Peer Recovery Specialist III (Opioid Response Team)

About the role

The Peer Recovery Specialist III position at Norfolk Fire-Rescue is dedicated to supporting individuals experiencing serious mental illness and/or substance use challenges. The role involves providing peer support services, conducting outreach, and assisting individuals in accessing necessary resources.

Responsibilities

• Is a role model of recovery by maintaining personal recovery, consistent self-care, and utilizing coping skills.
• Conducts outreach to individuals in the city of Norfolk; develops relationships with persons experiencing substance use challenges and homelessness; discusses goals and needs and identifies natural supports and resources that may be helpful to the individual.
• Affords assistance in building meaningful social ties within the community.
• Links to services, resources, and supports as identified, including linking to psychiatric treatment, housing, entitlements, medical care, food, skill training, etc.
• Assists the individual directly, which may include transportation, for the purpose of obtaining needed resources; advocates for the consumer to procure needed resources or services, while empowering the individual to be as independent as possible.
• Coordinates services and service planning with other providers within Norfolk Community Service Board and with other agencies, and private providers, such as psychiatric hospitals, counselors, vocational programs, doctors, etc., and obtains clinical documentation as necessary from other providers to ensure continuity of care.
• Performs administrative duties.
• Maintains self-determination of the individual by meeting them where they are at, providing multiple pathways to treatment and recovery, providing education, and advocating on the behalf of the individual when requested.
• Facilitates groups to provide recovery and wellness education as well as opportunities to socialize in a meaningful way with others who may have shared experiences, challenges, and solutions.
• Provides peer support services within NCSB Peer Recovery Drop-in Center.
• Maintains the Norfolk Warm Line as needed to provide support and resources to those in the community.
• Attends outreach events to advocate on a community level and provide information to those outside of the NCSB.
• Provides practical guidance and education to guide the individual in problem-solving strategies and to develop a supportive therapeutic relationship; encourages compliance with treatment, discusses relapse prevention strategies, stress management, etc.; works to resolve critical or situations; links to emergency services as needed.
• Maintains chart documentation that follows agency guidelines and state regulations; ensures that documentation substantiates billing by completing documentation and submitting filing within specified time frames of providing the service; completes an accurate record of direct and consumer related service provided daily; documents within the role of a peer support specialist.
• Complies with regulations for HIPAA, mandated reporting of abuse and neglect, consumer confidentiality, and other consumer rights; maintains clinical data, in accordance with agency requirements, for consumers on assigned caseload.
• Attends agency staff meetings, case review meetings, supervisory meetings, and training as required.
• Performs related work as assigned.

Requirements

• High School diploma or GED.
• Two years of experience working with consumers with mental health and substance use challenges.
• A Personal Recovery Plan in self-demonstrated recovery.
• Lived experience with substance abuse disorder (preferred).
• Driver's license.
• Completion of the DBHDS 72-Hour Peer Recovery Specialist Training.
• Registered and Certified Peer Recovery Specialist issued by Virginia Certification Board.
• CIT Trained.

Qualifications

• Education/Experience: High School Diploma/GED, Some College (6 months or more), Vocational/Technical Degree, Associate's Degree, Bachelor's Degree or higher.
• Driver's License.
• Minimum of two years of experience working with consumers with mental health and substance use challenges.
• Experience working in a team environment.
• Completed the 72-Hour Peer Recovery Specialist Training from the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.
• Currently a Registered and Certified Peer Recovery Specialist issued from the Virginia Certification Board.
• Completed the Crisis Intervention Team Training.

Skills

• Proficient in using Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Teams, PeopleSoft.

Benefits

• Paid holidays, vacation and sick leave.
• Employer paid pension plan.
• Basic life insurance.
• Voluntary participation in medical and dental plans.
• Section 457 deferred compensation.
• Long-term disability.
• Optional life insurance for self, spouse and children.
• Medical and dependent care reimbursement plans.
• Access to membership in credit union.
• Employer provided parking.

Pay

The expected hiring salary range for this position is between $47,262 - $54,351 annually.

Schedule

Regular full-time and permanent part-time employees may receive paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, employer paid pension plan, basic life insurance, voluntary participation in medical and dental, Section 457 deferred compensation, long-term disability, optional life insurance for self, spouse and children, medical and dependent care reimbursement plans, access to membership in credit union and employer provided parking.