Peer Recovery Specialist

OVERVIEW

Peer Recovery Specialist provides recovery oriented, peer specific supports for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. Peer will utilize lived experience, training, and other resources to provide mentorship, education, advocacy, motivation, and outreach. Peer Recovery Specialist will also model recovery with integrity. Peer will also link individuals to recovery services.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Engages individuals in recovery services and supports.
2. Seeks opportunities to motivate individual efforts to maintain recovery.
3. Provides information on recovery related strategies, services, and coping skills.
4. Assists individuals in identifying and connecting to community resources.
5. Encourages empowerment through choice in services, knowledge about addiction, and advocacy.
6. Provides 1:1 mentorship.
7. Facilitates recovery and relapse prevention focused groups.
8. Offers insight and support by sharing lived experience in a recovery and resiliency focused method
9. Utilizes individuals' natural supports, when appropriate, to help create stability and on-going care.
10. Provides outreach to promote participation in recovery services including but not limited to attendance at doctor appointments, therapy, support groups, employment related activities, etc.
11. Offers sober companionship, bridging between addiction related social interactions to healthy, resiliency promoting, natural supports.
12. Educates individuals in coping strategies, recovery principles, community resources, and potential life style changes.
13. Monitor individual service plans in collaboration with the individual, his/her family, and other service providers.
14. Complete necessary and required documentation including collaborative Recovery, Resiliency, and Wellness Plans, progress notes, and quarterly reviews.
15. Provides supportive coaching.
16. Collaborates with treatment staff concerning individual progress and concerns.
17. Reports health, safety and other concerns regarding the individual to appropriate treatment team members.
18. Participates in trainings on peer support topics and services.
19. Provides supportive atmosphere for individuals receiving services.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Ability to share personal, lived experience in a hopeful, positive, recovery promoting way. Thorough understanding of addiction recovery resources and process, including Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). Ability to establish rapport and maintain trust. Considerable knowledge of the principles and components of recovery; considerable knowledge of individual supportive counseling practices and techniques including crisis intervention. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff of the agency and of other private and public agencies and organizations. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing. Ability to operate a vehicle; ability to function calmly in crisis situa­tions; ability to prepare and maintain detailed records.

OTHER

Must demonstrate: personal belief in recovery; knowledge of trauma informed care principles; willingness to share personal recovery experience; sincere interest in the welfare of their peer; genuine hope and optimism for peer success; ability to engage the peer as a unique individual including his or her level of receptivity, stage of recovery, specific needs and types of peer services and support required; understanding of the ethical and confidential boundaries of the peer role.

TYPICAL EDUCATION, TRAINING AND WORK EXPERIENCE

High School Diploma or Associates degree with personal experience and knowledge of the wellness and recovery process and considerable experience in providing formal peer/recovery support services.

LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATIONS

Virginia Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, including DBHDS training, 500 hours of experience, and registered with the state of Virginia Board of Health Providers. WRAP Facilitator Certification (within six months of employment) First Aid/CPR, Therapeutic Options, Valid VA driver's license.