Peer Support Specialists are people living in recovery with mental illness and / or substance abuse and who provide support to others whom can benefit from their lived experiences. The North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialist Program provides acknowledgment that the peer has met a set of requirements necessary to provide support to individuals with mental health or substance abuse issues.

Provide crisis response for recipient 24/7/365.

To provide immediate telephonic response to assess crisis and determine the risk, mental status, medical stability and appropriate response; provide face-to-face response as needed.

Develop a Crisis Plan before discharge for recipients new to the public service system and/or make revisions to existing crisis plan components in Person Centered Plans, as appropriate.

Obtain authorization after the first 32 units of service are rendered for additional services.

Complete documentation of a daily full service note for each day/event service is provided. All documentation must be completed on the day the service is provided and completed in BLACK INK only. Use of “white-out” is not acceptable.

Provide coordination of movement across levels of care, directly to the person and the family and coordinate discharge planning and community re-entry following hospitalization, residential services and other levels.

Monitor and manage the presenting psychiatric and/or addiction symptoms.

Provide linkage to appropriate services to include transportation if needed.

Provide supervision to Peer Support Paraprofessionals.

In a timely manner and as required, forward documentation to designated staff.

Help maintain the self-respect, personal dignity and physical safety of each recipient.

Work cooperatively with all other staff and relate favorably to recipients and families.

Attend all mandatory staff meetings and consumer conferences or give advance notice to the Mobile Crisis Management Director or Designee as to reasons for inability to attend.

Receive supervision by the Mobile Crisis Management Director or Designee. 

Report any changes in consumer’s condition, family situation, or needs to the appropriate personnel.

Report any accident or incident to the Mobile Crisis Management Director or Designee.

Report to Mobile Crisis Management Director or Designee any suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of recipients.

Be familiar with TA, Inc. policies and procedures including the securing of emergency services and the regulations concerning medication administration.

Be familiar with HIPAA regulations and abide by them.

Assure consumer’s rights are met and maintain consumer confidentiality at all times.

Operate office equipment as necessary, i.e. calculator, copier, computer, fax, etc.

Obtain and keep current all training required by the agency.  Understand that failure to renew classes by their due date will result in being removed from the schedule.

Perform other duties as required by cirmcumstances.                                                                       

Individuals may qualify to become Certified Peer Support Specialists in North Carolina by meeting the following application criteria:

• Be a current or former consumer of mental health and/or substance abuse services.
• Have a minimum of 1 year of demonstrated recovery time between diagnosis and application as PSS.
• Be at the least 18 years of age.
• Have attended and successfully completed a Division of MH/DD/SAS approved 40 hour Peer Support Specialist training curriculum and have a valid certificate from that training.
• Have completed an additional 20 hours of training and have valid certificates verifying attendance and participation.  These trainings should compliment the type of service/program the individual will be working. (Training such as, but not limited to, Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP), Person Centered Thinking, Personal Assistance in Community Existence (PACE), Crisis Prevention).
• Have submitted two (2) Personal Reference Forms completed by two (2) individuals, according to state requirements.

Must have a minimum of one (1) year’s experience in providing crisis management services in the following settings:  assertive outreach, assertive community treatment, emergency department or other service providing 24/7 response in emergent or urgent situations and 20 hours of training in appropriate crisis intervention strategies within the first 90 days of employment. We will need to be able to confirm through references.

QP -

Holds license, certificate, registration or permit issued by a governing board regulating a human service profession (except nursing, which requires 4 years licensed experience).

A Master’s prepared individual with a degree in a human service area with one year of experience 

working with individuals within disciplines after the degree.

A Bachelor’s prepared individual with degree in a human service area with two years of experience working with

individuals with persons within disciplines after degree. 

A Bachelor’s prepared individual with a degree in an area other than a human service field who has 4 years of                 

experience in working with individuals within disciplines after degree.