Peer Support Specialist (Mental Health Worker II)

Salary : $50,065.60 - $67,059.20 Annually

Location : Orange County

Job Type : Full-Time Regular

Job Number : 7104CS-0925-042 (O)

Department : Health Care Agency

Division / Service Area : Behavioral Health Services

Opening Date : 09 / 19 / 2025

Closing Date : Continuous

CAREER DESCRIPTION

PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST

(Mental Health Worker II)

Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

This recruitment is open to the public for a minimum of five (5) business days and will remain open on a continuous basis until 11 : 59 p.m. (PST) on the day the needs of the County are met. Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately.

The first round of consideration will be Friday, October 3, 2025.

The recruitment will establish an open eligible list that will be used to fill current and future Mental Health Worker II positions. This recruitment may also be used to fill positions in similar and / or lower classifications throughout the County.

THE AGENCY

The County of Orange , Health Care Agency (HCA) is a dynamic organization dedicated to creating and supporting an environment that promotes the achievement of optimal individual, family and community health. Under the direction of the Agency Director, a new and dynamic executive team with an organizational structure comprised of five (5) service areas - Administrative Services, Behavioral Health Services, Correctional Health Services, Specialized Medical Services and Public Health Services- is committed to meeting the health needs of the diverse Orange County community.

THE DEPARTMENT

The Behavioral Health Services (BHS) Division consists of the following service areas : Adult and Older Adult Behavioral Health, Children and Youth Services, Quality Management Services, Mental Health Services Act Office, Data Analytics and Evaluation, Crisis and Acute Care Services, Substance Use Services, and Forensics and Justice Involved. These services provide a culturally competent and client-centered system of behavioral health services for all eligible county residents in need of treatment for alcohol and other drug abuse and mental health care.

THE PROGRAMS

Adult and Older Adult (AOA) provides outpatient, recovery oriented, behavioral health services which emphasize individual needs, strengths, choices, and involvement in service planning and implementation. Adults and Older Adults who have a serious and persistent mental disorder and may have a co-occurring substance use disorder and impairment in their ability to function in the community or who have a history of recurring substantial functional impairment, hospitalization or symptoms can access services.

Children and Youth Services (CYS) provides outpatient behavioral health services to Medi-Cal eligible or uninsured children and youth who need medically necessary treatment to ameliorate their mental and behavioral health conditions. CYS provides case management, assessment, individual, group and family therapy, psychological testing, psychiatric evaluation and medication support, and therapeutic behavioral services to children and youth in Orange County.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The immediate vacancies are within the CYS program.

The Peer Support Specialist assigned to the CYS program will serve as a Parent Partner or Youth Partner. This position will work with children, youth and their families providing peer support services which may include individual and group skill building, referral and linkage to resources, transportation support, and other related duties. They will also work with other disciplines such as Psychiatrists, Clinical Psychologists and Behavioral Health Clinicians and as an adjunct to treatment to assist children and youth to reach their treatment goals and objectives.

Possession of a California Class C Driver License is required for positions in CYS as they will need to drive to various sites in the community to provide services and attend appointments with clients. (add transport) Mileage will be reimbursed for all work-related travel.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & CORE COMPETENCIES

The ideal candidate will have at least two (2) years of experience providing peer support services in a behavioral health setting on a paid or unpaid basis. A High School diploma or GED (or higher) may be required for some positions, including proof of education if selected for these positions. Additionally, the ideal candidate must have lived experience with a mental health condition by at least one (1) of the following options below and be willing to self-identify and share their experiences to assist consumers and their family members with their recovery journey.

• A past or current consumer of mental health services
• Providing support to an adult family member in mental health recovery
• As a parent / caregiver advocating on behalf of child / youth who is receiving or has received mental health services

Mental health recovery refers to recovery from conditions such as major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, Serious Emotional Disturbance (for youth) and other such conditions. It does not include developmental disorders such as autism or cognitive disorders such as dementia or Alzheimer's Disease. For some Parent / Youth Partner positions, lived experience with the Juvenile Justice or Child Welfare System, either directly or as a parent / caregiver is highly desirable.

Experience working with the target population (children / youth and their parents / caregivers, adults or older adults) is highly desirable. Bilingual skills in the following languages are also highly desirable : Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Arabic, and Farsi.

In addition, the ideal candidate will possess extensive knowledge and / or experience in the following competencies :

Professional and Technical Expertise | Using Technology

Building and Maintaining Relationships | Professional Impact

Written and Oral Communication | Presentation

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Click here to learn more about that minimum qualifications for Mental Health Worker II. Physical Characteristics Possess vision sufficient to read standard text and a computer monitor; speak and hear well enough to communicate clearly and understandably in person to individuals and groups and over the telephone; possess body mobility to stand, sit, walk, stoop and bend routinely to perform daily tasks and to access a standard office environment; possess manual dexterity sufficient to use hands, arms and shoulders repetitively to operate a keyboard, utilize office equipment and to write. Ability to operate a motor vehicle. Mental Requirements Possess the ability to independently reason logically to analyze data, reach conclusions and make recommendations; possess the ability to remain calm and appropriately focused in rapidly changing and difficult situations involving conflict, complex issues, controversy and diverse stakeholder groups and interests; possess the ability to deal calmly and effectively with emotional interactions.

Environmental Conditions Will be required to interact with clients / patients in emotional and occasionally hostile situations; work in an office environment and / or a secure facility; drive to community sites and to meetings; occasionally work evenings / weekends to attend meetings / special events.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Human Resource Services (HRS) will screen all application materials to identify qualified applicants. After screening, qualified applicants will be referred to the next step in the recruitment process. All applicants will be notified via e-mail of their status in the process.

Veterans Employment Preference

The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click to review the policy.

Application Screening (Refer / Non-Refer)

Applications and supplemental responses will be screened for qualifications that are highly desirable and most needed to successfully perform the duties of this job. Only those applicants that meet the qualifications as listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step.

Online Assessment (Weighted 100%)

Candidates who closely match the ideal candidate profile based on the bulletin requirements will be invited to participate in an online assessment. Candidates will be notified of their test date and access code, if applicable. The most successful candidates will be placed on an eligible list.

Based on the County's needs, the selection procedures above may be modified. Candidates will be notified of any changes in the selection procedures.

Eligible List

Once the assessment has been completed, HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

EMAIL NOTIFICATION :

Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account.

NOTE : User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply.

Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam / junk folders, and / or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocgov.com." If your email address should change, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions.

For additional questions regarding this recruitment, please contact the recruiter, Laura Katsis at (714) 834-6724 or lkatsis@ochca.com .

EEO INFORMATION

Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer,

encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

Non-Management Benefits

In addition to the County's standard suite of benefits, such as a variety of health plan options, annual leave and paid holidays we also offer an excellent array of benefits such as a Health Care Reimbursement Account, 457 Defined Contribution Plan and Annual Education and Professional Reimbursement. Employees are provided a Retirement Plan through the Orange County Employees Retirement System

Please go to the following link to find out more about Defined Benefit Pensions and OCERS Plan Types / Benefits.

Click for information about benefits offered to County of Orange employees.

01

The information you provide will be used to rate your qualifications for the position and will be used as a scoring device. Incomplete information will result in a lower rating. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing these questions. Please provide concise, descriptive, and detailed information when answering the question. If you do not have experience, please write N / A. NOTE : 'See resume', 'See above', or copy and paste of your resume are not considered qualifying responses and will not be scored. By selecting yes below, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this application requirement.

02

Please select the following option that best describes your qualifications : Note : If you are substituting experience with education, your unofficial transcripts must be attached to your application for verification at the time you apply.

03

As a condition for this position, it is required that the incumbent have lived experience, either as a past or current consumer of mental health services, or by providing support to a family member / child in mental health recovery. Do you meet the requirement of having lived experience as a consumer of mental health services or providing support to a family member / child in mental health recovery?Please note : Mental health recovery refers to recovery from conditions such as major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc. and other such conditions. It does not include developmental disorders such as autism or cognitive disorders such as dementia or Alzheimer's Disease.

04

Please describe how you have obtained the above lived experience as a consumer of mental health services or providing support to a family member / child in mental health recovery. In your answer, please include the number of years of lived experience you have, and your experience accessing services and resources. If you provided support to a family member, please identify your relationship with that person. (Please describe your lived experience, not work experience). If none, please type "N / A".

05

Please select the following option(s) that best describes the peer role you are interested in and qualify for (select all that apply) :

06

Please select the option below that most accurately describes your education level.

07

Please describe any experience you have had providing peer support or services to adults, older adults or children / youth in a behavioral health setting. Include the age groups of the populations you have worked with, and a description of any experience you have in a peer support role. If none, please type "N / A".

08

Some positions require driving to various sites in the community to provide services and attend appointments with clients. Do you possess a valid CA Driver's License?

09

Candidates who are selected for the position may be required to use their personal vehicles for County business and transporting clients to appointments. Mileage will be reimbursed through the mileage claim process. Will you be able to meet this requirement?

10

Bilingual skills are highly desirable for many of these positions. Please indicate, if any, in which languages you are fluent. Only indicate those languages in which you can fluently speak, read, and write. Candidates will be tested on their proficiency in the language selected prior to employment. Failure to answer this question truthfully may result in disqualification from the recruitment.

11

If other, which language(s)?

Required Question