Job Description

St. Patrick Center provides opportunities for self-sufficiency and dignity to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Individuals and families build permanent, positive change in their lives through safe and affordable housing, sound mental and physical health, and employment and financial stability. 

Working collaboratively with individuals, businesses, government and other service providers, St. Patrick Center will end chronic homelessness in the St. Louis region through Housing First, an evidence-based practice that tells us to remove barriers, do intake and assessment early, move people into housing and offer them support to achieve their goals. 

Position Summary

St. Patrick Center, a ministry of Catholic Charities, is hiring a Rural Counties Peer Support Specialist to join our Support Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program. The peer support specialist will be primarily based out of our Festus, MO location and will act as role model to veteran families while traveling extensively within the regions of Warren, St. Charles, St. Francois, Franklin, Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson counties of Missouri. The specialist will meet with clients and collaborate with the Rural Counties team to track the success of the client's housing goals, engage case managers to coordinate services and provider involvement, and document all support-related activities and services. The core working hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM. 

Overview and Responsibilities

• Contribute to the ideas and processes of the case management team.
• Use a peer-to-peer approach to build a rapport with clients.
• Provide emotional and informational support to clients as they work towards their goals.
• Receive referrals from case managers for clients who need mentoring, or advocacy, in regard to substance use recovery, mental health or other identified needs.
• Help clients become independent.
• Support clients in their recovery from mental illness, addiction and/or homelessness
• Assist clients in connecting with VA or community resources when necessary.
• Research additional benefits that are available to clients in order to enhance client services.
• Work closely with case managers and assist them with mutual clients as needed.
• Assess clients to determine program eligibility.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge and Experience Requirements

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Peer Support Certification or obtain Peer Support Certified within 6 months of hire date.
• Associate degree preferred.
• Life experience overcoming substance use, mental health and/or homelessness preferred.
• Veteran status preferred.

Skills and Competencies Required

• Requires driver license (MO residents require Class E)
• Requires valid and current auto insurance.
• Requires reliable vehicle.
• Ability to be a positive role model for clients.
• Ability to communicate clearly and accurately.
• Ability to provide support and education to clients.
• Open to learning new service ideas and methods.
• Willingness to take on new tasks.
• Ability to work in a team setting.
• Ability to maintain healthy work and personal boundaries.
• Ability to handle confidential information.
• Ability to remain calm in stressful situations.
• Work a minimum of 37.5 hours a week.

Resources for Which Accountable

• None

St. Patrick Center does not discriminate on the basis of handicapped status in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its federally assisted programs and activities. St. Patrick Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, or disability. 


Pre-Employment Screening 
All candidates receiving an employment offer must submit a pre-employment screening. The screenings will include criminal background check and other background checks (as needed), Family Care Safety Registration, drug screen, and an employment and education or licensure/certification verification. Various positions will require physical examination, Tuberculosis screening and Hepatitis A. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening. 

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