peer recovery support specialist

Job Title Department
Peer Recovery Support Specialist Cook County Health

This position is exempt from Career Service under the CCH Personnel Rules.

Job Summary
Under Supervision, the Peer Recovery Support Specialist supports individuals with substance use disorders to achieve their individual recovery goals. The Peer Recovery Support Specialist plays a key role on an interdisciplinary team of providers, nurses, social workers and recovery coaches. The Peer Recovery Support Specialist will support evidence based interventions for patients identified in various Cook County Health (CCH) locations including Emergency Departments (ED), Inpatient, Ambulatory Community Health Network (ACHN) sites, Cermak Health Services, and/or community settings.

Typical Duties

• Assists patients at every point in their recovery journey, providing information, education, encouragement, and skill-building in a non-judgmental manner
• Utilizes personal recovery experience to model healthy coping techniques, identify and connect patients to recovery resources, and provide ongoing encouragement and support
• Shares lived experience with individual patients or family members to reduce stigma and promote patient advocacy, as appropriate Collaborates with providers, team members, and organizational leaders to share lived experiences, reducing stigma, promoting patient self-advocacy, and improving quality of care or informing program development
• Collaborates with providers, team members, and organizational leaders to share lived experiences, reducing stigma, promoting patient self-advocacy, and improving quality of care or informing program development
• Completes screenings for substance use and mental health disorders, collaborating with team members to develop comprehensive care plans
• Assists patients in identifying goals related to reducing or abstaining from substance use and addresses potential barriers to meeting recovery goals
• Educates patients on Naloxone/Narcan administration, overdose prevention, and other harm reduction techniques
• Facilitates patients' access to overdose prevention kits and other harm reduction resources
• Tracks participant engagement in services, providing outreach and support to follow through with referral resources, including eliminating barriers and advocating for changes in care plans
• Supports outreach, engagement, or re-engagement in care, which may include visiting medical homes, treatment facilities, and meeting patients in the community
• Connects patients to recovery-oriented community resources, such as 12-step programs, SMART recovery meetings, treatment facilities, and sober living environments
• Performs supportive tasks for patients, including appointment scheduling, referrals to community-based resources, and providing directions on how to access them, followed by thorough follow-up to determine success
• Facilitates educational or peer support groups for patients and/or family members
• Performs follow-up calls to patients following discharge from various care settings
• Utilizes internal and external organizational resources to facilitate engagement and retention in recovery services
• Documents all activities in appropriate files and systems, aligning with the team's quality improvement efforts
• Retrieves documents from organizations to support effective transitions
• Completes all education activities and training as requested
• Participates in Interdisciplinary Rounds as requested
• Protects PHI and complies with CCH Privacy Policy
• Participates in regularly scheduled team meetings

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED is required. (Must provide proof at time of interview)
• Lived experience in recovery from a substance use disorder and be able to share that experience openly and effectively in a way that engages, inspires, and motivates others for their own recovery
• Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist (CPRSS) from the Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association (IAODAPCA) at time of application OR ability to attain within (2) years of employment is required. (Must provide proof at time of interview)
• Previous experience (paid or unpaid) interning or employed in a position supporting individuals with substance use disorder

Preferred Qualifications

• One (1) year of professional experience as a Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist (CPRSS), preferred.
• One (1) year of working with patients receiving Medications for Addiction Treatment such as buprenorphine (suboxone) or Methadone}, preferred.
• Prior experience in a health care setting, preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities And Other Characteristics

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills necessary to communicate with all levels of staff and a patient population composed of diverse cultures and age groups
• Knowledge of evidence-based practices for substance use treatment, with strong emphasis on harm-reduction, motivational interviewing, and stages of change.
• Knowledge and ability to adhere to the code of ethics as established by the Illinois Certification Board (ICB).
• Knowledge of community-based recovery resources in the Chicagoland/Cook County area.
• Ability to function autonomously and as a team member in a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to multi-task and meet deadlines in a fast paced and stressful environment
• Ability to adhere to department policies and standards utilizing best practices.

Physical and Environmental Demands
This position is functioning within a healthcare environment. The incumbent is responsible for adherence to all hospital and department specific safety requirements. This includes but is not limited to the following policies and procedures: complying with Personal Protective Equipment requirements, hand washing and sanitizing practices, complying with department specific engineering and work practice controls and any other work area safety precautions as specified by hospital wide policy and departmental procedures.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of the personnel so classified.

For purposes of the American with Disabilities Act, "Typical Duties" are essential job functions.

VETERAN PREFERENCE
PLEASE READ
When applying for employment with the Cook County Health & Hospitals System, preference is given to honorably discharged Veterans who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States for not less than 6 months of continuous service

To Take Advantage Of This Preference a Veteran Must

• Meet the minimum qualifications for the position.
• Identify self as a Veteran on the employment application by answering yes to the question by answering yes to the question, "Are you a Military Veteran?"
• Attach a copy of their DD 214, DD 215 or NGB 22 (Notice of Separation at time of application filing. Please note: If you have multiple DD214s, 215s, or NGB 22S, Please submit the one with the latest date. Coast Guard must submit a certified copy of the military separation from either the Department of Transportation (Before 9/11) or the Department of Homeland Security (After 9/11). Discharge papers must list and Honorable Discharge Status. Discharge papers not listing an Honorable Discharge Status are not acceptable

OR

• A copy of a valid State ID Card or Driver's License which identifies the holder of the ID as a Veteran, may also be attached to the application at time of filing.

If items are not attached, you will not be eligible for Veteran Preference
VETERANS MUST PROVIDE ORIGINAL APPLICABLE DISCHARGE PAPERS OR APPLICABLE STATE ID CARD OR DRIVER'S LICENSE AT TIME OF INTERVIEW.
Benefits Package

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
• Basic Term Life Insurance
• Pension Plan and Deferred Compensation Program
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Holidays, Vacation, and Sick Time
• You may also qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

For further information on our excellent benefits package, please click on the following link:

MUST MEET ALL REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AT TIME OF APPLICATION FILING.
Degrees awarded outside of the United States with the exception of those awarded in one of the United States' territories and Canada must be credentialed by an approved U.S. credential evaluation service belonging to the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE). Original credentialing documents must be presented at time of interview.

• Please note all offers of Employment are contingent upon the following conditions: satisfactory professional & employment references, healthcare and criminal background checks, appropriate licensure/certifications and the successful completion of a physical and pre-employment drug screen.
• CCHHS is strictly prohibited from conditioning, basing or knowingly prejudicing or affecting any term or aspect of County employment or hiring upon or because of any political reason or factor.

COOK COUNTY HEALTH IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
Job Posting
Oct 21, 2025, 2:05:04 PM

Collective Bargaining Unit
None

Organization
Health and Hospital Systems