What are the responsibilities and job description for the Peer Recovery Support Specialist - Living Room Model position at Westbrook Health Services, Inc.?
Brief Description
The Living Room Model PRSS provides immediate, compassionate support to individuals experiencing emotional or behavioral health distress. Using lived experience and recovery principles, the PRSS helps create a calm, trauma-informed environment, engages guests, assists with de-escalation, and connects individuals to needed services and supports.
Essential Duties
Summary
The professionals at Westbrook Health Services believe in promoting the well-being of individuals and families struggling with a wide range of challenges. Our staff meets the needs of over 7,000 people annually. Experienced and compassionate, we empower people to achieve wellness with the guidance of our knowledgeable and experienced staff.
Westbrook Health Services provides a comprehensive, low-cost benefits package to all full-time employees that includes medical, dental, vision, life, short and long-term disability, critical illness, accident, and pet insurance coverage options. Paid time-off, paid holidays, and paid training provide a healthy work life balance.
Westbrook provides Equal Employment Opportunity to all employees and applicants. Employment decisions are made based upon an individual’s skills and qualifications without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, national origin, citizenship, disability as defined in the law, veteran status, sexual orientation, pregnancy and related conditions, genetic information, gender identity or any status or characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws. Westbrook also prohibits unlawful discrimination based upon the perception of those characteristics or any association with a person who is perceived to have any of those characteristics. Discrimination based on any of these factors is totally inconsistent with our philosophy of doing business and will not be tolerated at any time.
Qualified individuals with bona fide disabilities, as the term “disability” is defined in the law, are entitled to reasonable accommodations in the application process and in their employment. Although Westbrook is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations, the responsibility for identifying whether accommodation is needed and what constitutes a reasonable accommodation is shared jointly by the employee and Westbrook.
- 3p-11p Shift**
The Living Room Model PRSS provides immediate, compassionate support to individuals experiencing emotional or behavioral health distress. Using lived experience and recovery principles, the PRSS helps create a calm, trauma-informed environment, engages guests, assists with de-escalation, and connects individuals to needed services and supports.
Essential Duties
- Engage guests using recovery-oriented, strengths-based, and trauma-informed approaches.
- Use lived experience purposefully to build trust, offer hope, and support coping during distress.
- Conduct guest orientation, monitor the environment, and help maintain a calm, welcoming space.
- Assist guests in identifying needs, coping strategies, and next steps; support safety or recovery planning with clinical staff.
- Provide brief screenings, gather information, and complete documentation in the EMR per agency and CCBHC standards.
- Link guests to internal and community services (MAT, outpatient care, housing, resources, harm reduction, benefits, etc.).
- Assist with transportation coordination, phone calls, and basic paperwork as needed.
- Participate in shift handoffs, huddles, and coordination with crisis team members.
- Maintain confidentiality, safety procedures, and all agency policies.
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- Active PRSS certification in West Virginia
- Lived experience with mental health and/or substance use recovery (one year of sustained recovery preferred).
- Valid driver’s license
- Basic technology and EMR proficiency.
- Ability to work evenings, weekends, or holidays as scheduled.
- Strong rapport-building and communication skills.
- Ability to de-escalate, problem-solve, and remain calm during crises.
- Understanding of recovery principles, harm reduction, and trauma-informed care.
- Ability to maintain boundaries and model professionalism.
- Accurate, timely documentation and teamwork skills.
- Fast-paced crisis environment with individuals in emotional distress.
- Ability to sit, stand, walk, and occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.
- Ability to respond quickly during crisis interventions and use a computer for extended periods.
- Uphold Westbrook’s mission, values, and service standards.
- Maintain confidentiality, HIPAA compliance, and CARF/CCBHC documentation standards.
- Demonstrate professionalism, teamwork, empathy, and recovery-oriented practice.
Summary
The professionals at Westbrook Health Services believe in promoting the well-being of individuals and families struggling with a wide range of challenges. Our staff meets the needs of over 7,000 people annually. Experienced and compassionate, we empower people to achieve wellness with the guidance of our knowledgeable and experienced staff.
Westbrook Health Services provides a comprehensive, low-cost benefits package to all full-time employees that includes medical, dental, vision, life, short and long-term disability, critical illness, accident, and pet insurance coverage options. Paid time-off, paid holidays, and paid training provide a healthy work life balance.
Westbrook provides Equal Employment Opportunity to all employees and applicants. Employment decisions are made based upon an individual’s skills and qualifications without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, national origin, citizenship, disability as defined in the law, veteran status, sexual orientation, pregnancy and related conditions, genetic information, gender identity or any status or characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws. Westbrook also prohibits unlawful discrimination based upon the perception of those characteristics or any association with a person who is perceived to have any of those characteristics. Discrimination based on any of these factors is totally inconsistent with our philosophy of doing business and will not be tolerated at any time.
Qualified individuals with bona fide disabilities, as the term “disability” is defined in the law, are entitled to reasonable accommodations in the application process and in their employment. Although Westbrook is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations, the responsibility for identifying whether accommodation is needed and what constitutes a reasonable accommodation is shared jointly by the employee and Westbrook.