Outreach/Recovery Support Peer Specialist

Job Code: RSPS - 106
Revision Date: January 12, 2024

Starting Salary: $14.57 hourly; $30,301 annually
FLSA: Non-Exempt

Overview

We are an agency committed to innovative behavioral health services in trauma-informed care that promote healing and recovery to instill a sense of empowerment and foster a lifelong sense of resilience.

General Description

The role of this job is to work directly with vulnerable and underserved communities and provide assistance with linkage to community partners for substance use treatment and other referrals, consultative and other professional activities to help individuals with their recovery journey and functions of a professional member of the multidisciplinary team assisting professional/non-professional personnel in order to help support individuals for growth and recovery depending on the assignment, the incumbent performs a variety of supportive tasks.

Recovery Support Peer Specialist (RSPS) assist their peers in articulating their goals for recovery, learning and practicing new skills, helping them monitor their progress, assisting them in their treatment, modeling effective coping techniques and self-help strategies based on the specialist's own recovery experience, and supporting them in advocating for themselves to obtain effective services.

Duties and Responsibilities

The functions listed below are those that represent the majority of the time spent working in this position. Management may assign additional functions related to the type of work of the position as necessary.

• Advocates for clients and assists with the recovery process.
• Performs outreach in communities and events, informing people of the services available to the client. Promote substance use and disease prevention and awareness.
• Provide overdose education to include Naloxone.
• Work to build relationships with both clients and community partners that is supportive of patient growth and recovery. Empowers clients to find solutions for health problems (both mental and medical) and concerns they are facing.
• Traveling will be required to attend some of the health outreach events in other counties.
• Assists clients in identifying steps to take to achieve health and wellness related goals. Conduct follows ups on assigned electronic health record of all Outreach Screening Assessment and Referral (OSAR) clients either in person or by phone.
• Compiles and keeps updated information on substance use programs, food pantry, wellness and healthy lifestyle resource for OSAR guide.
• Selectively uses self-disclosure of personal lived experience to inspire and support clients by helping them overcome any barriers and/or obstacles throughout their recovery process.
• Completes all required documentation in a timely, legible manner in assigned electronic health record.
• Ensures confidentiality of individual information.
• Educates and engages individuals in the recovery process to recognize early triggers and signs of relapse and use of individual coping strategies as an alternative to more restrictive services.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Requires High School graduation or GED equivalent.

Recovery Support Peer Specialist positions require employees to be a self-identified person with lived experience of substance use. Experience as a mentor providing services to support others in substance use recovery.

Required Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge of trauma-informed theories, principles, and practices (includes multi-faceted understanding of concepts such as community trauma, intergenerational and historical trauma, parallel processes, and universal precautions), preferred.

Physical Demands

Performs sedentary work that involves walking or standing some of the time and involves exerting up to 10 pounds of force on a regular and recurring basis or sustained keyboard operations.

Unavoidable Hazards (Work Environment)

• Involves routine and frequent exposure to:
  • Bright/ dim light, dust, and pollen.
  • Other extreme hazards not listed above.

Special Certifications and Licenses

• Requires a certification as a Certified Recovery Coach within one (1) year of employment, or as determined Human Resources.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state Driver's License with an acceptable driving record.
• Must be able to pass a TB, criminal background and drug screen.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance

Emergence Health Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires Emergence Health Network to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.

Other Job Characteristics

• Staffing requirements, including criteria that staff have diverse disciplinary backgrounds, have necessary state required license and accreditation, and are culturally and linguistically trained to serve the needs of the clinic's patient population.
• Credentialed, certified, and licensed professionals with adequate training in person-centered, family centered, trauma informed, culturally-competent and recovery-oriented care.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.

Note: This Class Description does not constitute an employment agreement between the Emergence Health Network and an employee and is subject to change by the Emergence Health Network as its needs change.