Peer Professional

Responsibilities

• Provides in person individualized support to individuals who have been identified with a mental health diagnosis and/or substance use.
• Serves as a role model, mentor, and advocate in order to help prevent relapse and promote long-term recovery.
• Provides strength-based rehabilitative and recovery-oriented services individually and as part of a team.
• Establishes a trusting relationship with client based in mutuality and unconditional positive regard during outreach and meetings in the community and in various program settings.
• Supports client in developing and implementing a person-centered recovery plan that is relevant to the current expressed needs of the client, consistent with the Plan of Care.
• Shares personal experiences to foster a sense of hope and recovery.
• Ensures coordination of services through collaboration and consultation with other staff, providers and identified family and/or friends of clients.
• Affords assistance to client with entitlements and concrete services; working together with client, advocates on client’s behalf via telephone and written correspondence.
• Attends and participates in weekly supervision, staff meetings and periodic in-service trainings.
• Achieves and maintains competency in evidence-based practices as assigned.
• Documents time and effort and tasks during working hours as required for billing.
• Produces and maintains thorough, accurate and timely documentation, including documentation of interactions with client, services provided, important information and/or events, and contacts with other agencies and service providers, as required by agency policies, and relevant contracts and regulatory agencies.
• Increases client’s awareness of recovery services and supports in the community, identifying and supporting client in removing barriers to recovery, self-efficacy, and community inclusion.
• Affords assistance to client in developing personal skills toward community inclusion, personal development, and independent living.
• Supports client in shared decision-making with family and providers.
• Provides companionship and accompaniment to client during community, court, and medical appointments, recovery-oriented activities, and during stressful transitions such as pre- and post-admission to emergency rooms, detox units, and discharges from hospitals and jails.
• Conducts direct outreach to courts, probation, parole, hospitals, and other community-based organizations with direct referral back to the organization and its programs.
• Affords assistance to client in identifying and engaging in activities that bring to attain or sustain meaningful, healthy and satisfying lifestyles.
• Affords assistance to client to connect or reconnect and link to natural supports that enhance the quality and security of life, including self-help groups.
• Represents the organization at various community events and forums.

Qualifications

• Certified Recovery Peer Advocate-CRPA or CRPA-Provisional OR Certified Addiction Recovery Coach-CARC OR OASAS approved 30 Hour Recovery Coach and Peer Ethics Training
• High School Diploma or GED
• Lived or work or volunteer experience in a recovery-oriented setting.
• Knowledge of substance use disorder recovery process.
• Computer literacy including familiarity in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Must be available to travel throughout the required catchment area as needed for applicable programs and able to navigate the public transportation systems to client’s home and within the community.
• Commitment to recovery-oriented systems of care.
• Demonstrate ability to work independently.
• Excellent time management.
• Ability to think logically, prioritize and follow procedures and instructions.
• Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Experience with advocacy, outreach and engagement, self-help, recovery and transitional supports.
• Knowledge of Evidenced Based Practices (Motivational Interviewing, Contingency Management).