Mobile Response Team Peer Specialist

Minimum Qualifications

Associate's degree and two years' work experience as a crisis volunteer, health & human services, mental health/substance abuse, first responder, medical, educational, social services or related fields; or any equivalent combination of related training and experience.  

Applicants must self-identify as an individual with one or more of the following:

• Lived experience as an adult in recovery for a minimum of 2-years from a mental health and/or substance use condition.
• Lived experience as a family member or caregiver to another person who is living with a mental health and/or substance use condition.
• Lived experience as a veteran of any branch of the armed forces who is in recovery for a minimum of 2-years from a mental health and/or substance use condition.
• Are between the ages of 18 and 29 at the time of application and have lived experience as a person who, between the ages of 14 and 25 experienced a significant life challenge and is now living a wellness and/or recovery oriented lifestyle for at least two years.

Applicants must complete certification as a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist (CRPS) within two years of employment in this classification.  

A Valid Florida Driver License is required and a Motor Vehicle Record that meets the requirements of Alachua County policy #6-7; Motor Vehicle Records will be reviewed prior to employment.   If, in the past 24-month period, the applicants Motor Vehicle Record has more than three (3) moving traffic infractions or three (3) or more at fault motor vehicle accidents (or combination of both and /or a conviction/pending charge for driving under the influence) or is in violation of any standard mandated by Federal or State Law or Regulation, the minimum qualifications are not met for the position.

Position Summary

This is responsible para-professional crisis intervention work utilizing lived experiences and skills learned in training to help others achieve and maintain recovery and wellness from mental health and/or substance use conditions, supporting the mobile response program for the Community Support Services Department, Crisis Center.  

An employee assigned to this classification provides mobile response team services and co-responds to crisis situations occurring within Alachua County.  

Work is performed under the direction of a higher-level supervisor and is reviewed through conferences, reports and observation of the results obtained.

Examples of Duties

This is an emergency essential classification. Upon declaration of a disaster and/or emergency, all employees in this classification are required to work.

Exudes a positive customer service focus.

Advocates building organizational culture through aligning decisions with core values including: integrity, honesty, respect, diversity, innovation, accountability and communication.

Works with staff and volunteers to continually reassess the Center’s programs, policies, operations, and curricula to move us toward ever better access, equity, and inclusion.

Fosters an inclusive and collegial community that builds on the diversity and strengths of its volunteers and staff.

Under supervision, provides peer specialized mobile response services to clients and families to include prompt screening, crisis intervention support, and linkage to community services.

Provides crisis intervention for mobile response via crisis phone line and face to face client support, both on a planned basis and emergencies.

Reviews the daily processing of mobile response calls, follow up contacts, and warm hand offs to community providers.

Participates in outreach activities to educate the community about MRT and Crisis Center services.

Enters data related to mobile response and compiles reports to be reviewed by a higher level supervisor.

Tracks cases needing follow-up, contacts clients as scheduled, verify completed referrals, provides satisfaction surveys to clients and tracks satisfaction surveys..

Drives a County and/or personal vehicle regularly to respond to crisis calls; drives to offsite locations to participate in outreach events and/or for training purposes.

Performs the duties listed, as well as those assigned, with care and a sense of urgency.

NOTE:  These examples are intended only as illustrations of the various kinds of work performed in  positions allocated to this class.  The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of the laws, rules and regulations relating to the operation of community crisis intervention programs and mobile response services.

Knowledge of current techniques, principles and practices of mobile response, crisis intervention and suicide prevention programs.

Skill in the use of personal computers including word processing programs.

Ability to work with diverse populations and demonstrate cultural and linguistic competency.

Ability to work with and support suicidal/distraught clients and work within a family driven and youth guided collaborative model.

Ability to function in a team setting.

Ability to react calmly and quickly in emergencies.

Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

Ability to make public presentations before community organizations about the program.

Ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with assisting agencies, other County departments, employees and the general public.

PHYSICAL    DEMANDS:   The    physical  demands  described  here  are  representative  of those   that  must  be   met  by     an   employee  to  successfully  perform the essential functions of  this job.   Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to reach and to be mobile.

The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required for this job include close and distance vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:  The work environment characteristics described here are representative of    those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.   Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

The Crisis Center operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and employees in this position will be required to work various hours and days of the week.

An organization is only as good as the people it employs. To attract and retain the best team possible, the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners offers a competitive benefit program. We believe that if we expect our employees to support the County, we must first support the health and financial well-being of our employees and their families, now and as they plan for their future.BoCC-Contributed Benefits

• Medical/Health Insurance  
• Employee Life Insurance  
• Florida Retirement System  
• Employee Assistance Program

• Dental Insurance  
• Vision Insurance
• Supplemental & Dependent Life Insurance
• Deferred Retirement Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Roth IRA
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Computer Purchase Program

NOTE: For detailed information regarding available benefits click here.

You may also view Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding benefits. 

• FLORIDA RETIREMENT SYSTEM (FRS) The Florida Retirement System is a retirement plan designed to provide an income to a vested employee and his/her family when the employee retires, becomes partially or totally disabled, or dies prior to retirement.  A defined benefit or defined contribution option may be chosen by the employee.
• TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Permanent, full-time employees are eligible for educational assistance funds. Contact the Human Resources Office for program details.
• HOLIDAYS Holidays are as follows: 

1. New Years Day  
2. Martin Luther King Day  
3. Memorial Day  
4. Juneteenth
5. Independence Day  
6. Labor Day  
7. Veterans' Day  
8. Thanksgiving Day  
9. Friday following Thanksgiving  
10. Christmas Eve (IAFF*)  
11. Christmas Day  
12. Additional Christmas Holiday (All non-IAFF employees)  
13. 2 Floating Holidays  (All non- IAFF employees)

*IAFF – International Association of FirefightersPay periods are every two weeks, Monday through Sunday. Payday is Friday. International Association of Firefighters follow the General Contract 7k regarding holidays.

Vacation Leave – Generous vacation accrual rates with payout of unused accrued leave, with some restrictions. For more detailed information regarding vacation leave refer to Employee Policy Manual, Section 7-2.

Sick leave is earned at a rate of 4 hours per pay period by all permanent, full-time employees*. At the end of each fiscal year, eligible employees can convert up to 10 days of accrued sick leave to vacation leave on a 2:1 basis. For more detailed information regarding sick leave refer to Employee Policy Manual, Section 7-3 *Accruals slightly different for IAFF employee.