Peer Support Specialist, Parent + Caregivers

Guided Pathways Support for Youth & Families • Full-time • Kent, Washington, United States • $26.50 / year • 1d ago

Description

Note - this position is for a Peer Support Specialist, Parent + Caregivers at Guided Pathways Support for Youth and Families (GPS) ; CL Strategic, a consulting firm, is facilitating the hiring process.

About Guided Pathways Support

Guided Pathways Support for Youth and Families (GPS) is a family-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to families helping families across King County. Guided by our mission to empower those navigating behavioral health and substance use challenges, we provide trauma-informed, peer-led support that centers on family voice and choice. Our team of certified peer counselors leverage their lived experience to model hope and possibility, providing one-to-one support, resource navigation, and strength-based advocacy that helps families achieve lasting wellness and resilience.

Position Summary

The Peer Support Specialist, Parent + Caregivers provides direct, peer-to-peer support to parents and caregivers navigating behavioral and mental health challenges within their families. This full-time role centers building trusting relationships, offering encouragement, and connecting families to resources. This role is expected to maintain an active caseload of 8–10 peers at a time and as assigned, engage in consistent peer outreach and support, and participate in organizational training and events as a representative of Guided Pathways Support.

Key Responsibilities

Peer Support

Provide trauma-informed, culturally relevant, flexible and accessible peer support to parents and caregivers of youth using behavioral health services in King County, Washington, as assigned, for 8-10 families at a time
Maintain consistent communication to peers through phone calls, texts, virtual meetings, or in-person check-ins
Provide referrals to King County Behavioral Health System, the Children's Administration, and other child-serving systems as needed
Share with parents/caregivers effective advocacy tools and resources for receiving support from these systems
Ensure all peer encounters are documented after each occurrence and reported upon monthly using Guided Pathways’ tools and systems
Actively follow and adhere to GPS’s current reporting policy and procedure, including reporting frequency, deadlines, and content requirements, to support the organization’s ability to meet their contract deliverables
Adhere to confidentiality standards and HIPAA guidelines when handling peer information
Stay up-to-date on GPS’s current policy and procedures for client referrals and accurately communicate relevant information with others
Conduct and share ongoing research and community connections to learn about resources, services, and organizations in King County and surrounding counties that support yourself, your peers and your colleagues
Practice and model self-care and leadership strategies that support your ongoing wellbeing and life-work balance as a Peer Support Specialist!

Organizational + Community Engagement

Attend community events and health/resource fairs as a representative of Guided Pathways Support, as scheduled and requested
Facilitate or co-facilitate training workshops with other GPS staff, as assigned
Attend and actively participate in other weekly GPS facilitated trainings
Participate in team meetings and external community learning opportunities related to child and family mental health, trauma-informed practices, and equity, as your schedule permits or is requested by your supervisor
Attend and participate in staff meetings
Attend any trainings or continuing education courses required by GPS and Washington State’s HCA related to maintaining your active certified peer support specialist status
Enroll in additional trainings and/or certifications, as discussed with your supervisor, that enhance your ability to provide comprehensive support to your peers

Qualifications

Required

Meaningful, personal experience navigating multi-system behavioral health Systems of Care within King County
Lived experience providing care to someone with behavioral health challenges, disability, developmental delays, and / or substance use disorder
3-5 years of relevant experience serving in a peer-support role
Demonstrated familiarity with Children’s Long-term Inpatient Program (CLIP) and Development Disabilities Case Services (DDCS)
Strong written and verbal communication skills

Preferred

Existing + active Certified Peer Counselor (CPC) or Certified Peer Specialist (CPSS) certification within Washington
Demonstrated familiarity with Youth and Young Adult Housing Response Team (YART)

Benefits

Health Insurance: GPS offers 100% employer coverage of medical, dental, and vision insurance for staff and 50% employer coverage for up to two qualified dependents
Paid Time Off: Full-time employees accrue 16 hours of paid time off per month (up to 192 hours per year) plus fourteen paid holidays per year

Work Laptop + Work Cell Phone: All staff receive a work laptop and work cell phone to communicate internally and with their peers.

How to apply send resume and cover letter to Sarah Andrews

sandrews@guidedpathways.org.