Peer Support Specialist
Company: SELF THEORY LLC
Location: Chicago
Posted on: April 3, 2026
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Job Description:
Job Description Job Description The Peer Support Worker is
responsible for providing guidance to individuals and families
within the community. The PSW will serve as a role model, mentor,
advocate, and motivator to individuals and families that have
experienced a history of trauma, violence, and mental health
issues. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of how
to engage with as well as experience working individuals living
with mental/behavioral health conditions. They will be responsible
for assisting clients in the justice system via social outreach.
The success of this role comes from the space of being
compassionate, non-judgmental, having a sense of acceptance, and
creating a genuine connection with the clients in which Self Theory
serves. Responsibilities: - Provide on and off-site, telephone
support, and mobile crises intervention services to clients and
families that are experiencing mental and behavioral health issues.
- Advocate for family members and clients as they look for ways to
navigate through the journey of their family member. - Lived
experience with recovery, incarceration, violence, and substance
abuse disorders. - Speak and give real life situations as they
relate to what the clint and the family may be experiencing -
Collaborate with Clinical Director, Case Manager, and other mental
health professionals on additional services offered, referrals to
other agencies, and the arrays of de-escalation techniques -
Maintain and Record notes as related to the client and their
progress - Perform other duties as assigned by the Clinical
Director - Educate clients and families on the development of
peer-to-peer relationships. - Engage in outreach programs, referral
response, and comforting hand-offs concerning individuals released
from detention centers, jails, prison, or may have a history of
convictions. - Able to be on-call 24 hours during given rotation
periods (Mobile Crisis Intervention Team) - Refer and follow up
with Re-entry coach to assess the needs of the client - Assist
Clients in increasing social support networks of relatives,
friends, and/or significant others. Decision Making/Skills - Able
to demonstrate the ability to serve underserved communities,
underrepresented and vulnerable populations, including social,
gender based, racial, and ethnic minorities living with mental
illness, or a history of violence. - Able to exhibit compassion,
sensitivity, and empathy in regard to human rights, human service,
and display a non-judgmental attitude towards all individuals
involved. - Ability to use skills, trainings, and an innovative
approach when it comes to programming, treatment plans, and
development of support when servicing clients at Self Theory -
Excellent verbal and written skills as note taking a necessity. The
ability to communicate effectively and think with an open mind to
aid clients and work in a team setting. - Basic computer and dats
entry skills - Qualifications: - High School Diploma, GED, or high
school equivalency diploma - Minimum of 1 year experience coaching
and counseling individuals who have been either incarcerated, have
a history of substance abuse, and or violent crimes - Experience in
social work, mental health, criminal justice, or a related field -
Firsthand/lived experience - Certification as a Certified Recovery
Support Specialist (CRSS) is a plus *Bilingual is a plus
Keywords: SELF THEORY LLC, Chicago , Peer Support Specialist, Social Services , Chicago, Illinois
