Peer Specialist (Strive Guide)

firsthand supports individuals living with SMI (serious mental illness). Our holistic approach includes a team of peer recovery specialists, benefits specialists and clinicians. Our teams focus on meeting each individual where they are and walking with them side by side as a trusted guide and partner on their journey to better health.
 
firsthand's team members use their lived experience to build trust with these individuals and support them in reconnecting to the healthcare they need, while minimizing inappropriate healthcare utilization. Together with our health plan partners, we are changing the way our society supports those most impacted by SMI.
 
We are cultivating a team of deeply passionate problem-solvers to tackle significant and complex healthcare challenges with us. This is more than a job—it's a calling. Every day, you will engage in work that resonates with purpose, gain wisdom from motivated colleagues, and thrive in an environment that celebrates continuous learning, creativity, and fun.
 

The firsthand STRIVE program will empower individuals to move into the self-management phase of their recovery journey. Individuals will qualify for STRIVE services if they meet social and clinical criteria and have a desire for less intensive services. STRIVE guides will support individuals as they move toward self-management by connecting virtually to prevent relapse and rehospitalizations, scheduling annual Whole Person Assessments (WPA) with fH Health Guides (Nurse Practioners), and working to quickly connect individuals with local resources when warranted.

The STRIVE Guide is a critical role in firsthand’s long-term care model, focused on building trusted, ongoing relationships with individuals living with serious mental illness to support their physical and behavioral health. By guiding members toward self-management, efficiently connecting them with local resources, and managing timely care escalations, STRIVE Guides empower those we serve. We are looking for creative, collaborative candidates with lived experience who embody our core values and thrive on finding innovative solutions for underserved populations.

As a STRIVE Guide, you will:

• Perform virtual outreach to individuals with serious mental illness and work closely with community fH teams to establish trust with individuals approaching self-management
• Conduct warm introduction sessions to describe fH STRIVE services and ensure individuals have a desire and understanding of moving to STRIVE 
• Be accountable to completion of initial introductory meetings with individuals, quarterly completion of assessments, ongoing continuous engagement, and scheduling and completion of HG visits for a panel of STRIVE individuals
• Empower individuals to identify and pursue their personal recovery goals, and complete quality documentation
• Ensure individuals are quickly connected with local resources in times of social or clinical crisis
• Serve as primary point-of-contact for individuals, facilitating ongoing engagement
• Communicate key information, progress, and pain points to integrated care team
• Support the implementation of STRIVE operational processes to drive the fH vision of a world where individuals with serious mental and physical illnesses live their best possible life 

You will be a good fit if you have:

• Empathy, compassion, patience, persistence, and a creative mindset as we work to build a ‘startup within a startup’
• Personal knowledge of recovery
• Excellent organizational, project management, and creative problem-solving skills, with a team-focused and continuous improvement orientation
• High degree of personal accountability coupled with a strong sense of efficiency and urgency
• Humility and willingness to “roll up sleeves” and dig into details
• An established track record of strong communication across national community teams
• Ability to be flexible and adaptable to changing strategies and needs for firsthand, its staff, and individuals served
• Desire to help people in need and support their path to wellness

The required experience you bring to this role includes:

• Lived experience with SMI and/or SUD
• State Peer Recovery certification, or eligibility and willingness to obtain certification within six (6) months of employment
• Valid driver’s license in good standing, with the ability to operate a vehicle (company vehicle may be provided) and eligibility to drive under the company’s insurance policy
• Demonstrated proficiency with technical tools like email, messaging services, and apps
• Two (2) years demonstrated recovery time from a mental health and/or substance abuse disorder at the date of application
• Team members will complete a paid training period prior to serving individuals and must pass assessments to move forward. 

Bonus points for:

• Experience with direct in-person engagement for individuals with SMI and SUD
• Expertise in recovery education and coaching
• Understanding of whole health and trauma-informed approaches to peer support
• Familiarity with local community resources, behavioral health systems, and the criminal justice system (e.g., mental health and drug courts)
• Ability to thrive in a mobile environment, spending 80%+ of your time in the community (homes, hospitals, streets) rather than an office
• Eagerness to expand knowledge about a broad range of health conditions
• Valid driver’s license in good standing, with the ability to operate a vehicle (company vehicle may be provided) and eligibility to drive under the company’s insurance policy

Hourly Pay Rate:$22—$22 USD

We firmly believe that great candidates for this role may not meet 100% of the criteria listed in this posting. We encourage you to apply anyway - we look forward to begin getting to know you.

Benefits
Our full-time compensation package includes a base salary, equity, and performance bonus potential, supported by comprehensive health, dental, vision, and mental wellness coverage. We offer a 401(k) with company match and 16 weeks of paid parental leave for both parents. In your first year, you will accrue 120 hours of vacation annually (4.62 hours per pay period), which steps up to 160 hours annually (6.15 hours per pay period) after one year—all within a welcoming, inclusive culture.

Vaccination Policy
Employment with firsthand is contingent upon attesting to medical clearance requirements, which include, but may not be limited to: evidence of vaccination for/immunity to COVID-19, Hepatitis B, Influenza, MMR, Chickenpox, Tetanus and Diphtheria. All employees of firsthand are required to receive these vaccinations on a cadence/frequency as advised by the CDC, whereas not otherwise prohibited by state law.
New hires may submit for consideration a request to be exempted from these requirements (based on a valid religious or medical reason) via forms provided by firsthand. Such requests will be subject to review and approval by the Company, and exemptions will be granted only if the Company can provide a reasonable accommodation in relation to the requested exemption. Note that approvals for reasonable accommodations are reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis and availability of a reasonable accommodation is not guaranteed.
 
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer sponsorship at this time.
 
firsthand Health will only contact candidates from email addresses ending in @firsthandcares.com. Any communication from another domain claiming to represent firsthand is fraudulent. We will never ask for payment or sensitive financial information during the hiring process. If you receive suspicious outreach, please do not respond.