Peer Recovery Specialist

General Description:

The purpose of this position is to provide mobile community outreach in response to the opioid epidemic and the OAA Regional Partnership Grant. The position reports to the Director of Community Corrections.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Engages in community outreach to people who use drugs and provides harm reduction, peer support, and connection to community and treatment resources. When applicable, assists community members in developing personal recovery and wellness goals, and models/mentors' recovery process, and demonstrates coping skills. Serves as a recovery agent by providing and advocating for effective recovery-based services; assists consumers in accessing services by educating them about community and natural supports and how to utilize these in the recovery process. Provides education to community members and other stakeholders in the areas of harm reduction. Functions as a part of a team to respond to overdose hotspots, collaborates with county and community resources. Builds and maintains relationships with community organizations such as churches, treatment groups and recovery organizations. Prepares and maintains documentation as required.

Essential Functions:

The preferred candidate will have experience proving outreach services in the community, knowledge of harm reduction principles, substance use treatment and resources and experience with social media. The candidate should be comfortable interacting with community members, working with and presenting to various stakeholders, and have experience building community partnerships. This position requires the ability to work both independently and with a team. The candidate should have lived experience related to substance use disorder.

Additional Duties:

This is a grant funded temporary position. Duration is one year with up to four one- year renewals are desired but not required. Additional skills such as trianing and development, social media management, and program development are desired but not required.

Responsibilities, Requirements and Impacts Data Responsibility:

Coordinates or determines time, place or sequence of operations or activities based on analysis of data or information and may implement and report on operations and activities. Data collection and documentation will be an essential part of this position.

People Responsibility:

General public

Asset Responsibility:

Vehicle, opioid response assets

Communications Requirements:

Speaks informally to individuals with potential substance use disorder, colleagues, staff in other organizational agencies, general public, may provide training, composes reports and written materials using proper language, punctuation, grammar and style.

Judgment Requirements:

Decision making is essential to the position in the general public, works in a dynamic environment with a diverse population.

Physical Demands:

Performs sedentary work that involves walking or standing some of the time and exerting and/or lifting up to 10 pounds. Requires the ability to drive a motor vehicle and some keyboard operations.

Equipment Usage:

Motor vehicle, laptop, Naloxone or other supplies to be determined.

Special Certifications and Licenses:

Possess a valid driver's license; must be a self-identified current or former recipient of mental health services for a severe and persistent mental illness. Depending on the position, may require licensed or license eligible Peer Recovery Specialist with Virginia Board of Health Professionals through completion of a certified Peer Recovery Specialist Training Program.

Complexity of Work:

Involves people and work- related problem-solving skills; requires accurate results and exposure to unusual events.

Impact of Errors:

The impact of errors is moderately serious- affects work unit and may affect other units or citizens.

Unavoidable Hazards:

Assists individuals with substance use disorders and/or mental health issues or co-occurring disorders in the community, may have exposure to other extreme hazards not identified.

Safety of Others:

Standards of public health and safety.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:

High school diploma or GED; bachelor's degree or training as a peer advocate preferred; one year of experience in providing peer/recovery support services or in related behavioral health work; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.