Peer Support Specialist (Crisis Walk-in) (Week, Days & 4 Days Off Each Week + $37/hr Potential)

Description Highlights Total Potential

• Up to $37.00/hr via differentials
• Lifestyle
• Balance: Enjoy 4 days off in a row, every week. High-intensity crisis work balanced by a consistent 4-day rest period. No rotating shifts, no on-call, no surprises.
• Base
• Pay: $31.00 - $35.00/hr
• Bilingual
• Differential: +$2.00/hr (Spanish/English)
• Sign-On
• Bonus: $500 "Ready-to-Work"
• Bonus (For active
• CA
• PSS
• Certification)
• Job
• Type:
• Full-Time at 36 paid hours per week
• Schedule:
• Fixed
• Block (Monday,
• Tuesday,
• Wednesday)
• Hours: 7:00 AM – 7:30 PM (includes mandatory rest and meal periods) OUR MISSION Wellness Equity Alliance is a national multidisciplinary health organization that designs and delivers integrated, community-based care for populations most impacted by health inequities. We do this through mobile and field-based models, providing medical care, behavioral health services, substance use treatment, harm reduction, and care coordination in nontraditional settings such as encampments, schools, reentry sites, and rural communities as well as with sovereign tribal nations. Grounded in trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and data-driven practices, WEA combines clinical expertise, lived experience, and advanced population health analytics to reduce barriers to care, improve continuity, and strengthen local systems. We have partnered with more than 60 public agencies, managed care plans, and community-based organizations across the U.S. to implement scalable, sustainable programs that are advancing health equity and improving outcomes for historically marginalized populations. We are known as Renegades, Rebels, Disruptors and Dreamers. If that sounds like you, we want you on our team. Indio Crisis Walk-in Center WEA’s Crisis Walk-In (CWI) Center, located on the behavioral health campus of Riverside University Health System in Indio, CA, offers 24/7 walk-in, voluntary crisis services for adults and children ages 5 and older. Designed to provide immediate, accessible care, the center serves up to 20 patients at a time, including both youth and adults.

Position Summary

As a Peer Support Specialist, you are the "warm welcome" and the living proof that recovery is not just possible, but happening right now. Working the Weekday Shift (Mon–Wed), you serve as the front-line expert for adults entering our Crisis Walk-In (CWI) center. You aren't just a staff member; you are a Peer-Expert who uses your own lived experience with mental health or substance use recovery to build immediate, non-clinical rapport with neighbors in their most vulnerable moments. In this role, you bridge the gap between crisis and stability. You will work alongside a multidisciplinary clinical team, ensuring that every individual is met with dignity rather than a diagnosis. Whether you are de-escalating a tense situation, helping a participant navigate the complex behavioral health system, or co-creating a safety plan, your primary tool is your authentic story. You are here to replace fear with hope and to ensure that no one walks their recovery path alone. Key Highlights Compensation: The compensation range for this role is $31.00 - 35.00 an hour, with final compensation determined based on experience, qualifications, and role scope. Work Location & Expectations: This role requires daily in-person engagement at Indio Crisis Walk-in Center location. 47-915 Oasis St., Indio, CA 92201 Key Responsibilities 1. High-Impact Crisis De-escalation The First Voice: Serve as the primary point of contact for adults entering in distress, using lived experience to model calm and hope while lowering the "temperature" of the room. Active Engagement: Utilize non-clinical, peer-based de-escalation techniques (such as the "Intentional Peer Support" model) to build immediate rapport and prevent the need for more restrictive interventions. Environmental Awareness: Monitor the "Front Door" energy, proactively engaging with participants who appear overwhelmed or anxious before a crisis peaks. 2. Collaborative Safety Planning Peer-Led Planning: Facilitate the creation of individualized Safety Plans that focus on the participant's strengths, triggers, and preferred coping strategies—not just "contracting for safety." Post-Crisis Grounding: Support participants in the vulnerable hours following a clinical assessment, helping them process their experience and internalize their immediate stabilization goals. Wellness Tools: Introduce participants to wellness tools (like WRAP or similar frameworks) that they can take home as tangible resources for self-management. 3. Expert Community Navigation Warm Handoffs: Move beyond providing a list of phone numbers; personally assist participants in navigating the "Front Door" of social services, housing resources, and outpatient programs. Bridge to Recovery: Act as the liaison between the CWIC and community-based peer organizations, ensuring participants have a "peer-to-peer" connection waiting for them upon discharge. Resource Advocacy: Educate participants on how to advocate for their own needs within the behavioral health system, empowering them to become active participants in their care. 4. Team Integration & Advocacy The Human Element: Participate in multidisciplinary team huddles to provide the peer perspective on participant care, ensuring the team sees the person behind the crisis.