POSITION TITLE: Registered Peer Recovery Specialist

PROGRAM: ARTS

REPORTS TO: Residential Supervisor

SUPERVISES: N/A 

SUMMARY OF POSITION: The Peer Recovery Specialist’s role is to support others in recovery from substance use and/or mental health disorders. The Peer Recovery Specialist will serve as a role model, mentor, advocate, and motivator to recovering individuals to help prevent relapse and promote long-term recovery. The Peer Recovery Specialist must demonstrate an ability to share personal recovery experiences and to develop authentic peer-to-peer relationships. May serve as a substitute on occasion as a ancillary facilitator; consult with peers and other professionals to share information, to discuss early intervention and/or treatment methods, techniques and recommendations for appropriate treatment interventions; assist with substance abuse education classes for new clients, their families and other concerned persons. Serves as an advocate for clients in their communities; and performs other duties as requested.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

1. EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSE/TRAINING:

Must have at least High school diploma/G.E.D. or higher. Must have acquired certification as a Certified Recovery Specialist Must be registered as a Peer Recovery Specialist with the Department of Health Professions (DHP).

1. WORK EXPERIENCE:

Two to three years of experience in substance use and/or mental health treatment, recovery community, or related health and human service settings is preferred. Experience serving as a Peer Recovery Specialist, Case Manager, Client Advocate, or Community Health Worker is strongly valued. Candidates must have worked within the last three years and demonstrate at least twelve (12) months of successful part-time or full-time paid or voluntary work experience in providing recovery-oriented support. Experience should reflect direct engagement with individuals in recovery, knowledge of community resources, and the ability to support clients in building wellness, resiliency, and independent living skills.

1. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

1.  Understand and respect each individual’s unique path to recovery.
2.  Have a working knowledge of the drug/alcohol and/or mental health treatment system and demonstrated commitment to the recovery community. 
3. Excellent oral and written communications skills. 
4. Self-starter with strong organizational skills. 
5. Possess an understanding of client health and welfare issues. 
6. Proven competencies in the computer systems and applications include but are not limited to Microsoft Word and Excel. 
7. Team player with a pleasant demeanor. 

1. OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1. Must be able to successfully pass State, Federal, and Central Registry background checks.
2. Must have a valid Virginia’s driver’s license, good driving record, and proof of personal auto insurance.
3. Must maintain current certification in basic first-aid, CPR, and provide annual TB Assessment.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:

1. Participate as part of agency clinical team involving the provision of an array of substance abuse educational services within the group and program setting. 
2. Update and complete records for all clients with whom they have contact, as well as the implementation of treatment goals and objectives. 
3. Facilitating peer support groups as needed. 
4. Under close clinical and administrative supervision, will perform entry level work in the treatment, mentoring, education and referral of clients and other concerned persons involved with the substance abuse program.
5. Maintain and update client logs, reports and records in appropriate files and database(s).
6. Provide recovery education to service recipients for every phase of the recovery journey from pre-recovery engagement, recovery initiation, recovery stabilization, and sustained recovery maintenance. 
7. Provide a model for staff and clients in recovery demonstrating that recovery is possible.
8. Assist recovering clients with identifying their personal interests, goals, strengths, and weaknesses regarding recovery. 
9. Assist/coach recovering persons with developing their own plan for advancing their recovery; for “getting the life they want.” 
10. Recovery Planning -- facilitate (via personal coaching) the transition from a professionally directed service plan to a self-directed Recovery Plan. The goal should be to transition from professionally assisted recovery initiation to personally directed, community supported recovery maintenance. 
11. Promote self-advocacy by assisting recovering clients to have their voices fully heard; their needs, goals and objectives established as the focal point of rehabilitation and clinical services. 
12. Actively identify and support linkages to community resources (communities of recovery, educational, vocational, social, cultural, spiritual resources, mutual self- help groups, professional services, etc.) that support the recovering person’s goals and interests. This will involve a collaborative effort including the recovering person, agency staff and other relevant stakeholders.
13. Support connections to community based, mutual self-help groups. Link individuals to appropriate professional resources when needed. Provide vision-driven hope and encouragement for opportunities at varying levels of involvement in community-based activities (e.g., work, relationships, physical activity, self-directed hobbies, etc.). 
14. Develop relationships with community groups/agencies in partnership with others in the agency.
15. Visit community resources with recovering clients to assist them in becoming familiar with potential opportunities. 
16. Identify barriers (internal and external) to full participation in community resources and develop strategies to overcome those barriers. 
17. Maintain contact by phone and/or e-mail with recovering person after they leave the program to ensure their ongoing success and to provide re-engagement support in partnership with others in the agency if needed. Long-term engagement, support, and encouragement. 
18. Other duties as directed by Residential Supervisor or other Management Staff. 
19. Develop, implement, and promote ongoing community training opportunities. 
20. Work with staff and other community professionals to implement and promote recovery-oriented training programs and opportunities.

EQUIPMENT, TOOLS AND WORK AIDS:

Working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite products to include Outlook, MS Teams, and SharePoint. 

FLSA Status: 

Non-exempt /Hourly; eligible for overtime. Hours as assigned.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly in an office type setting and residential facility type setting with varying degrees of background noise, usually less than moderate. The employee is routinely required to sit and remain in the seated position; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and get up and down off the floor. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Lighting and ventilation are available as found in an office environment or normal residential facility setting. Smoking is not permitted inside any company owned/operated facility or vehicle. The employee may occasionally work in outside weather conditions and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds and infrequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. 

=================================================================================

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the jobholder. He/she will be required to follow any other instructions or perform any other duties as requested by his/her supervisor or manager. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.