Certified Peer Support Specialist (Mental Health Worker III) ID-7338

THE OPPORTUNITIES
The immediate vacancies are within the Crisis Assessment Team (CAT) program.
The Certified Peer Support Specialist (Mental Health Worker III) assigned to CAT will serve as a Client or Family Peer Support Specialist and will be responsible for providing peer support, crisis intervention and assistance to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

Other Jobs You May Be Interested In

Remote Data Entry, No Experience, $40/hr, Part-Time
Virtual Assistant, $45/hr, Remote, No Experience, Night Job
Entry-Level Remote Data Entry, $50/hr, Evening Job
Customer Support, No Degree, $40/hr, Remote, Weekend Job
Remote Phone Job, $42/hr, Part-Time, College Student Friendly
Virtual Assistant, $40/hr, Remote, No Degree, Night Job
Part-Time Data Entry, $45/hr, Remote, College Student Friendly
Remote Moderator, No Degree, $50/hr, Evening, Weekend Job
Remote Customer Support, $42/hr, Night Job, No Experience
Live Chat Support, $40/hr, Remote, Entry Level, Part-Time
Virtual Assistant, Remote, $42/hr, Weekend, No Experience
Remote Data Entry, $45/hr, No Degree, Night Shift
Part-Time Customer Support, $40/hr, Remote, College Student
Remote Live Chat, $50/hr, Part-Time, Evening/Night Job
Entry Level Phone Job, $42/hr, Remote, No Degree Required
Weekend Data Entry, $45/hr, Remote, No Experience
Remote Virtual Assistant, $40/hr, Evening, Part-Time Job
Remote Moderator, $42/hr, Part-Time, Weekend, No Degree
Data Entry, $45/hr, Remote, Night Shift, College Student Job
Phone Support, Remote, $50/hr, No Experience, Part-Time
Virtual Assistant, No Experience, $42/hr, Remote, Weekend
Remote Customer Support, $45/hr, Part-Time, College Student
Data Entry, Remote, $40/hr, Night Shift, No Degree
Evening Virtual Assistant, Remote, $45/hr, No Experience
Weekend Customer Support, $42/hr, Remote, College Student
Remote Data Entry, $50/hr, No Experience, Evening/Night Job
Remote Live Chat, $40/hr, Part-Time, No Degree Required
Virtual Assistant, $42/hr, Remote, Weekend, Entry Level
Remote Phone Support, $45/hr, Evening, No Experience Required
Data Entry, No Experience, $50/hr, Remote, College Student
Remote Moderator, $40/hr, Weekend, No Degree, Part-Time
Live Chat Support, Remote, $42/hr, Night Shift, College Student
Phone Job, $50/hr, Remote, No Degree, Part-Time, Weekend
Data Entry, $45/hr, Remote, Evening, No Experience Required
Virtual Assistant, No Experience, $42/hr, Remote, Part-Time
Remote Customer Support, $50/hr, Night Shift, No Degree
Remote Data Entry, $40/hr, College Student Friendly, Part-Time
Live Chat Support, $42/hr, Weekend, Remote, No Degree
Virtual Assistant, Remote, $45/hr, Evening, No Experience
Remote Phone Job, $50/hr, College Student, Night Shift
Remote Moderator, $42/hr, Weekend, No Experience Required
Data Entry, No Degree, $45/hr, Part-Time, Remote Job
Customer Support, $50/hr, Remote, Evening/Night Job, No Degree
Virtual Assistant, $42/hr, Remote, Weekend, No Degree
Remote Live Chat, $45/hr, College Student, No Experience
Remote Data Entry, $40/hr, Part-Time, No Degree Required
Phone Support, $50/hr, Weekend, Remote, No Experience
Virtual Assistant, $42/hr, Evening, Remote, No Degree
Remote Customer Support, $45/hr, No Experience, Part-Time
Data Entry, $50/hr, Night Job, No Degree, Remote
Remote Moderator, $40/hr, College Student Friendly, Part-Time
Virtual Assistant, Remote, $42/hr, Weekend, No Experience
Remote Phone Job, $45/hr, Part-Time, No Degree Required
Customer Support, $50/hr, Night Job, Remote, No Experience
Data Entry, Remote, $42/hr, Evening Job, No Degree
Live Chat Support, $45/hr, Weekend, Remote, College Student
Virtual Assistant, Remote, $50/hr, Part-Time, Night Shift
Data Entry, $40/hr, No Experience, Remote, Weekend Job
Remote Phone Job, $45/hr, No Degree, College Student Friendly
Customer Support, $42/hr, Remote, Evening, No Experience
Virtual Assistant, $50/hr, Weekend, No Degree, Remote
Remote Data Entry, $40/hr, Part-Time, College Student Job
Phone Support, Remote, $42/hr, Evening/Night Shift
Virtual Assistant, No Degree, $45/hr, Remote, Part-Time
Live Chat Support, $50/hr, Remote, No Experience Required
Remote Moderator, $42/hr, College Student, Weekend Job
Data Entry, $45/hr, Remote, Night Job, No Degree
Virtual Assistant, $50/hr, Remote, Part-Time, Evening Job
Remote Customer Support, $42/hr, Weekend, No Experience
Phone Job, $45/hr, Remote, Night Shift, No Degree
Remote Live Chat, $50/hr, College Student, No Experience
Data Entry, $40/hr, Part-Time, Remote, Weekend Job
Virtual Assistant, $42/hr, Remote, No Experience, Evening
Remote Phone Support, $45/hr, Night Job, College Student
Remote Moderator, $50/hr, No Degree, Weekend, Part-Time
Virtual Assistant, $40/hr, Remote, Night Shift, No Experience
Customer Support, $42/hr, Remote, Part-Time, No Degree
Remote Data Entry, $45/hr, Weekend Job, College Student
Phone Support, Remote, $50/hr, No Experience, Night Shift
Virtual Assistant, $42/hr, Evening, Remote, College Student
Live Chat Support, $45/hr, Part-Time, Remote, No Degree
Data Entry, $50/hr, Remote, Evening Job, College Student
Virtual Assistant, $40/hr, Weekend, Remote, No Experience
Remote Phone Job, $42/hr, Night Shift, College Student Friendly
Remote Customer Support, $45/hr, No Degree, Evening Job
Virtual Assistant, $50/hr, Part-Time, Remote, Weekend Job
Data Entry, $40/hr, Evening Job, No Experience, Remote
Remote Live Chat, $42/hr, Weekend, No Degree, Part-Time
Virtual Assistant, $45/hr, No Experience, Remote, Night Job
Phone Job, $50/hr, Remote, Part-Time, College Student
Remote Data Entry, $42/hr, Evening/Night Job, No Experience
Remote Moderator, $45/hr, No Degree, Weekend Job, Part-Time
Live Chat Support, $50/hr, Remote, Night Shift, No Degree
Virtual Assistant, $40/hr, Weekend, College Student, Remote
Remote Phone Job, $42/hr, Part-Time, No Experience Required
Remote Data Entry, $45/hr, No Degree, Weekend, Night Job
Virtual Assistant, $50/hr, Evening, Remote, College Student
Customer Support, $42/hr, Weekend Job, Remote, No Degree
Phone Support, $45/hr, Remote, No Experience, Evening Job
Data Entry, $50/hr, Night Shift, No Degree, Remote Job
Virtual Assistant, $45/hr, Remote, No Experience, Night Job
Entry-Level Remote Data Entry, $50/hr, Evening Job
Customer Support, No Degree, $40/hr, Remote, Weekend Job
Remote Phone Job, $42/hr, Part-Time, College Student Friendly
Virtual Assistant, $40/hr, Remote, No Degree, Night Job
Part-Time Data Entry, $45/hr, Remote, College Student Friendly
Remote Moderator, No Degree, $50/hr, Evening, Weekend Job
Remote Customer Support, $42/hr, Night Job, No Experience
Live Chat Support, $40/hr, Remote, Entry Level, Part-Time
Virtual Assistant, Remote, $42/hr, Weekend, No Experience
Remote Data Entry, $45/hr, No Degree, Night Shift
Part-Time Customer Support, $40/hr, Remote, College Student
Remote Live Chat, $50/hr, Part-Time, Evening/Night Job
Entry Level Phone Job, $42/hr, Remote, No Degree Required
Weekend Data Entry, $45/hr, Remote, No Experience
Remote Virtual Assistant, $40/hr, Evening, Part-Time Job
Remote Moderator, $42/hr, Part-Time, Weekend, No Degree
Data Entry, $45/hr, Remote, Night Shift, College Student Job
Phone Support, Remote, $50/hr, No Experience, Part-Time
Virtual Assistant, No Experience, $42/hr, Remote, Weekend
Remote Customer Support, $45/hr, Part-Time, College Student
Data Entry, Remote, $40/hr, Night Shift, No Degree
Evening Virtual Assistant, Remote, $45/hr, No Experience
Weekend Customer Support, $42/hr, Remote, College Student
Remote Data Entry, $50/hr, No Experience, Evening/Night Job
Remote Live Chat, $40/hr, Part-Time, No Degree Required
Virtual Assistant, $42/hr, Remote, Weekend, Entry Level
Remote Phone Support, $45/hr, Evening, No Experience Required
Data Entry, No Experience, $50/hr, Remote, College Student
Remote Moderator, $40/hr, Weekend, No Degree, Part-Time
Live Chat Support, Remote, $42/hr, Night Shift, College Student
Phone Job, $50/hr, Remote, No Degree, Part-Time, Weekend
Data Entry, $45/hr, Remote, Evening, No Experience Required
Virtual Assistant, No Experience, $42/hr, Remote, Part-Time
Remote Customer Support, $50/hr, Night Shift, No Degree
Remote Data Entry, $40/hr, College Student Friendly, Part-Time
 
The Certified Peer Support Specialist will respond to all populations to include Children & Youth, and Adults & Older Adults. When responding to Children and Youth crisis calls the Certified Peer Support Specialist will serve as a Parent or Youth Partner. As a Parent Partner, they will work with youth and their families providing peer support services which may include helping the parent or guardian understand and navigate the crisis such as accessing mental health services and community resources. Referrals and linkages to resources, transportation support, and other related duties will also be provided during the crisis.

The Certified Peer Support Specialist collaborates with other providers of the mobile crisis response teams, including mental health specialists and behavioral health clinicians. They will play a critical role in supporting individuals experiencing behavioral health crisis by offering peer support, sharing lived experience and assisting in de-escalating crisis situations.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & CORE COMPETENCIES

The ideal candidate must be a Certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist by California Mental Health Services Authority. Additionally, the ideal candidate must have lived experience with a mental health condition by at least one of the following options below and be willing to self-identify and share their experiences to assist clients and their family members with their recovery journey.

  • A past or current client of mental health services
  • As a parent/caregiver advocating on behalf of child/youth who is receiving or has received mental health services
  • Providing support to an adult family member in mental health recovery


Mental health recovery refers to recovery from conditions such as major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, Serious Emotional Disturbance (for youth) and other such conditions. It does not include developmental disorders such as cognitive disorders such as dementia or Alzheimer's Disease. For some Parent/Youth Partner positions, lived experience with the Juvenile Justice or Child Welfare System, either directly or as a parent/caregiver is highly desirable.
 
 Experience working with the target population (children/youth and their parents/caregivers, adults or older adults) is highly desirable. 
 
Bilingual skills in the following languages are also highly desirable: Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Arabic, and Farsi. The candidates selected for these positions must also possess a valid California driver’s license as they will need to drive to various sites in the community to provide services and attend appointments with clients.
 
In addition, the ideal candidate will possess extensive knowledge and/or experience in the following competencies:
 

Professional and Technical Expertise 
  • Understanding of recovery and resilience and peer support practices within the behavioral health context
  • Providing client services in the field/community
  • Providing consistent and reinforcing support, guidance and concrete assistance to clients
  • Understanding and utilizing crisis protocols to help client manage acute episodes of behavioral, emotional, and psychological distress
  • Managing crises by de-escalating the crisis, conducting non-clinical assessment services and interventions, and providing advocacy and support
  • Assisting clients in developing and activating self-management plans, psychiatric advance directives, relapse prevention strategies, and crisis prevention strategies
  • Promoting knowledge of personal recovery and resilience when appropriate, to help educate clients, family members, parents/caregivers (Children & Youth) and team members in recovery principles, modeling and providing consultations
  • Meeting with clients, family members and parents/caregivers (Children & Youth) to assess needs and assist in the development and implementation of crisis safety plans.
  • Using a computer to complete program forms, prepare reports, log data, and track referrals and linkages

Building and Maintaining Relationships 

  • Establishing meaningful relationships with clients, family members and parents/caregivers, creating a safe and welcoming space
  • Maintaining frequent contact with clients to develop trust with the target population
  • Acting as a role model for clients, family members and parents/caregivers, and recognize the value of every individual's recovery experience
  • Providing assistance and guidance to clients, family members and parents/caregivers and help

Oral Communication | Listening

  • Communicating issues effectively while building relationships with participants, referral sources, and treatment team members
  • Using respectful, person-centered, recovery-oriented language in written and verbal interactions with clients, their family members, community members, and others
  • Presenting information clearly and concisely in person and/or in writing
  • Delivering the right amount of information in the time given and varying style and tone to fit the purpose and audience
  • Picking up on nuances in tone and meaning and attentive to non-verbal cues and body language
  • Maintaining confidentiality of clients, records, and information

Customer Focus | Teamwork

  • Providing personalized peer support
  • Attending collaborative meetings with other service providers, team members, and other peer support specialists to share information, discuss best practices, and case conference
  • Collaborating and coordinating with other providers, community organizations, family members and other natural supports to achieve shared goals
  • Developing and assessing recovery goals; help remove barriers to access
  • Providing reassurance to clients in distress or crises

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Click here to learn more about minimum qualifications for Mental Health Worker III. NOTE: Foreign degrees require an evaluation of U.S. equivalency by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Services (N.A.C.E.S.). 

Physical Characteristics
Possess vision sufficient to read standard text and a computer monitor; speak and hear well enough to communicate clearly and understandably in person to individuals and groups and over the telephone; possess body mobility to stand, sit, walk, stoop and bend routinely to perform daily tasks and to access a standard office environment; possess manual dexterity sufficient to use hands, arms and shoulders repetitively to operate a keyboard, utilize office equipment and to write. Ability to operate a motor vehicle.
 
Mental Requirements
Possess the ability to independently reason logically to analyze data, reach conclusions and make recommendations; possess the ability to remain calm and appropriately focused in rapidly changing and difficult situations involving conflict, complex issues, controversy and diverse stakeholder groups and interests; possess the ability to deal calmly and effectively with emotional interactions.
 
Environmental Conditions
Will be required to interact with clients and their family members in the field experiencing elevated emotional states and experiencing behavioral health crisis. The position is primarily field based, responding to behavioral health crisis in various settings such as home, schools and the community. The position involves shift work, which could include weekends and evenings to ensure round the clock support for individuals in crisis.  
 
RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Human Resource Services (HRS) will screen all application materials to identify qualified applicants. After screening, qualified applicants will be referred to the next step in the recruitment process. All applicants will be notified via e-mail of their status in the process.


Application Screening (Refer/Non-Refer)

Applications and supplemental responses will be screened for qualifications that are highly desirable and most needed to successfully perform the duties of this job. Only those applicants that meet the qualifications as listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step.

Structured Oral Interview | SOI (Weighted 100%)
Applicants will be interviewed and rated by a panel of job knowledge experts. Each applicant's rating will be based on responses to a series of structured questions designed to elicit the applicant's qualifications for the job.  The competencies being assessed are as follows:

  • Professional & Technical Expertise (17.71%)
  • Building & Maintaining Relationships (17.71%)
  • Oral Communication (17.71%)
  • Listening (17.25%)
  • Customer Focus (15.20%)
  • Teamwork (14.43%)
Back to blog

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...