Certified Peer Recovery Associate

About the Role

The Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) maintains a caseload of active Ashley patients and facilitates regular, individual peer support sessions with each assigned patient throughout their treatment episode. The CPRS adheres to the Principles and Guidelines for the CPRS credential required by the Maryland Addiction & Behavioral-Health Professionals Certification Board. The CPRS serves as part of a patient’s assigned treatment team and actively engages with interdepartmental members to ensure quality of care. The CPRS provides patients with resources deemed appropriate for ongoing care and helps connect patients to these resources throughout treatment.

Responsibilities

• Peer Recovery Support
  • Maintains an active caseload of current patients and provides individual, scheduled peer support services for each assigned patient
  • Manages new patient assignments for peer support services through internal referral system
  • Adheres to the domains of the Maryland CPRS credential: Advocacy, Ethical Responsibility, Mentoring/Education, Recovery/Wellness Support
  • Adheres to the “Principles and Guidelines” of the Maryland CPRS credential
  • Meets with each assigned patient weekly for an individual peer support session lasting 30 minutes or more
  • Intentionally engages with each assigned patient during each scheduled shift
  • Actively collaborates as a member of each assigned patient’s treatment team to support patients through residential treatment and their discharge planning process
  • Facilitates community topic groups, mutual support groups, and discussion groups while adhering to correct procedures and skills
  • Provides educational and experiential lectures, workshops, and presentations to the patient community
  • Participates in clinical interventions when requested
  • Successfully addresses behavioral issues in a professional, compassionate manner, relaying behavioral issues to the appropriate parties
  • Utilizes peer support skills necessary to best serve the patient population, including active listening, patient re-engagement, de-escalation, advocacy, and accountability
  • Adheres to Patient Rights and Responsibilities
• Discharge Planning
  • Identifies resources aligned with the recommended level of aftercare and presents them to assigned patients
  • Assists patients in connecting with aftercare resources through phone calls, virtual interviews, online applications, etc.
  • Assists patients in solidifying appointments/services with aftercare resources through navigating insurance verifications, medical records transfers, financial discussions, and transportation arrangements
  • Provides each assigned patient with a printed or electronic Continuing Care Plan reflecting all appointments and/or recommended resources
  • Collaborates with clinical staff to ensure any involved family members are aware of aftercare arrangements and communicates with family members when appropriate
• Patient Accountability, Safety, and Security
  • Maintains an understanding of the patient schedule for each program
  • Shares the responsibility of facilitating programming through signup sheets (e.g., scheduled lectures, workshops, patient phone time, “Welcome Tours”)
  • Understands the layout of the Ashley campus (room numbers/locations, offices, building amenities) and accurately provides this information
  • Performs scheduled rounds of the campus
  • Utilizes Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) skills when necessary
  • Uses proper radio etiquette
  • Effectively carries out responsibilities during emergency drills and events
• Documentation and Communication
  • Uses professional, objective, person-centered language when documenting in the patient’s medical record
  • Documents all Individual Peer Services in TIER with accurate timestamps and content
  • Maintains communication via email with clinical staff regarding the progress, participation, and behavior of assigned patients
  • Proficiently documents patient behavioral concerns in EMR
  • Proficiently enters Clinical Aide Notes for new admission “Welcome Tours”
  • Utilizes Outlook to communicate patient/programming needs to the department
  • Competently enters incident reports in RL6 software
  • Ensures all new admissions sign Laundry Services, Evacuation Procedures, and Ashley Patient Guidelines consent forms in TIER
  • Proficient in operating and troubleshooting the A/V systems for each lecture hall
• Intake
  • Facilitates thorough “Welcome Tours” for all new admissions
  • Collaborates with PSS management and clinical staff to ensure each new admission is assigned to a CPRS caseload
  • Reviews the Ashley Patient Handbook and competently answers questions regarding the inpatient treatment experience
  • Carries out the administering of Trac9 assessments
• Transportation
  • Safely transports new admissions, discharging patients, and performs other trips as assigned
  • Adheres to the procedure for transporting patients to medical appointments/LOAs
  • Proficiently utilizes GPS as well as safely navigating during inclement weather conditions and varying times of the day/evening
  • Accurately documents information in the pre-trip safety inspection log
  • Documents accurate patient transport logs
  • Reports behavior of passengers to appropriate Ashley clinical staff
  • Maintains a clean and serviced vehicle
  • Reports accidents or moving violations through the proper channels
  • Safely transports patients in Ashley golf carts

Requirements

• Maryland Certified Peer Recovery Specialist certification required
• Recovery Coach Professional certification preferred
• CPR/BLS certification required
• CPI (Crisis Prevention Intervention) certificate required
• Recovery Coach Academy certification required
• One year of work experience in SUD or behavioral health setting required
• High School diploma or GED required; Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services preferred
• Valid driver’s license with clean driving record required

Skills

• Ability to maintain calm within the patient community during any emergency or drill
• Working knowledge and acceptance of multiple pathways to recovery (12-step, Peer Recovery, SMART, etc.)
• Demonstrates current, accurate knowledge of trends and issues related to recovery and wellness
• Ability to facilitate effective support groups in a behavioral health setting
• Demonstrates a strong ability to develop personal rapport with patients in a healthcare setting
• Sets clear boundaries with patients
• Speaks and acts in an ethical manner in accordance with the Principles and Guidelines of the Maryland CPRS credential
• Excellent customer service skills
• Knowledge of SUD treatment language and documentation expectations