Peer Recovery Specialist

Job description

Position Summary: Responsible for care of clients presenting to Grassroots’ Walk-In Crisis Center, as well as Grassroots’ Substance Use Disorder and Crisis Stabilization programs. Responsible for providing peer-to-peer support to individuals engaging in walk-in crisis services, crisis stabilization, and substance use services by helping individuals engage in the intervention process. Position involves meeting face-to-face with individuals who are seeking support with substance use and/or mental health related concerns. Position involves providing emotional support, de-escalation, scheduling appointments, completing warm hand offs, providing resources/referrals, and following up with clients. This position is responsible for providing supportive services to help individuals regain a sense of safety, return to their normal level of functioning, and/or access ongoing treatment services as needed. The Peer Recovery Specialist is responsible for providing excellent service by applying reflective listening and motivational interviewing skills. This position has the special training and skills to interact both face-to-face and via phone, to understand clients’ unique circumstances and needs, render immediate emotional support, provide options for ongoing support/treatment and follow up to ensure needs are being met. The Peer Recovery Specialist is patient, knowledgeable, empathetic and helpful.

Available schedule:

CSC & Urgent Care (Dual):

Monday - Friday; 4:00pm - 12:00am

Qualified candidates for this position must have:

• High school diploma
• Knowledge of the recovery process and the ability to facilitate recovery using established standardized mental health processes.
• At least 2 years in recovery from a substance use or mental health disorder.
• Peer recovery certification required within one year of hire.

PREFERRED:

• Peer recovery certification preferred.
• Associate’s degree or higher in a health/human services/substance use disorder related field

Position Responsibilities:

• Responds to crisis walk-in clients in the agency.
• Provides support to individuals experiencing mental health or substance use related crisis within a peer framework.
• Triages walk-in clients to determine client needs and identify the most appropriate level of intervention.
• Works with clients, their existing supports, and other Crisis team members to determine how to best achieve stabilization of the crisis.
• Facilitates all stages of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) by discussing screening results with clients, providing brief intervention utilizing motivational interviewing and harm reduction counseling, and partnering in the referral to treatment process by offering warm handoffs to external providers based on the level of care recommendation.
• Provides recovery education to clients for every phase of the recovery journey to include pre-recovery engagement, recovery initiation, recovery stabilization, and recovery maintenance.
• Assists clients in articulating personal goals for recovery and works with their existing supports to determine the steps needed in order to achieve these goals and self-directed recovery.
• Assists clients in locating and joining self-help/mutual support groups.
• Acts as a role model and teaches practical life skills within the experience of recovery.
• Identifies internal and external barriers to full participation in community resources as needed, and develops strategies to overcome those barriers including, but not limited to, applying for health insurance, seeking grant funding for treatment services, collaborating with clients’ natural supports, and/or seeking consult to coordinate psychiatric or medical evaluation.
• Assists clients in linking to service providers based on their identified needs.
• Provides follow-up to ensure clients are appropriately linked to services.
• Provides family members, community members, or other interested parties with information about available services or programs, making appropriate referrals when necessary.
• Coordinates community partnerships by attending networking events, initiating or maintaining communication with community partners, sharing resources/information with the team, and providing outreach at the Grassroots’ Day Resource Center (DRC).
• Assists with monthly data monitoring and follow through on client outcomes by reviewing the pre-screens completed by all Grassroots walk-in clients and providing follow-up calls when needed.
• Participates in harm reduction efforts, including maintaining a supply of harm reduction kits onsite, ensuring that all existing and incoming staff are up-to-date on Narcan training, and attending any relevant community meetings.
• Monitors onsite inventory of client supplies to minimize barriers to treatment and ensure that clients’ needs are met during the stabilization process.
• Assists with administrative responsibilities including taking minutes at weekly team meetings and submitting client expense receipts to ensure that the internal budget is up-to-date and accurate.
• Maintains client records and documentation in appropriate files and databases.
• Completes client satisfaction surveys.
• Respects each client’s privacy rights under HIPAA and other applicable laws and regulations during the provision of services.
• Arrives for shift on time and properly attired.
• Attends weekly supervision.
• Completes all trainings as required by Grassroots.
• Other duties as assigned, required or needed.

Skills and Abilities:

• Analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Computer skills with various software and the internet.
• Ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Knowledge of community resources.

Agency-wide Responsibilities:

• Participates in supervision, in-service training, and staff meetings.
• Maintains good working relationships with co-workers and positively contributes to group morale.
• Completes all administrative duties including time sheets, leave requests, etc.
• Participates in special task forces, committees, or special projects as needed.
• Uses appropriate channels of communication to resolve conflicts with other staff.
• Interacts with staff, clients, and visitors in a professional and courteous manner.

Work Conditions include:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, stand, sit; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard.
• Must be able to lift 25lbs.
• Must be willing to use own vehicle for company-related transportation, including obtaining medications from the pharmacy, attending community meetings, and occasionally giving rides to clients if needed.
• Works some holiday shifts during the year.
• Shared office space.
• Occasionally required to come in outside of regular business hours for coverage needs.

Grassroots Rewards & Incentives:

Grassroots offers to pay 100% of the expenses for its Full-time employees wishing to take advantage in the following areas:

• Licensure and/or Renewal (ex. Clinical, Nursing, Medical, etc.)
• CEUs
• Professional Trainings and/or Conferences
• Field Certifications
• Instant wage increases for certifications achieved while employed.
• $250 Hiring Bonus for full completion of Onboarding and HR trainings.
• $500 Retention Bonus
• Small Loan Option at 0% Interest for 1 year

All incentives and/rewards are subject to the employee meeting the required policies and procedures, including, but not limited to, agency’s 3-month probationary period, performance metrics, and/or signed agreements prior to registration and authorization by Grassroots leadership. All bonuses are subject to completion for all required HR and programmatic training.