Position Summary:

The Peer Support Specialist serves as a member of the Prevention team of WestCare Tennessee and works to ensure the delivery of quality services to the individuals served in the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant (SSPGF). This role provides suicide prevention, awareness, and program linkage to eligible veterans and their families. The Peer Support Specialist position will have designated counties from the following ten counties: Greene, Hamblen, Cocke, Jefferson, Sevier, Knox, Morgan, Roane, Loudon, and Cumberland counties.

Essential Job Functions:

Support program alignment with the VA’s National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide (2018) Serve as primary outreach liaison in designated county service area to market and bring visibility to the SSPGF program in the community, veteran service programs, military personnel and eligible veterans and their families. Build rapport as first initial contact with eligible veterans and/or families in the community to complete program intake and assessment process. Provide peer support on sustaining and maintaining trust with veterans and/or family during the initial meetings or requested times by SSPGF Case Manager or Family Intervention specialist. After completing the initial intake make referral to SSPGF program Case Manager and/or Family Intervention Specialist for additional services. Assist eligible veterans and their families with accessing community resources, employment (job readiness, resume and job search), housing assistance, and other needed veteran services in collaboration with the Case Manager.  Schedule presentations in designated counties with community stakeholders and Veteran Services and/or Groups providing program literature and suicide prevention materials. Coordinate and attend scheduled community events or meetings to promote SSPGF program to initiate contact with potential eligible veterans and their families. Attend necessary monthly integrated staff team meetings in coordinating the care and services for each enrolled veteran and their families. Maintain strong professional relationships with veteran organizations and other community agencies to receive referrals and utilize office space for meetings and group activities. Plan and schedule SSPGF Program events with other WestCare Tennessee SSPGF staff members including Project Director, Case Manager, Family Intervention Specialist, and community partners. Submit weekly workplan/report on activities to Project Director and program Research Assistant on outreach outcomes. Work closely with Project Director, Research Assistant and WestCare Foundation Evaluation team regarding the collection of data and reporting of program outcomes. Input all outreach data into program tracking system. Attend in-person and virtual program conferences and meetings, community meetings, and events as deemed necessary. Submit completed trainings and professional development trainings to the program Research Assistant for tracking purposes. Become trained as a Certified Peer Support Specialist with the State of Tennessee. Embrace and embody the mission, vision, guiding principles, clinical policies, procedures, and goals of WestCare Tennessee.