The City of Virginia Beach Department of Human Services is eagerly seeking to hire an experienced Peer Recovery Specialist to provide a peer-based bridge service for the Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Program in the Behavioral Health division. This is a strength-based service that provides and cultivates hope for people in psychiatric facilities. The candidate will use their own lived experience to support clients interested in PSH housing transition to the community and connecting with the essential resources desired and provide ongoing short-term support when discharged. This position will provide advocacy, conduct recovery-oriented service planning, and individual goal implementation to include training/coaching in daily living skills, facilitating social/recreational activities, recovery education, and fostering client advocacy and responsibility.

Hospital based Activities

• Engage identified participants in providing education regarding the PSH program.
• Liaison and designated State Hospital Points of Contact.
• Visit the state hospital at least one day a week to engage with potential participants.
• Educate participants on PSH program and assist with referral coordination and assessment should they agree to program admission.
• Provide education to hospital staff, on recovery, peer support, and recovery supports.
• Assist the participant in finding housing in the community as part of the discharge plan.
• Facilitate transportation back to their community for visits and housing searches. 
• Support participants during 48 or overnight passes.

Community-based post-discharge activities

• Facilitate a “warm hand-off “to the community mental health provider chosen by the participant.
• Support with the development of a Wellness and Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)
• Participating in treatment activities at the behavioral health agency with the participant as requested.
• Sit in on and function as an advocate during appointments with the primary clinician, prescriber, etc.
• Connect participants with natural support resources and the local recovery community.
• Assist the participant in developing a new life structure, including developing and refining skills for daily living.
• Acts as a change agent to including that recovery is possible to co-workers and model recovery, through professionalism, spreading recovery principles, and state hospitals.
• Participates in DBHDS and Virginia Beach sponsored Peer Bridger training activities.
• Coordinate activities with the Hospital Liaison and attends internal and external discharge planning and treatment team meetings.