Field Peer Support Specialist-Foster Care-Greater Detroit, MI area

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You dream of a great career with a great company - where you can make an impact and help people. We dream of giving you the opportunity to do just this.

And with the incredible growth of our business, it's a dream that definitely can come true. Already one of the world's leading Healthcare companies, UnitedHealth Group is restlessly pursuing new ways to operate our Service Centers, improve our Service levels and help people lead healthier lives.

We live for the opportunity to make a difference and right now, we are living it up.

The Specialized Child and Youth Program (SCYP) Peer Support Specialist is responsible for using trauma-informed evidence-based approaches with members and caregivers for children and youth in foster care, receiving adoptive assistance, who are former foster youth or who are in the custody of the juvenile justice system.

The SCYP Peer Support Specialist will focus on assisting children, youth, and their families with developing plans and skills to increase stability in the home and for transitional age youth and young adults with working on developing skills that will assist them with successful transition, life, and independence in the adult world.

Field position within the greater Detroit, MI area

Primary Responsibilities :

• Assist families and youth with identifying and working toward strengths that can assist them with appreciating each other to work toward increased family stability
• Assist families who are involved in the child welfare system and are dealing with the most complex and difficult issues, including homelessness, trauma, physical health issues, etc
• Establish and maintain strong collaborative relationships with existing child-serving and family organizations
• Establish and maintain strong collaborative relationships with foster care and adoptive alumni groups
• As directed, serve as a designated member of internal committees and subcommittees
• As requested, provide support to family members in making needed appointments
• Work with the SCYP Program Manager and the clinical team to implement care coordination when requested, which may include peer support as well as other community-based services designed to stabilize the child or family to assist with reunification plans, family stability plans and transitional living plans
• Assist and support consumers and family members with grievance processes
• Collaborate with SCYP Care Managers and the SCYP Program Manager, providers, and community agencies and organizations to facilitate access to and transition between services
• Collaborate with SCYP Care Managers, SCYP Program Manager, providers, and community agencies and organizations to identify youth and families who may benefit from peer support.

Participate in team meetings (child-family, treatment, IEP / 504) of families who request that support

• Provide feedback about care planning development based on their interactions with consumers and families
• Provide supportive trauma-informed education to help increase family stability in families at risk of disruption
• Provide transitional life skills education to transitional age youth and young adults
• Advocate on behalf of the youth and families

What are the reasons to consider working for UnitedHealth Group? Put it all together - competitive base pay, a full and comprehensive benefit program, performance rewards, and a management team who demonstrates their commitment to your success.

Some of our offerings include :

• Paid Time Off which you start to accrue with your first pay period plus 8 Paid Holidays
• Medical Plan options along with participation in a Health Spending Account or a Health Saving account
• Dental, Vision, Life& AD&D Insurance along with Short-term disability and Long-Term Disability coverage
• 401(k) Savings Plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Education Reimbursement
• Employee Discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Referral Bonus Program
• Voluntary Benefits (pet insurance, legal insurance, LTC Insurance, etc.)
• More information can be downloaded at :

You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications :

• High School Diploma / GED (or higher)
• 1+ year of experience / involvement with the child welfare system as a former foster child / youth or current / former foster parent
• Intermediate level of proficiency with Microsoft Word (create correspondence and work within tables), Microsoft Excel (data entry, sort / filter, and work within tales), and Microsoft Outlook (email and calendar management)
• Access to reliable transportation that will enable you to travel to client and / or patient sites within a designated area
• Ability to travel up to 75% of the time within a 60-mile radius of greater Detroit, MI area
• Thorough understanding of the child welfare system

Preferred Qualifications :

• Bilingual in English and Spanish
• Working knowledge of community resources

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone.

We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life.

Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes.

We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere : UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug - free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.