Consumer Inclusion Coordinator - Behavioral Health System Baltimore : Job Details

The Consumer Inclusion Coordinator works with the Special Populations team to integrate persons with lived experience of addiction and/or mental illness into behavioral health programs and initiatives to improve access to care, quality of care, and accountability to persons served. The position plans and implements strategies and events by directly engaging and supporting people with lived experience in their peer role. This position works within the Programs department. Programs works to develop and manage a range of early intervention, treatment and recovery services for individuals and families with mental illness and/or substance use disorders. The department oversees services within the larger Medicaid fee-for-service system, as well as those directly funded by BHSB through private and public grants, including child and family services, peer support services, medication-assisted treatment, criminal justice diversion, and crisis services for youth and adults. The team collaborates with providers, city and state agencies, and other system partners to implement best practice programming and new or innovative pilots.Essential FunctionsConsumer Engagement and Communication:•Directly engage persons with lived experience of recovery from addiction or mental illness ( peers ) as well as people directly impacted by those who use drugs and/or alcohol and people with mental health issues who don't identify as being in recovery (collectively referred to here as People with Lived Experience or PWLE).•Directly engage persons who might not otherwise learn about peer work, such as persons experiencing homelessness, persons engaged in sex work, persons involved in the criminal justice system, and others.•Develop and implement a communications strategy to ensure Baltimore-based PWLE have timely access to relevant information, including management of a peer e-mail list.•Plan and implement networking events for PWLE, community health workers, and allies.Consumer Support and Training:•Support PWLE in finding paid and volunteer work in the behavioral health field.•Educate PWLE on the process of how to become a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS).•Support peers in the certification process, including identifying volunteer opportunities to help meet the volunteer hours requirement.•Coordinate and facilitate trainings for peers that contribute towards the CEUs required for certification, including but not limited to:•Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery - Recovery Coach Academy (CCAR-RCA)•Intentional Peer Support (IPS)•Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)•Ethics•Advocacy, and•SMART Recovery.•Increase the number of certified peers in Baltimore City.Consumer Inclusion and Systems Improvement:•Educate prospective employers and supervisors on the value of peers and peer roles and responsibilities, and where needed, provide technical assistance (e.g. advising on job descriptions and training plans).•Source and disseminate peer employment opportunities,•Increase the number of Registered Peer Supervisors (RPS) in Baltimore City and increase the proportion of peer positions that report to an RPS.•Act as a liaison between the local behavioral health system and the peer certification board.•Collaborate with local and state entities to expand and improve peer services.•Participate in initiatives to improve access to (or quality of) behavioral health care, particularly initiatives focused on underserved populations (e.g. older adults, pregnant women, persons experiencing homelessness, overdose survivors).•Provide expertise on how roles for PWLE could advance those initiatives.•Support initiatives in creating a framework to include PWLE (e.g. volunteer roles, job descriptions), with an emphasis on including PWLE whose experiences most closely match the experiences of the target population served.•Support initiatives in creating roles where PWLE have decision-making capacity.•Support initiatives in implementing the planned framework (e.g. helping find people with matched lived experience or who have an interest in the subject matter).•Collaboratively develop a vision and support implementation of a plan for improving inclusion of PWLE in the Behavioral Health System.•Provide data and analysis on inclusion efforts.•Provide support to other efforts to support and mobilize PWLE in alignment with the priorities of the public behavioral health system.Other: •Work effectively and collaboratively with others, both internally and externally to BHSB.•Uphold and operationalize the values of BHSB, which are Integrity, Equity, Innovation, Collaboration and Quality.•Consistently work to apply a lens of equity, inclusion and anti-racism.•Serve as part of BHSB's disaster response team as needed, in any capacity that is needed. •To perform assigned work functions, this position and those it supervises may have access to protected health information (PHI). It is expected that the employee will operate from a place of integrity and assume an ethical obligation to protect the security and confidentiality of all PHI in accordance with BHSB's policies.•An offer of employment for this position at BHSB is contingent upon the results of a thorough background check, including criminal history, which will require prior authorization from the candidate. •Perform other duties as assigned. Experience and Education•A bachelor's degree in a related field is preferred but not required•Five years experience working in a behavioral health field.•Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) is preferred.•Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the following principles and practices and provide leadership to efforts to advance these within the public behavioral health system:•Racial Equity, health disparities, and cultural competency•Integrated care and coordination of care•Self-determination, client-centered care, harm reduction, and Housing First•Parity and access to care•Chronic care management•Demonstrate unconditional positive regard for others and a non-judgmental and person-centered approach to problem-solving.•Demonstrate cultural competence and a commitment to equity.•Develop workplans and processes to execute complex tasks.•Organize, track, and effectively prioritize a large number of simultaneous tasks.•Maintain flexibility to changing priorities and processes.•Communicate and collaborate effectively in an interdisciplinary, culturally diverse, team-based work environment.•Demonstrate detailed knowledge of the behavioral health system.•Intermediate expertise in using technology to support work processes, including but not limited to Microsoft 365 programs.•Excellent written and verbal communication skills.•Ability to interact in a hybrid/virtual environment •Proficient using Microsoft Office Suite Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPointSupervisory Requirements: This position has no supervisory responsibilities.Typical Physical/Mental Demands and Working Conditions:This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. This is largely a sedentary role, however, some moving about the office is required which would require the ability to move files, carry office supplies, open filing cabinets and bend or stand as necessary.This role may require travel to other locations for meetings and other business-related needs. Ability to travel locally 70% of the time is required. It is important to have access to some form of transportation to travel to off-site meetings, conferences, and site visits.Employment PhilosophyBHSB is organizationally committed to creating and maintaining a workplace in which everyone feels that they are treated with dignity, fairness and respect. Every employee has the right to work in an environment free of harassment and discriminatory conduct. BHSB encourages open and honest discussion between all employees and with supervisors and leadership.BHSB respects and values diversity and is committed to creating a culture that is inclusive. BHSB is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and intentionally works to build a justice oriented, anti-racist and inclusive culture. It is the policy of BHSB to administer all phases of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, employment, promotion, placement, transfer, compensation, benefits, professional development practices, termination and other employment related practices without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, marital status, disability, pregnancy, military/veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information or any other legally protected status. BHSB's policies, procedures and other processes, together with this job description, set expectations and serve to guide employees' work activities. Employees should refer to these to understand their work and organizational requirements. All questions are welcome and should be directed to the supervisor or Human Resources.