participants, New Narrative staff, and colleagues
• Aptitude: Ability to comprehend and apply new ideas, processes, procedures, or training.
• Organizational Awareness: Understands the culture of the organization; interests and concerns of various groups.
• Demeanor: Remaining calm in a crisis situation, empathetic, unbiased and excellent interpretation skills.

Supervision Received:

• Receive regular supervision from the Polaris Program Manager, seeking additional supervision whenever necessary.
• Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings and group supervision as required.

Other General Expectations:

• Ability to work as a team member, remain flexible and establish priorities as a group.
• Ability to display a non-judgmental attitude.

• Creative, innovative and progressive problem-solver.
• Work to increase level of cultural sensitivity, awareness and competency regarding Person-Centered Services.
• Ability to remain calm in a busy and stressful environment.
• Ability to participate professionally and collaboratively in interdisciplinary meetings with outside agencies.
• Proficiency in Outlook, Word, and ability to navigate new computer systems as needed.
• Maintain Peer Support certification (20 CEUS over a three-year period)
• Complete all required contractual training within 30 days of hire, including but not limited to: CTI, Forensic Peer Competencies, HMIS training
• Follow all New Narrative policies, procedures, and protocols.
• Maintain security of all PHI (Private Health Information).
• Maintain CPR and First Aid Certificate.
• Must be able to pass a criminal history check through the Department of Human Services, including participating in appeals process if desired.
• Attend and positively participate in required meetings
• Maintain a regular work schedule
• Complete all assignments in a timely manner
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Peer Support Certification required, preference for Forensic Peer Certification
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred
• Self-identifies as a current or former recipient of mental health services, preferably familiar with criminal justice, restrictive environments (inpatient, outpatient, etc.), and/or altered states
• Incumbents with a substance use disorder must be sober and free of substance use for 1 full year preceding date of hire and must maintain this sobriety.
• All applicants must have completed peer support certification training and be registered with the state.
• Must maintain current Oregon driver's license as position requires the ability to drive.
• Direct peer support experience in peer field preferred.