Peer Health Navigator, CCBHC

The Peer Health Navigator (Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic) CCBHC provides peer support and care coordination aimed at assisting individuals who are experiencing serious mental illness with health and wellness goals, with a focus on obtaining health care services. The Peer Health Navigator utilizes and discusses personal experiences regarding his or her recovery from mental illness when providing services to promote recovery and healthy living. This role engages participants by compassionately and collaboratively assessing participant needs and goals, personal strengths, addressing barriers to wellness, providing linkage to services and resources, and developing plans to achieve wellness goals.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:

• Empowers members to find solutions for health problems and concerns.
• Collaborates with participants in creating a plan to address the participant's physical health and wellness goals.
• Compiles and shares healthcare and wellness resources in CCBHC communities of focus.
• Assists members with obtaining access to healthcare resources including navigating through systems of healthcare and social services and accompanying participants to appointments.
• Works with participants through peer support and frequent communication, utilizing relationship building, selective self-disclosure, motivational interviewing, and a strengths-based approach.
• Participates in weekly supervision, meetings, conferences, and committees as assigned.
• Provides basic advocacy, assessment and planning of health care services.
• Assists participants in collaborating with community health and social service providers and partner agencies to identify barriers and service gaps.
• As needed, works with all members in the cohort to assure appointments are kept and prescriptions are filled.
• Electronically documents services provided to caseload.
• Completes the NOMS (National Outcome Measures) and submits them timely.
• Maintains a shared caseload of participants.
• Ability to engage individuals who are experiencing mental illness and substance use.
• Ability to work with vulnerable populations in a non-judgmental manner and to work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Awareness and sharing of own individual life experience and its impact on health care participation and physical health goals. Able to share this experience with participants served to help meet their own goals.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; basic computer skills sufficient to document services and navigate electronic health systems and resources.
• Ability to transport self to and from off-site locations.
• Other duties as assigned

• Use of a personal vehicle is preferred. Must obtain and maintain $100,000/$300,000/$100,000 bodily injury and liability insurance for their car. Subject to validation every six months.
• Works flexible schedule including work on weekends or evenings as required.

• High school diploma required, or equivalent.
• At least six months of previous volunteer or work experience providing support to people with serious mental illness is required.
• Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) licensure preferred.

• Life challenges from mental illness (including trauma) and experience with treatment for these challenges.
• Willingness to disclose life challenges from mental illness in order to help program participants.
• Experience with and appreciation of the health and human service needs of vulnerable populations.
• Experience with successfully navigating community and health care system resources.
• Personal experience with physical health challenges is preferred.

• Competitive pay - Base pay: $20.75/hour / $43,160 annually
  
  
  
  • Subject to increase based on education and experience
  
  
  
  
• Generous PTO (9 federal holidays, 8 days of sick leave, 15-22 days personal and vacation)
• Dental insurance, vision insurance,choice of 4 medical insurance plans
• 403(b) retirement plan with 3% employer match
• Robust employee assistance program (EAP)
• Public service loan forgiveness
• Supervision for clinical licensure at no cost (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC)

Thresholds is a mission-driven agency with a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We foster an environment where all feel valued and respected, a place where every employee can be themselves, thrive, and support the agency's mission. Click here to learn more.

One of the oldest and largest community mental health organizations in Illinois, we pride ourselves in being a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace and one of Chicago's 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For, several years in a row.