Peer Recovery Specialist II - Emergency Services & Crisis

About the role

Wellness Circle is a 16‑bed, short‑term residential Crisis Stabilization Unit serving individuals experiencing psychiatric crises, including those with mental illness, co‑occurring disorders, and developmental disabilities. The unit provides crisis intervention; individual, group, and family counseling; case management; medication management; social and medical detoxification; trauma treatment; and connections to ongoing mental health, substance use, and co‑occurring disorder services.

Under the supervision of a Wellness Circle Supervisor, this position draws upon lived experience and professional training to support individuals in stabilizing their psychiatric crises and developing effective coping skills based on their individual intake assessments and service plans. Services are delivered through both individual and group settings. The position works collaboratively alongside Wellness Circle team members, maintaining close communication and effectively sharing relevant information to ensure coordinated, person‑centered care.

The Fairfax‑Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) has served individuals of all ages with mental illness, substance use disorders, serious emotional and/or developmental disabilities since 1969. Operating as part of Fairfax County government’s human services system, the CSB provides a wide array of services offering opportunities for career growth and advancement.

Responsibilities

• Leads, facilitates, or co‑facilitates peer support groups or other education or support groups with a wellness or recovery focus, including preparing materials and developing curriculum
• Assists individuals served in developing a self‑directed recovery plan (including Medicaid‑billable Recovery, Resiliency, and Wellness (RRW) plans) and enacting their plans
• May collaborate with other service providers including Case Managers, Therapists, Nurses, Psychiatrists, and other partners
• Service locations are varied and may include outpatient program sites, crisis programs, residential treatment programs, in the community, telehealth, and justice system settings
• Provides navigation services for individuals, families, and other concerned persons, identifying and linking them to community resources that support the individual’s goals and interests, including navigating crisis systems of care
• Collaborates as needed with other health care providers in providing coordinated services
• Conducts outreach and engagement activities to connect with individuals that may benefit from behavioral health services
• Provides follow‑up support after mental health and/or substance use emergencies, assisting individuals to learn skills, access resources, and receive emotional support to avoid future crises

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of the principles, theories, and methods of peer recovery services
• Knowledge of local resources, services, and support in the community relevant to the population
• Knowledge of wellness and recovery terminology, theories, and best practices
• Knowledge of basic clinical psychological, physiological and psychiatric terminology, theories, and practices
• Ability to effectively relate one’s own lived experiences of wellness and recovery
• Ability to provide one‑on‑one peer recovery services
• Ability to provide group peer recovery services
• Ability to establish rapport and maintain effective relationships with individuals served
• Ability to facilitate development of wellness, recovery, and resiliency plans
• Ability to assist individuals to access supports and services needed for recovery
• Ability to collaborate with other behavioral health professionals
• Ability to manage a caseload
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, including consistent use of recovery‑oriented language
• Ability to maintain records and use evaluation and survey tools
• Ability to recognize signs of distress and threats to safety in individuals served and in the environment
• Ability to take appropriate action, consistent with scope of practice, to address distress and crisis

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to: graduation from high school or a GED issued by a state department of education; plus, any combination of education and experience equivalent to 1 year of Human Services experience.

Certificates & Licenses Required

• Virginia Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) through the Virginia Certification Board, or peer recovery certification by a member board of IC&RC through another state, or National Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist (NCPRSS) through NAADAC — within six months of hire
• Registered Peer Recovery Specialist (RPRS) with the Virginia Department of Health Professions (DHP) — within one year of hire
• Valid Motor Vehicle Driver’s license with fewer than six demerit points (or equivalent in another state) and maintained throughout employment
• MANDT certification — required within 3 months

Necessary Special Requirements

• Criminal background check, Child Protective Services Registry check, driving record check, and sanction screening to the satisfaction of the employer
• TB screening upon hire and annually thereafter
• This position is emergency/essential services personnel (required to report for duty during inclement weather and/or other emergencies)

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in counseling, psychology, social work, or nursing
• One or more years of post‑degree experience working with adults who suffer from serious mental illness and co‑occurring disorders in an intensive treatment group home, hospital emergency department or psychiatric unit, community‑based behavioral emergency services, and/or crisis stabilization setting
• Certified by the Virginia Board of Counseling as a Registered Peer Recovery Specialist (RPRS)

Benefits

• Foreign language skills stipend of up to $1,600/year (full‑time) for qualified bilingual employees
• License/Certification Reimbursement — reimbursement for job‑related licenses and/or certifications once per year

Physical Requirements

• Ability to independently drive county vehicle, sit, walk, stand, bend & write as needed to complete duties of the job
• Ability to observe client behavior/appearance, and converse with clients & coworkers
• Hepatitis B Vaccination required
• All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations

Selection Procedure

Panel interview and may include a practical exercise.