Peer Recovery Support Specialist

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Inspire hope that addiction is not a moral failing but a mental disease that can be overcome
• Support patients in identify and seek treatment for underlying mental and physical health conditions that perpetuate addictive behavior
• Provide practical help, mentoring, advocacy, coordination of services, side-by-side individualized support, and problem solving
• Provide education on mental illness and addictive disorders through peer-to-peer programs for patients and their families
• Assist patients in working with their treatment team to achieve their goals and self-directed recovery
• Help patients coordinate affordable housing, counseling services and groups, employment and other key components to sustainable recovery
• Utilize and teach problem solving techniques with individuals and groups
• Use ongoing individual and group sessions to teach patients how to identify and combat negative self-talk and how to identify and overcome fears by providing a forum which allows group members and PRS to share their experiences
• Assist patients in building social skills in the community that will enhance job acquisition and tenure
• Model effective coping techniques and self-help strategies
• Serve as a recovery agent by providing and advocating for an effective recovery
• Additional responsibilities as required
  
  
  

Education

Qualifications:

• Must hold the credentials to be a Peer Support Specialist within 30 days from date of hire
• High school degree or equivalent
  
  
  

Qualifications

In addition to meeting the qualifications, the ideal candidate will embody the following characteristics and possess the knowledge, skills and abilities listed below

• Must have sufficient knowledge of the substance abuse population, treatment planning and the field of human social services to work toward the rehabilitation of the patient community
• Aptitude for science backed decision making and use proper judgment with confidential and sensitive issues
• Background of dealing appropriately with patients and team members in stressful or other undesirable situations with an ability to seek direction from supervisors when necessary
• Efficient Self-starter with strong customer service and interpersonal communication skills
• High integrity and sound judgement; able to react quickly and make effective decisions
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written
• Ability to work independently and under pressure while handling multiple tasks simultaneously
• Demonstrate basic computer/word processing skills
  
  
  

Peer Support Role

Peer support workers engage in a wide range of activities. These include:

• Advocating for people in recovery
• Sharing resources and building skills
• Building community and relationships
• Leading recovery groups
• Mentoring and setting goals
  
  
  

Peer support roles may also extend to the following:

• Providing services and/or training
• Supervising other peer workers
• Developing resources
• Administering programs or agencies
• Educating the public and policymakers
  
  
  

Peer support workers may need to develop additional core competencies to provide services to specific groups who also share common experiences, such as family members. The shared experience of being in recovery from a mental health and/or substance use condition or being a family member is the foundation on which the peer recovery support relationship is built in the behavioral health arena.

Principles of Core Competencies

Core competencies for peer workers reflect certain foundational principles identified by members of the mental health consumer and substance use disorder recovery communities. These are:

• Recovery-oriented: Peer workers hold out hope to those they serve, partnering with them to envision and achieve a meaningful and purposeful life. Peer workers help those they serve identify and build on strengths and empower them to choose for themselves, recognizing that there are multiple pathways to recovery.
• Person-centered: Peer recovery support services are always directed by the person participating in services. Peer recovery support is personalized to align with the specific hopes, goals, and preferences of the people served and to respond to specific needs the people has identified to the peer worker.
• Voluntary: Peer workers are partners or consultants to those they serve. They do not dictate the types of services provided or the elements of recovery plans that will guide their work with peers. Participation in peer recovery support services is always contingent on peer choice.
• Relationship-focused: The relationship between the peer worker and the peer is the foundation on which peer recovery support services and support are provided. The relationship between the peer worker and peer is respectful, trusting, empathetic, collaborative, and mutual.
• Trauma-informed: Peer recovery support utilizes a strength-based framework that emphasizes physical, psychological, and emotional safety and creates opportunities for survivors to rebuild a sense of control and empowerment.