Northwestern Medicine · 5 days ago
Peer Support Specialist-Psychiatry (As Needed)
Chicago, IL
Part-time
Onsite
New Grad, Entry LevelNorthwestern Medicine is a leader in the healthcare industry focused on providing patient-first care. The Peer Support Specialist plays a vital role in supporting individuals experiencing mental health challenges through personal lived experience, advocating for recovery-oriented practices, and working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
Emergency MedicineHealth CareHospitalMedicalNutritionRehabilitation
Responsibilities
Use training and personal recovery experiences to provide peer support for patients receiving care
Develop collaborative and caring relationships to support clients in initiating and remaining in supported employment and education services
Share personal lived experience with obtaining and maintaining a job or attending school while also managing mental health symptoms to validate peers’ experiences, instill hope, and provide encouragement
Work with supported employment and education team to develop and maintain relationships with community supports, including jobs or internships sites, universities, training programs, etc
Educate peers, in an individual and group setting, about skills related to health and wellness while navigating school and work
Work is conducted both in clinic and in community as warranted
Work collaboratively with teams to help peer’s crisis plan and navigate crises
Value communication and demonstrate this through use of active listening, person-first and recovery-oriented language, and timely documentation
Participate in supervision, team meetings, and trainings as applicable to the position
Advocate for peers’ needs and desires in team meetings, in community settings, and with family using knowledge of relevant rights and laws
Reflect and examine own personal motivations, judgments, and feelings related to peer work
Utilize effective self-care. Recognize personal signs of distress and understand when to seek support
Provide recovery information and activities to patients: information, resources, and connection to natural supports following the principles of trauma-informed care
Assess and evaluate patient’s needs, strengths, goals, and resources
Advocate within systems to promote person centered recovery support services. Work within an interdisciplinary team in reviewing cases and developing individual plans
Consult with other staff regarding assessment and treatment/intervention planning
Document service provision as required by NM standards
Maintain clinical and management records in accordance with established policies and procedures
Demonstrate ability to meet productivity requirements and outcome measures set in accordance with program goals
Attend required staffing and other meetings
Other duties as assigned
Qualification
Required
Minimum of 18 years of age
Possesses a high school diploma or equivalent
Has entry level employment experiences
Peer Support Specialists should be able to articulate their personal experience in recovery when working with patients who are experiencing mental health and/or drug/alcohol issues as it relates to providing peer support services to these patient populations
Upon completion of 2,000 hours supervised work experience, the Peer Support Specialist is required to obtain their Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CSSRS) credential
Preferred
Bachelor's degree or higher in behavioral health related field
One year working with individuals with mental illness and/or drug and alcohol issues
Experiencing running Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) Classes
Certification as a WRAP facilitator
Preferred experience with post-secondary education training, either through previous or current enrollment at university, college, or training program
Possesses lived experience in effectively coping with a mental health condition and a capacity to share their recovery story in a way that engages, inspires, and validates the experiences of young adult clients
Preferred experience with both hourly and salaried employment
Preferred certification as a Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS)
Benefits
Tuition reimbursement
Loan forgiveness
401(k) matching
Lifecycle benefits
Company
Northwestern Medicine
Northwestern Medicine is the collaboration between Northwestern Memorial HealthCare and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine around a strategic vision to transform the future of health care.
Founded in 1972
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Northwestern Medicine has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (75)
2024 (66)
2023 (70)
2022 (78)
2021 (35)
2020 (39)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$25M2018-06-26Grant· $25M
Leadership Team
Howard Chrisman, MD
President and CEO
John A. Orsini, CPA
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Recent News
2026-01-13
Near North Health
2025-12-01
Company data provided by crunchbase