OC FSP HFW Youth Peer Specialist

Description

PROGRAM SUMMARY

Beginning July of 2026, all Behavioral Health Plans in California will be required to implement High-Fidelity Wraparound (HFW) to fidelity under the Full-Service Partnership (FSP) program. All FSPs for children and youth must align with the principles, values, and standards of the HFW model.

HFW provides a comprehensive, holistic, evidence-based, child/youth and family-driven process for responding when children and youth experience significant mental health or behavioral challenges, including children and youth involved in multiple child/youth serving systems. HFW is a team-based and family-centered evidence-based practice that includes an "anything necessary" approach to care for children and youth with the most intensive mental health or behavioral challenges.

The HFW model combines a team-based case management and facilitation approach with individualized and community-based mental health services and supports tailored to meet the individualized needs of the child/youth and family.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Youth Peer Specialist serves as a peer ally and mentor to children and youth receiving Wraparound services. Drawing from their lived experience in systems such as child welfare, behavioral health, and juvenile justice, the Youth Partner offers authentic support, fosters trust, and champions the voice and choices of the child/youth (referred to as “youth” in this document). They are a symbol of resilience and hope, modeling the possibility of healing and success.

Unlike the Family Specialist, whose role is focused on behavior strategies and skill building, the Youth Peer Specialist prioritizes emotional support, peer connection, and advocacy. Throughout the Wraparound process, the Youth Peer Specialist advocates to ensure the youth’s lived experience is recognized, their voice is heard, and their autonomy is respected.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

• GED/High School Diploma
• Lived experience in child-serving systems as a minor/youth
• Commitment to practice cultural respectfulness and relevance
• Strong peer engagement and communication skills
• Able to maintain healthy boundaries while building trust
• Self-aware, resilient, and a collaborative team member

Licensure, Registration, Certification

• Valid CA driver’s license and proof of automobile insurance.
• Completion of CPR/First Aid/ProACT certification within the first thirty (30) days of employment
• CMPSS preferred

Preferred Training/Experience in one or all of the following Evidenced Based Practices:

• High Fidelity Wraparound (HFW)
• Intensive Case Management (ICM)

Requirements

JOB DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Builds connection through empathy, active listening, and strives to uncover and help the youth to understand unmet needs
• Prepares and supports the youth in expressing themselves during meetings or decisions
• Attends meetings with the youth to advocate and ensure their understanding and inclusion
• Validates the youth’s experiences and supports healing through peer relatability
• Collaborates with the team to uphold youth voice and cultural relevance in planning
• Offers feedback on practices and policies, reflecting on their lived-system experiences
• Promotes practices consistent with Wraparound values and fidelity standards
• Supports integration with services under Medi-Cal requirements when applicable
• Essential Qualities Work in coordination with the client’s multidisciplinary team, including County representatives, schools, etc. Attend all required meetings.
• Develop and utilize knowledge of community resources to serve children and their families. 
• Perform other related duties as required and assigned.

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES 

Service Delivery 

• Meeting expectations in Service Delivery Skills encompass the ability of paraprofessional staff to identify and recommend appropriate service types that align with the needs of clients, while staying within the bounds of their training, expertise, and professional role. This competency requires an understanding of the range of services available within the organization and the ability to match those services to the specific needs and preferences of clients.

Crisis Intervention and Safety Planning

• Meeting expectations in Crisis and Safety Planning encompasses handling crisis situations effectively, including suicidal ideation, self-harm, and acute psychiatric symptoms, by adhering to established safety protocols and accessing appropriate resources. Participate as needed in the implementation of safety plans in collaboration with clients, their support systems, and the treatment team. 

Productivity & Service Billing

• Meeting expectations in Productivity and Service Billing skills focus on the ability to hit program productivity expectations on a monthly basis.

CORE COMPETENCIES

 Organizational Core Competencies reflect foundational skills desirable for professionals engaging in the practice, education, and research of social services. The Organizational Core Competencies are integrated into curricula for education and training; provide a reference for developing social service courses, and serve as a baseline for sets of discipline-specific competencies.

Attendance and Reliability

• Meeting expectations in the Attendance and Reliability competency encompasses consistent and punctual attendance and a dependable approach to fulfilling professional responsibilities. This is further demonstrated by adhering to scheduled shifts, appointments, meetings, and other work-related obligations, minimizing unscheduled absences, and adjusting work schedule to accommodate program need.

Collaboration and Teamwork

• Meeting expectations in the Collaboration and Teamwork competency includes working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, including psychiatrists, case managers, educators, outside agency providers and other mental health professionals, to coordinate care and provide integrated services. This skill is also demonstrated by communicating effectively with clients' families and caregivers, involving them in treatment planning and facilitating their understanding of mental health issues and interventions.

Interpersonal Communication Skills

• Meeting expectations in Interpersonal Communication Skills focuses on establishing rapport quickly, understanding and addressing client’s needs, soliciting and using input from team members and outside agencies, communicating data and information, and facilitating communications among outside agencies are other stakeholders. Communications are clear, concise, respectful, effective, and timely.

Quality of Care

• Quality of Care encompasses the ability to consistently deliver work and client care of exceptional quality while ensuring precision, thoroughness, and adherence to established standards and procedures. This competency is essential in maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of organizational processes and services and ensuring clients are receiving the best level of care possible.

Accuracy and Quality Improvement 

• Meeting expectations in Accuracy and Quality Improvement includes upholding status of a single signer (40% or lower return rate for three consecutive months) by completing accurate documentation with minimal errors. Learning and correctly using Bells AI and its features for progress note completion. Actively participate in departmental and agency-wide quality improvement activities. (For programs who have not yet rolled out Single Signer, the metric will be a return rate of 40% or lower). 

Efficiency, Time Management, and Organization

• Meeting Expectations in Efficiency, Time Management, and Organization skills encompass the ability to take responsibility for one’s performance by spending time appropriately distributed to ensure that both internal and external client needs are met. Organizes and prioritizes assignments to ensure that newly emerging, urgent issues are resolved, while not losing sight of longer-term goals. Documentation efficiency skills encompass the ability to submit accurate and complete progress notes or other documentation within 3 days. Crisis notes to be submitted within 24 hours. Collaborative documentation is used with clients regularly. 

Cultural Competency

• Meeting expectations in Cultural Competency encompasses awareness of personal cultural biases and assumptions, as well as the cultural backgrounds of clients. Staff respect and value the diversity of their clients, including their beliefs, values, traditions, and customs. They recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to mental health and tailor their interventions accordingly.

Professional Development

• Meeting expectations in Professional Development consists of demonstrating commitment to continuous learning, skills improvement, and ability to adapt to changes in standards of practice in the field. Participate in both required and voluntary trainings that contribute to professional growth. 

Alignment to SCCS Principles and Values 

• Meeting expectations in this category consists of upholding integrity, respecting others, maintaining a positive attitude, and being empathetic towards both colleagues, clients and customers. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to drive a motor vehicle without restrictions, often in heavy traffic and frequently long distances (one hour or more) to ensure safe transport to client settings and to safely transport clients to appointments as needed.
• Senses of vision, hearing and smell sufficient to regularly operate a motor vehicle, to visualize threats in the environment or risks to clients, and to operate safely in the field.
• Required to occasionally lift and carry 10-20 pounds.
• Regularly required to sit, stand, climb stairs (1 or more flights) and walk while in route to and during family visits.
• Regularly required to sit and use computer in office settings.

EOE, INCLUDING DISABILITY/VETS

We are an equal opportunity employer and consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under California law.

Management reserves the right to add, change, delete or rescind duties or responsibilities of positions within the job classification at any time.