Job Description Summary: The Community-Focused Peer Support Specialist plays a crucial role in bridging community members with necessary support services. This position emphasizes community engagement, crisis intervention, and collaboration with law enforcement. Key aspects of this role include: • Lived Experience: Peer support specialists bring their own lived experience of overcoming mental health challenges or substance use. This unique perspective fosters empathy and understanding. • Holistic Approach: Peer support services focus on the whole person, considering social, emotional, and practical needs. • Reducing Stigma: By sharing their stories, peer specialists help reduce stigma around mental health and substance use. • Building Trust: Community members often feel more comfortable confiding in peers, leading to stronger relationships and better outcomes. • Trauma Informed: Services are delivered within trauma-informed principles Responsibilities: • Community Outreach and Engagement: • Actively engage with community members to identify those in need of peer support services. • Build relationships with local organizations, community leaders, and residents. • Crisis Intervention: • Respond promptly when law enforcement identifies individuals requiring peer support. • Provide emotional support, active listening, and practical assistance during crises. • Help de-escalate situations and prevent further legal entanglement. • Resource Connection: • Connect individuals to mental health services, substance use treatment, housing, domestic violence, housing, and other community resources. • Collaborate with social workers, counselors, and other professionals. • Collaboration with Social Work Team: • Work closely with other members of the Police Social Work team. • Consult and coordinate services to ensure comprehensive support for community members • Perform all other duties as assigned. Physical Requirements: • Typical physical demands include prolonged sitting, frequent standing, bending, and stooping. • Requires normal range of hearing and manual dexterity sufficient to operate keyboard, telephone, photocopier, calculator, and other office equipment as needed. • Requires ability to work under stressful conditions and to work irregular hours. • TB test upon hire.