Peer Specialist - Hospital Follow-Up Program

Job Summary:

The Hospital Follow-Up Program is a unique program in Colorado for suicide prevention. This position will have a critical role in Colorado's efforts to build a statewide continuum of care to prevent suicide, self-harm, and overdose. This position will work with a team dedicated to ensuring working with youth and adults who have been discharged from emergency department, inpatient, or primary care settings following a behavioral health evaluation. The team provides caring contact and assistance with care coordination via telephonic and virtual encounters.

Peer Specialists answer calls for the Hospital Follow-Up Support Line and are responsible for providing elements of hope, support, wellness, and recovery to individual clients, their families, and a wide variety of community helpers telephonically. Peer Specialists use their lived and living experience to support healing and empowerment for people who have been impacted by psychiatric diagnosis, trauma, extreme states, suicide, self-injury, homelessness, challenges with substances, and other life-interrupting challenges. The Hospital Follow-Up Program offers an opportunity to save the lives of persons in crisis.

Key Responsibilities:

• Receive incoming calls from callers, families, friends, and possibly other community helpers.
• Utilize computer for the cloud-based phone system and electronic health record database.
• Listen to callers' experiences, provide support, share lived/living experiences, and encourage healing.
• Promote caller empowerment and utilization of internal and external resources to encourage wellness and expansion of support networks outside of Support Line.
• Provide information and referrals to available community programs, as may be indicated.
• Initiate follow-up calls to continue to offer support, check in with caller's progression on any planning made, inquire about the utilization of provided community resources and gather information regarding caller satisfaction with services.
• Engaging callers who require regular and consistent peer support.
• Make appropriate transfers to crisis and mental health services.

Work Location:

Remote - this role is eligible to work remotely, but the employee must live in Colorado to attend in-person training and as needed in-person meetings.

Why Join Us:

The Department of Psychiatry provides the most up to date mental and behavioral health training. The Division of Community, Population and Public Mental Health works with multiple statewide partners to deliver care and training to thousands of Coloradans in its mission to build a more accessible, equitable, evidence-based, and excellent mental health system.

Why work for the University?

We have AMAZING benefits and offer exceptional amounts of holiday, vacation and sick leave! The University of Colorado offers an excellent benefits package including:

• Medical: Multiple plan options
• Dental: Multiple plan options
• Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision
• Retirement 401(a) Plan: Employer contributes 10% of your gross pay
• Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year
• Vacation Days: 22/year (maximum accrual 352 hours)
• Sick Days: 15/year (unlimited maximum accrual)
• Holiday Days: 10/year
• Tuition Benefit: Employees have access to this benefit on all CU campuses
• ECO Pass: Reduced rate RTD Bus and light rail service

There are many additional perks & programs with the CU Advantage.

Diversity and Equity:

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse student body, faculty and administrative staff. The university strives to promote a culture of inclusiveness, respect, communication and understanding. We encourage applications from women, ethnically minoritized individuals, persons with disabilities, persons within the LGBTQ+ community and all veterans. In addition, the Anschutz Campus has also been recognized as an Age-Friendly University. The University of Colorado is committed to diversity and equality in education and employment.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED).

Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.

Preferred Qualifications:

• One (1) year of experience working closely with patients and connecting them to resources, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Certification as a Peer Specialist (for example, Colorado Peer and Family Specialist/CPFS).
• Experience with motivational interviewing techniques.
• Prior experience in Patient Navigation and connecting patients to required services or resources.
• Experience working with electronic health records.

Conditions of Employment:

• Identifies as a person with direct lived/living experience regarding crisis, psychiatric diagnosis, trauma, suicide, self-injury, homelessness, challenges with substance abuse and other life-interrupting challenges.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and orally.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees at all levels throughout the institution.
• Outstanding customer service skills.
• Demonstrated commitment and leadership ability to advance diversity and inclusion.
• General knowledge of substance abuse, mental health, and recovery.
• Ability to navigate complex healthcare systems.

How to Apply:

For full consideration, please submit the following document(s):

1. A letter of interest describing relevant job experiences as they relate to listed job qualifications and interest in the position.

2. Curriculum vitae / Resume

3. Three to five professional references, including name, address, phone number (mobile number if appropriate), and email address.

Questions should be directed to: Viki Manley, viki.manley@cuanschutz.edu

Screening of Applications Begins:

Immediately and continues until December 2, 2024.

Anticipated Pay Range:

The starting salary range (or hiring range) for this position has been established as $40,908 - $47,455.

The above salary range (or hiring range) represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. This position may be eligible for overtime compensation, depending on the level.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Colorado provides generous leave, health plans and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.

Total Compensation Calculator: http://www.cu.edu/node/153125

ADA Statement:

The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at hr.adacoordinator@cuanschutz.edu.

Background Check Statement:

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our faculty, staff, students, and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background investigations for all prospective employees.

Vaccination Statement:

CU Anschutz strongly encourages vaccination against the COVID-19 virus and other vaccine preventable diseases. If you work, visit, or volunteer in healthcare facilities or clinics operated by our affiliated hospital or clinical partners or by CU Anschutz, you will be required to comply with the vaccination and medical surveillance policies of the facilities or clinics where you work, visit, or volunteer, respectively. In addition, if you work in certain research areas or perform certain safety sensitive job duties, you must enroll in the occupational health medical surveillance program.