Peer Recovery Specialist

The City of Virginia Beach Department of Human Services is eagerly seeking to hire a Certified Peer Support Specialist to join our Discharge Assistance Planning team! Adult Correctional Services (ACS) assists offenders with behavioral health or co-occurring disorders to access educational and discharge planning services while in custody of the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office. ACS services increase treatment compliance both in the jail and in the community, provide intensive re-entry services, reduces recidivism, and fosters a commitment to a drug-free, violence free, crime free lifestyle, reducing the need for inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, all while allowing individuals to live in the community with the highest degree of independence.  

A $3,000 hiring bonus is being offered for this position!** This position is also eligible to receive a $5,000 annual stipend to be paid in installments over 26 pay periods.

The ideal candidate will be a Certified Peer Support Specialist and have experience working with and providing peer support services to incarcerated adults with substance use and or mental health disorders, developing a Recovery Plan by identifying individual’s goals, strengths, and steps, experience as a liaison between individuals with MH and or SUD disorders and other service providers such as Clinicians, case managers, jail mental health providers and same day access services, documenting client’s progress in an electronic health record and working with and as a part of an interdisciplinary team.

 Responsibilities:

• Provide recovery-based peer support services and outreach to clients transitioning from Virginia Beach Correctional Center (VBCC) to the community.
• Assist consumers in regaining control over their own lives and over their own recovery process through accompanying clients to appointments, linking them to needed resources, assisting clients with understanding, and developing treatment goals and plans, develop coping strategies and self-care routines; and helping them maintain accurate records.
• Role models competency in recovery, ongoing coping skills and goal setting in discharge planning.
• Promote independence and empowerment by reinforcing personal strengths and decision-making.
• Offer emotional support and encouragement to individuals navigating mental health recovery.
• Meet with individual consumers in VBCC to provide input into the treatment/recovery plan in support of mental health/substance use staff and other treatment team members.
• Assist and accompany individuals to appointments on the day of release when necessary for successful reintegration into the community.
• Advise and inform consumers on community resources, including housing, employment, education, transportation, recreation, health, and other resources to meet consumer goals, objectives, and needs.
• Assist consumers with developing wellness and recovery plans (WRAP) in both individual and group settings.
• Attend integrated treatment team meetings for the purpose of supporting the consumer.
• Advocate for consumers, provide input and speak on personal experiences regarding mental health/substance use issues to inspire hope and promote self-advocacy.
• Uphold confidentiality and ethical guidelines while fostering a safe and inclusive environment.

The City offers a generous benefits package, which includes health, dental and life insurance, retirement and savings plans, maternity/paternity and parental leave, holidays and paid leave. 

**Hiring bonuses shall only be for new hires of original full-time employment or re-employment as defined in Human Resources Policy No. 5.0. 

• $500 will be awarded in the first paycheck.
• $1,000 will be awarded upon completion of the six (6) month interim performance evaluation with an overall rating of “Meets Expectations”.
• $1,500 will be awarded upon completion of the employee’s one (1) year probationary period and a performance evaluation with an overall rating of “Meets Expectations”.