Peer Recovery Specialist

About the role

This position is assigned to the Addiction Sciences Division of MUSC. The Peer Recovery Coach will provide non-clinical services intended to aid patients in establishing recovery from substance use disorder or high-risk use of substances. The individual will work as part of the Emergency Department Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (ED MOUD) team to provide peer support for patients seeking treatment for substance use disorders.

Responsibilities

• Screen patients admitted to the MUSC ED and hospital with substance misuse.
• Use motivational interviewing skills to assess motivation for change and help patients set and obtain goals.
• Facilitate coordination and promote successful linkage to outpatient substance treatment and provide a warm hand-off to community treatment providers.
• Serve as a patient advocate for individuals served and integrate with hospital staff to reduce stigma.
• Provide support to patients after discharge and troubleshoot outpatient barriers to care.
• Assist in screening ED patients for problematic substance use and conduct brief intervention.
• Assess patients who have screened positive for problematic use by other hospital staff and determine readiness to change.
• Work with patients and the ED team to identify community support services and facilitate linkage to outpatient treatment.
• Assist patients and family members with understanding how to utilize community services, including addressing barriers such as transportation and lack of photo ID.
• Provide warm hand-offs to community providers.
• Act as peer support to hospitalized patients and help facilitate attainment of patient goals in collaboration with the inpatient peer team, complex care case manager, social workers, and other support staff.
• Provide patients and families with recovery resources and information and model healthy coping techniques and self-help strategies.
• Contact patients after discharge to assess barriers to transitions of care and verify follow-up appointment attendance.
• Contact treatment providers and patients to check status of treatment after discharge.
• Attend required staff and weekly meetings and complete required documentation and reports.
• Serve as a patient advocate and act as a resource to clinical team members on recovery support.

Requirements

• High school diploma or G.E.D. is required.
• Associates or Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services, Counseling, or related field preferred.
• Must be actively engaged in a personal recovery program with a minimum of three years demonstrated personal recovery and sustained abstinence from alcohol and/or drug use.

Preferred Qualifications

• Completion of the SC course for Certified Peer Support Specialist.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to relate to patients and health professionals.
• Ability to develop professional working relationships with partner agencies.
• Excellent listening, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Good problem-solving skills.
• Ability to read, interpret documents, and write routine reports.
• Basic computer skills.
• Willingness to learn and interest in acquiring new skills.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to perform job functions while standing (frequent).
• Ability to perform job functions while sitting (frequent).
• Ability to perform job functions while walking (frequent).
• Ability to climb stairs (infrequent).
• Ability to work indoors (continuous).
• Ability to work from elevated areas (frequent).
• Ability to work in confined/cramped spaces (infrequent).
• Ability to perform job functions from kneeling positions (infrequent).
• Ability to bend at the waist (frequent).
• Ability to squat and perform job functions (infrequent).
• Ability to perform repetitive motions with hands/wrists/elbows and shoulders (frequent).
• Ability to reach in all directions (frequent).
• Possess good finger dexterity (continuous).
• Ability to fully use both legs (continuous).
• Ability to fully use both hands/arms (continuous).
• Ability to lift and carry 15 lbs. unassisted (infrequent).
• Ability to lift/lower objects 15 lbs. from/to floor from/to 36 inches unassisted (infrequent).
• Ability to lift from 36 inches to overhead 15 lbs. (infrequent).
• Ability to maintain 20/40 vision, corrected, in one eye or with both eyes (continuous).
• Ability to see and recognize objects close at hand or at a distance (continuous).
• Ability to match or discriminate between colors (continuous).
• Ability to determine distance/relationship between objects; depth perception (continuous).
• Ability to maintain hearing acuity, with correction (continuous).
• Ability to perform gross motor functions with frequent fine motor movements (continuous).
• Ability to work in a latex safe environment (continuous).
• Ability to maintain tactile sensory functions (frequent).
• Ability to maintain good olfactory sensory function (frequent).
• Ability to be qualified physically for respirator use, initially and as required (continuous).