Peer Support Specialist

firsthand supports individuals living with SMI (serious mental illness). Our holistic approach includes a team of peer recovery specialists, benefits specialists and clinicians. Our teams focus on meeting each individual where they are and walking with them side by side as a trusted guide and partner on their journey to better health.

firsthand's team members use their lived experience to build trust with these individuals and support them in reconnecting to the healthcare they need, while minimizing inappropriate healthcare utilization. Together with our health plan partners, we are changing the way our society supports those most impacted by SMI.

We are cultivating a team of deeply passionate problem-solvers to tackle significant and complex healthcare challenges with us. This is more than a job—it's a calling. Every day, you will engage in work that resonates with purpose, gain wisdom from motivated colleagues, and thrive in an environment that celebrates continuous learning, creativity, and fun.

We named our company firsthand because we believe that lived, or “first-hand,” experience is incredibly valuable to gain trust and build relationships. The firsthand Guide is a critical role in our peer-led model, responsible for outreach, engagement, and ongoing support of individuals living with serious mental illness to achieve and maintain behavioral and physical health and wellness. Trust is an essential element in successfully engaging people who have withdrawn from, or never received, services and supports that can improve their quality of life. 

The firsthand guide (a blended CPRS and Community Health Worker role) applies a hands-on approach to outreach, engagement, and ongoing support to address health related social needs (HRSN) to improve self-management of chronic conditions and navigation of the healthcare system. The firsthand Guide leverages their knowledge of the community and shared life experience to inform their interactions with the community members we serve. They serve as an essential member of the multi-disciplinary care team by partnering closely and collaborating with other firsthand roles such as the Health Guide (e.g. Nurse Practitioner) and the central support team (Benefit Support Specialists) to drive social stability, sustained recovery, and optimal health outcomes for the communities we serve.

Focusing on support and services that promote whole health and reinforce autonomy, the firsthand Guide will help empower individuals to participate in their own care. firsthand Guides are empathetic, supportive, and highly trained and experienced individuals with first-hand knowledge of living with a psychiatric and/or substance use disorder and are familiar with the intricacies of navigating a complex system of healthcare and community resources. 

This description is intended to cover the high level of the roles and responsibilities of a firsthand Guide. However, it is not an exhaustive list, and is subject to change.

• Perform community outreach to individuals with serious mental illness, including visiting their homes and other locations within the local community where they spend time, such as clubhouses, drop-in centers, homeless shelters, hospitals, and emergency departments. 
• Empower individuals to identify and pursue their personal recovery goals by modeling and teaching safe and healthy coping strategies.
• Engage in care coordination to identify health related social needs and connect individuals with local resources to address needs. 
• Assist with gathering information required for obtaining benefits and services and facilitate warm hand-offs to other team members for assistance in navigating SSI/SSDI benefits and self-management support.
• Address immediate follow-up needs identified by care team providers such as hospital post-discharge follow-up and support.
• Promote and monitor individuals' adherence with their care plan and provide motivational interviewing to support medication and treatment adherence.

• Empathy, compassion, and approachability 
• A flexible, growth mindset
• You embrace change and new ways of trying things
• Excellent listening, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Personal knowledge of recovery
• Patience and persistence
• Desire to help people in need and support their path to wellness
• Comfort working as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Intermediate computer skills

• Lived experience with SMI and/or SUD
• Qualified as a Community Health OR eligible and willing to complete coursework within first 3 months and pursue certification as soon as possible but no later than 1 year of employment
• Ability to operate a vehicle including a driver’s license that is active and in good standing; must be eligible to drive under
• Company insurance policy Intermediate working knowledge using Google Workspace Programs specifically Gmail, Sheets, and Docs
• Exceptional communication & interpersonal skills with the ability to build rapport with internal and external customers and stakeholders
• Decision making skills regarding own work approach/priorities, and work assignments, standards and resources
• Ability to multi-task and work in a very fast-paced environment
• Strong understanding and respect of all cultures and demographic diversity

• Prior experience performing direct in-person outreach and engaging individuals with SMI
• Currently holds Peer Recovery Specialist Certification Expertise in recovery education and coaching
• Knowledge of a whole health approach to peer support
• Knowledge of a trauma-informed approach to peer support
• Knowledge of local community resources, behavioral health system, and criminal justice system, including mental health and drug courts
• Desire to learn more about a broad range of health conditions

• While performing the essential duties of this job, employees are required to frequently stand, sit, walk, crouch and use their hands to type, feel, handle and pick up objects
• Employees are occasionally required to climb stairs and balance; reach with their arms; stoop, bend, kneel, and lift up to 15 pounds
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

Benefits 

For full-time employees, our compensation package includes base, equity (or a special incentive program for clinical roles) and performance bonus potential. Our benefits include physical and mental health, dental, vision, 401(k) with a match, 16 weeks parental leave for either parent, 15 days/year vacation in your first year (this increases to 20 days/year in your second year and beyond), and a supportive and inclusive culture.

Vaccination Policy

Employment with firsthand is contingent upon attesting to medical clearance requirements, which include, but may not be limited to: evidence of vaccination for/immunity to COVID-19, Hepatitis B, Influenza, MMR, Chickenpox, Tetanus and Diphtheria. All employees of firsthand are required to receive these vaccinations on a cadence/frequency as advised by the CDC, whereas not otherwise prohibited by state law.

New hires may submit for consideration a request to be exempted from these requirements (based on a valid religious or medical reason) via forms provided by firsthand. Such requests will be subject to review and approval by the Company, and exemptions will be granted only if the Company can provide a reasonable accommodation in relation to the requested exemption. Note that approvals for reasonable accommodations are reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis and availability of a reasonable accommodation is not guaranteed.

Unfortunately, we are not able to offer sponsorship at this time.