SENIOR CERTIFIED PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST

SENIOR CERTIFIED PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST

Salary

$57,324.80 - $84,801.60 Annually

Location

Riverside

Job Type

Regular

Job Number

26-79727-FA

Department

Behavioral Health

Division

Peer Certification Program

Opening Date

10/01/2026

Closing Date

10/15/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

For questions regarding this position, please contact the Recruiter listed in the Supplemental Information section.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Riverside University Health System - Behavioral Health is seeking a qualified Senior Certified Peer Support Specialist to support the Mental Health Services Act Family Advocate program in Riverside, CA.

Senior Family Advocates draw upon their lived experience supporting a family member with behavioral health or substance use challenges, along with their formal Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification, to provide individualized, person-centered support to families across Riverside County. In this role, incumbents conduct community outreach, reduce linguistic and cultural barriers, and engage hard-to-reach or underserved families who may struggle to access mental-health services. Senior Family Advocates deliver psychoeducation presentations, assist families in understanding the behavioral-health system, and promote equitable access to care.

They collaborate closely with clinical teams, model recovery-oriented and trauma-informed practices, and help families navigate resources, treatment processes, and system-level supports. Senior Family Advocates serve as role models within the peer workforce, offering guidance and support to other Family Advocates while ensuring services reflect RUHS-BH values of hope, empowerment, inclusion, and resilience.

Competitive candidates will possess a CALMHSA state certification and prior Certified Peer Support Specialist work experience.

Application Information:

• Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received.

Schedule: 9/80, Monday-Friday, Every other Friday or Monday off.

Meet the Team!

Riverside University Health System - Behavioral Health is a leading provider of mental health and substance use services in Riverside County. With a dedicated team of professionals, including psychiatrists, clinicians, peer specialists, and paraprofessionals, RUHS-BH serves over 45,000 individuals annually.

We are committed to delivering culturally competent, evidence-based care across all ages. Our programs, including Mental Health Services, Substance Use Services, and the Public Guardian's Office, address the diverse needs of our community.

At RUHS Behavioral Health, you'll join a compassionate, innovative team where your skills make a real difference. We offer opportunities for growth, collaboration, and meaningful impact.

If you're passionate about advancing your career while improving mental health in Riverside County, RUHS Behavioral Health is the place for you!

For more information, please visit www.ruhealth.org/behavioral-health

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Provide meaningful self-disclosure regarding lived experience supporting a family member with behavioral health or substance use challenges, in accordance with State Peer Support Certification requirements.
• Conduct community outreach throughout Riverside County to engage underserved, lower-income, or hard-to-reach families and improve access to behavioral-health services.
• Reduce linguistic and cultural barriers by providing support, education, and resources to families who may have difficulty understanding or navigating mental-health diagnoses and services.
• Deliver psychoeducation presentations to families and community groups (averaging 25-60 participants per month) to increase understanding of mental illness, recovery, and available supports.
• Provide individualized, person-centered guidance to families of adults with serious mental illness, helping them navigate behavioral-health systems, resources, and treatment processes.
• Promote equitable access to services by building trust, fostering engagement, and advocating for families' needs within the behavioral-health system.
• Collaborate with clinical teams, Outreach & Engagement staff, and community partners to support family involvement in treatment and recovery planning.
• Represent and communicate the family perspective within the behavioral-health system to support trauma-informed, recovery-oriented practices.
• Support the recognition, acceptance, and integration of cultural, social, and linguistic factors that influence behavioral-health experiences for families.
• Participate in community events, trainings, workshops, and outreach activities in a leadership or representative capacity.
• Assist families in articulating concerns, preparing for meetings, and navigating formal or informal service discussions.
• Document all outreach, engagement, psychoeducation, and family-support activities as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Possession of a high school diploma, G.E.D. equivalency or high school proficiency certificate is required.

Experience: Depending on the assignment, current or previous recovery experience as a consumer of behavioral health and/or substance abuse services or as a family member/caregiver of a former or current behavioral health consumer.

AND

One year as a Medi-Cal Certified Peer Support Specialist, or an out of state peer support certification holder with two (2) years of direct full time peer support work experience, with the understanding that Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification is required within six (6) months of the employment start date.

Knowledge of: The basic principles and practices of leadership and training; the needs and difficulties faced by clients, caregivers and families of behavioral health and/or substance abuse consumers; the public and/or private agency services available for families, children and adults with serious behavioral health needs, such as schools, social services and other systems; the self-help and consumer oriented treatment models; methods to effectively communicate with consumers, families and caregivers, the community, and the behavioral health treatment team.

Ability to: Act in a lead capacity; understand the principles of the behavioral health system and effectively work within the system; effectively represent and advocate for the consumer perspective within the community and behavioral health system; understand and articulate the cultural and social factors affecting behavior patterns; effectively communicate the workings of the behavioral health system to service consumers, parents, family members, and caregivers; develop and maintain strong working relationships with a wide range of community agencies and organizations; obtain and record accurate information for case documentation and other reports.

Other Requirements

License/Certificate: Possession of a valid California Drivers License may be required.

A valid Medi-Cal Peer Support Certification must be obtained within six (6) months of the employment start date. Employees holding a Medi-Cal Peer Support Certification must be recertified every two (2) years. Failure to maintain a valid Medi-Cal Peer Support Certification may lead to termination.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Application Status: To confirm your application was received or check on the status of your application, log-in to www.GovernmentJobs.com, click on your name in the upper right corner, and click on "Applications & Status."

Sign Up for Job Alerts: Go to www.RC-HR.com, click on "Careers," click on "County Job Openings," and click on "Subscribe to Job Alerts" icon.

For questions regarding this recruitment:

Please contact Edgar Manzo at (951) 955 - 0951 or EMCardenas@rivco.org.

Please allow 1-2 business days for a response to general inquiries.

____

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Veterans Preference

The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, attach the required documents to your job application. Documents include a copy of your (or your spouses) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service. For spousal preference, and as applicable, the following documents: a copy of your marriage certificate, spouses death certificate, a letter of spouses disability and/or letter of service-related death (if available) from the U.S. Veterans Administration. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans preference. For complete details and documentation requirements, please review the Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 here: https://rivcocob.org/board-policies

Reasonable Accommodations

The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at: https://rc-hr.com/disability

Work Location and Telework

In-person attendance is the standard work expectation for County of Riverside assignments. Certain assignments may be eligible for a hybrid telework schedule; however, telework arrangements are subject to management approval, operational needs, and/or may be modified or discontinued at any time. Employees who telework are expected to be able to report to their assigned worksite on short notice or as operational needs require. Unless otherwise specified for a particular position, employees are expected to reside in California following appointment. Limited exceptions may apply. Applicants should contact the assigned recruiter for additional information regarding work location expectations, telework eligibility, and residency requirements.

Proof of Education

If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.

If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE).

Work Authorization Requirement

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. The County of Riverside does not participate in visa sponsorship programs, including H1-B visas, and will not provide sponsorship for any employment-based visas.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non-job-related factors.

Pre-Employment

All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment requirements including a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment). A pre-employment physical examination and background check may be required.

Probationary Period

As an Approved Local Merit System, all County of Riverside employees, except those serving "At Will," are subject to the probationary period provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.

General Information

Current County of Riverside and/or current employees of the hiring department may receive priority consideration. Qualified candidates may be considered for future County vacancies.

Job postings may close without notice based on application volume. Submit your complete application by the recruitment close date; no late applications are accepted. Ensure all relevant experience/education is reflected on your application/resume, as a failure to demonstrate position requirements may disqualify applicants. A description of job duties directly copied from the job classification or job posting will not be considered.

Please read and follow any special application instructions on this posting. Click the Apply link located on this page to submit your application. For additional instructions on the application process, examinations, Veterans preference, pre-employment accommodation or other employment questions, please refer to our web site, www.rc-hr.com.

If you are experiencing technical problems, you may contact the governmentjobs.com applicant support desk Monday through Friday, 6 am to 5 pm Pacific Time at support@governmentjobs.com or toll-free 1-855-524-5627.

BENEFIT PROGRAM: UPE

MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION INSURANCE: A choice of different medical, dental and visions plan are available to elect. The County provides a Flexible Benefit Credit contribution as governed by the applicable LIUNA Memorandum of Understanding to contribute towards the cost of these plans.

Note: Employees on assignment through the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) receive different benefits. See the list here.

MISCELLANEOUS RETIREMENT: County of Riverside has three retirement Tiers through the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS).

• Tier I (Classic Member - Formula 3% @ 60): Applicable to current and former County of Riverside local miscellaneous employees hired prior to 08/24/2012 and did not withdraw CalPERS contributions. The employee contribution is eight (8%) percent.
• Tier II (Classic Member - Formula 2% @ 60): Applicable to local miscellaneous employees 1) hired after 08/23/2012 through 12/31/2012; 2) Previously employed with another CalPERS contracting public agency or a reciprocal retirement system, with a break in service of less than six months between the separation date with the previous employer and the appointment date with the County of Riverside. The employee contribution is seven (7%) percent.
• Tier III (PEPRA New Member - Formula 2% @ 62): Applicable to CalPERS local miscellaneous new members hired on or after the implementation of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) which took effect January 1, 2013. Effective July 1, 2023 employee contributions are 7.25% and will increase to 7.75% effective July 1, 2024.

A new member is defined as any of the following:

• A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who has no prior membership in any California Public Retirement System.
• A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who was a member with another California Public Retirement System prior to that date, but who is not subject to reciprocity upon joining CalPERS.
• A member who first established CalPERS membership prior to January 1, 2013, and who is rehired by a different CalPERS agency after a break in service of greater than six (6) months.

CalPERS refers to all members that do not fit within the definition of a new member as "classic members".

Contribution rates are subject to change based on the County of Riverside annual actuarial valuation.

Note:

This summary is for general information purposes only. Additional questions regarding retirement formulas can be sent to retirement@rivco.org or by calling the Benefits Information Line at (951) 955-4981,

Option 2.

If you have prior service credit with another CalPERS agency or within agencies, please contact CalPERS at (888) 225-7377 to determine which retirement tier would be applicable to you. CalPERS is governed by the Public Employees Retirement Law. The Retirement Law is complex and subject to change. If theres any conflict between this summary and the law, the law will prevail over this summary.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Voluntary employee contribution with a choice between two 457 deferred compensation plan options.

VACATION ACCRUAL (Bi-Weekly Accrual):

0 < 3 year = 80 Hours (10 Days)

4 < 9 years = 120 Hours (15 Days)

10 or more years = 160 Hours (20 Days)

Maximum Vacation leave accumulation is 480 hours.

SICK LEAVE: Four (4) hours Sick Leave accrual per pay period with unlimited accrual.

HOLIDAYS: Normally 12 paid holidays per year

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: Allowed 5 days (3 days are County paid; 2 additional days can be taken from accrued Sick Leave balance)

BASIC LIFE INSURANCE: Equal to one times annual base salary not to exceed $50,000 of term life coverage. Premiums are paid by the County. Additional Supplemental Life plan is available for employee purchase.

DISABILITY:

Employees contribute to State Disability Insurance (SDI), which provides wage replacement benefits for those unable to work due to non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy. SDI also includes Paid Family Leave benefits. The wage replacement rate, as defined by current law, is between 60-70% of wages earned during the SDI eligibility period. Benefits can be coordinated with other available leave balances to provide up to 100% of regular pay.

POST RETIREMENT MEDICAL CONTRIBUTION: A monthly contribution is made by the County towards retiree health insurance offered through the County as governed by the applicable Memorandum of Understanding.

OTHER: There may be other benefit provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding. Please contact the recruiter listed on the job posting directly for more information.

01

Are you a current regular, part time, temporary, per diem, or seasonal employee with the County of Riverside?

• Yes.
• No.

02

Please confirm whether you are 18 years of age or older.

• Yes.
• No.

03

This position requires driving all throughout the County of Riverside, Do you possess a valid California Drivers License or are able to obtain one?

• Yes.
• No.

04

Whats the highest level of education youve completed?

• None.
• High School Diploma/GED.
• I have my Associates Degree.
• I have my Bachelors Degree.
• I have my Masters Degree.
• I have my Doctorates Degree.

05

Do you possess a CALMHSA Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certificate?

• Yes.
• No.
• I have an out of State certification.

06

If I hold an out-of-state peer support certification, I understand that a valid California Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification must be obtained within six (6) months of my employment start date.

• Yes.
• No.

07

Please include your CALMHSA Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification number EX: MPSS-XXXXXX if applicable.

08

I understand if I am a current holder of a Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification I must be recertified every two (2) years.

• Yes.
• No.

09

I am comfortable sharing aspects of my lived experience in a way that supports others.

• Yes.
• No.

10

How many years of experience do you have working as a Certified Peer Support Specialist?

• None.
• Less than one year.
• One year, but less than two years.
• Two years, but less than three years.
• Three years, but less than four years.
• Four years, but less than five years.
• Five years or more.

11

Do you have at least one year personally supporting a family member over the age of 18 through their behavioral health or substance use recovery. This information helps us confirm eligibility for the Peer Support role.

• Yes, I have at least one year supporting a family member over the age of 18 with their behavioral health or substance recovery.
• No, I do not have this experience.

12

I certify that the information I have provided regarding my lived recovery experience is accurate to the best of my knowledge. I understand that incomplete or inaccurate information may affect my eligibility for this position.

• Yes.
• No.

13

This program requires experience in community outreach and psychoeducation. Do you have experience with community outreach and psychoeducation?

• Yes
• No

14

Do you have experience working with underserved or hard-to-reach communities, including families experiencing cultural or linguistic barriers?

• Yes
• No

15

Please describe your experience conducting outreach and providing psychoeducation to families or community groups.

16

How many years of experience do you have providing outreach and psychoeducation to families or community groups?

• None.
• Less than one year.
• One year, but less than two years.
• Two years, but less than three years.
• Three years, but less than four years.
• Four years, but less than five years.
• Five years or more.

Required Question

Employer County of Riverside

Address County Admin. Center P.O. Box 1569

4080 Lemon St., 7th floor

Riverside, California, 92502-1569

Phone Contact Recruiter for Job Information

Website http://www.rc-hr.com