Peer Recovery Support Specialist

Come Grow with Us

HOPE Community Services is a Certified Community Behavioral Health Center (CCBHC) that provides comprehensive mental health services to the South Oklahoma City Community, and we are growing We are currently seeking a Peer Recovery Support Specialist to join our Addiction Recovery Services and help people receive the services they need.

EOE Statement 

At HOPE, we are committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion.  Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the community we serve.  We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer. 

SUMMARY  

The Recovery Support Specialist (RSS) of the Medical Assisted Treatment (MAT) program provides peer support services; serves as an advocate; provides information and peer support for consumers.  The RSS performs a wide range of tasks to assist consumers in regaining control of their lives and recovery processes.  The RSS will possess the skills to maintain a high level of professionalism, ethics and interactions with all ODMHSAS and Court System stakeholders.  

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned. 

Adheres to agency policy and procedures, as found in the Forms Locked Drive on each computer.  Also adheres to CARF and DMHSAS standards and criteria, federal and state confidentiality rules and regulations, and any special funding source requirements including Medicaid and HCA regulations. 

Supports and promotes a service environment for individual in need of behavioral health and/or co-occurring services that is recovery focused, welcoming, and attentive to the needs of individuals who may have experienced trauma in their lives.  Attends annual core competencies training in relationship to individuals with co-occurring disorders or who have experienced trauma in their lives. 

Utilizes a positive and open philosophy of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) services for consumers with Substance Use Disorder. 

Establishes and maintains professional working relationships with supervisor and peers.  Can effectively work within a team or group setting cohesively. 

Provides Recovery Support Services while clients are being inducted into the MAT program; Initiates contact with clients to establish trust, rapport, and assist in orientation for new consumers. 

Responsible for providing RSS services to identified consumers in the MAT program throughout the course of their treatment. 

Utilizes rapport building, organizational skills, and motivational interviewing skills to provide any needed documentation as required by funding sources (ODASL, GPRA, etc.) including conducting follow-up outcomes as needed. 

Interacts with other professionals to discuss therapy or treatment, new resources or techniques, and to share information.  Serves as a treatment team member on MAT client cases.  

Utilizes communication skills to effectively meet client needs and communicate coverage provided, plans made, on-going service needs found, resources, etc. to primary clinician(s) for further navigation needs for consumer when coverage for any other clinician is provided. 

Assists consumers in obtaining services that suit that individual's recovery needs. 

Informs consumers about community and natural supports and how to utilize these in the recovery process. 

Provides services face-to-face as well as over the phone to seek out contact with consumers to be engaged in services. 

Maintains up-to-date address, phone number, contact persons, and financial information on all clients. 

Assists clients in finding and accessing community resources needed to maintain independent functioning within their community through various levels of services including intensive. 

Provide services that include office visits and/or home and community visits that assist in meeting clients’ needs. 

Utilizes knowledge, skills and abilities to teach and mentor the value of every individual's recovery experience; model effective coping techniques and self-help strategies;  assist service recipients in articulating personal goals for recovery;  assist service recipients in determining the objectives needed to reach his/her recovery goals. 

Assists clients, individually and in groups, with development of independent and community living skills, social skills, interests, and leisure time activities which will encourage community involvement and integration. 

Provides a therapeutic environment for peers to assist each other in developing wellness and recovery focused goals and skills.  Provides and advocates for effective recovery oriented services 

Responsible for maintaining strictest confidentiality guidelines for interactions regarding consumer and family information. 

Provides a minimum of 85 hours direct service time with consumers per month. 

Utilizes the philosophy of Collaborative/Therapeutic Documentation to meet clinical record keeping documentation standards and ensure documentation is completed with the Consumer to the extent possible and all documentation is completed on the same day of the date of service. 

Responsible for seeking out supervisory assistance for additional training and to enhance skills set as needed. 

Reports and documents services in accordance with agency policy and procedures.  Adheres to HOPE policy and procedure of having documentation completed by the end of the next business day. 

Monitors eligibility status and makes application for Social Security, Title XIX (Medicaid), QMB, and other benefits for which the client may qualify. 

May be required to work evening or weekend hours.  Expected to possess skills necessary to provide immediate crisis intervention on a 24 hour basis. 

May be required to provide services in a community setting. 

Must be able to provide client transportation using personal vehicle or agency owned van or small bus. 

Performs other related duties as assigned. 

QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE  

High School diploma or GED and have demonstrated recovery from a mental illness, substance abuse disorder, or both. 

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS  

Required to obtain and maintain C-PRSS Certification.  

May be required to obtain and maintain DMHSAS CM Certification. 

Required to complete Therapeutic Options. Or approved safety training and annual updates. 

May be required to obtain and maintain First Aid and CPR Certifications. 

In order to provide client transportation in private or agency vehicles, must possess current, valid Oklahoma license,  meet HOPE insurance requirements.  HOPE will annually obtain copy of Motor Vehicle Record from the Department of Public Safety. 

LANGUAGE SKILLS  

Ability to read and comprehend basic instructions, correspondence, and memos. Ability to write correspondence to courts, schools, etc. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to families, clients, and other employees of the organization.  Ability to complete thorough and accurate clinical documentation and writing in a medical record chart and complete needed paperwork. 

REASONING ABILITY  

Ability to apply commonsense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. Ability to seek out supervisory assistance for additional training when needed and make application of techniques or other skills to meet essential job duties and responsibilities. 

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES  

Ability to relate to persons with severe mental illness and/or substance use in a positive, helpful and constructive manner.   

Ability to establish and maintain effective and tactful working relationships with co-workers; to express ideas and facts clearly and concisely in written or oral form. 

Personality and mature presentation of oneself demonstrating the ability to work with various systems while maintaining objectivity and cooperative attitude.  

Possess knowledge about various mental health settings and ancillary services (i.e. Social Security, housing services, and advocacy organizations). 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and climb or balance. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The employee must have vision enough to read written or typed data.  Must have hearing and speech enough to communicate effectively with staff, clients, and public in person or by phone. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT  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 enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee occasionally works in outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.