Peer Support Specialist

About the role

Reports to: Shelter Program Director. Employment Status: Full-time. FLSA Status: Exempt. Interfaith Works operates a network of shelter and supportive service programs throughout Montgomery County for people experiencing homelessness. IW shelters provide safe, person-centered environments where guests can access essential services, housing-focused case management, behavioral health and recovery support, healthcare coordination, and connections to community resources. The Peer Support Specialist is an essential member of the interdisciplinary team across Interfaith Works shelter programs. Through the professional use of lived experience, the Peer Support Specialist builds trust with guests who may be reluctant to engage with traditional service systems. Peer Support Specialists reduce barriers to care, strengthen engagement, and demonstrate that recovery and stability are possible. This position provides person-centered, trauma-informed, and harm-reduction-based support; assists guests in identifying recovery and wellness goals; and facilitates connections to behavioral health, substance use treatment, housing, and other services when guests are ready. The Peer Support Specialist may be assigned to one or more IW shelter locations based on program and organizational needs and helps ensure that services remain responsive to the people and communities IW serves.

Responsibilities

• Build trusting and respectful relationships with shelter guests across Interfaith Works shelter programs.
• Use lived experience professionally to inspire hope, reduce stigma, and strengthen engagement.
• Engage individuals who may be hesitant to participate in traditional services.
• Meet clients where they are, physically and emotionally, without judgment or coercion.
• Provide outreach, peer counseling, recovery coaching, advocacy, and care coordination.
• Partner with clients to identify their strengths, priorities, and recovery goals.
• Assist clients in developing and updating individualized recovery or wellness plans.
• Help clients build coping skills, wellness strategies, and self-advocacy skills.
• Use trauma-informed care and harm-reduction practices when supporting clients.
• Provide overdose-prevention education and support individualized harm-reduction planning.
• Facilitate or co-facilitate peer-led recovery and wellness groups.
• Connect clients with housing, treatment, healthcare, benefits, vocational services, and other resources.
• Provide warm handoffs and accompany clients to important appointments when appropriate.
• Support clients during major transitions such as entering treatment or moving into housing.
• Advocate for clients within Interfaith Works shelter programs and across community service systems.
• Assist clients with practical independent-living skills such as budgeting and appointment management.
• Collaborate with case managers, therapists, medical providers, housing staff, and other members of the service team.
• Bring the peer perspective to team meetings, case conferences, and program planning.
• Identify practices or barriers that may discourage client engagement.
• Maintain timely and accurate documentation in HMIS and other approved systems.
• Protect client confidentiality and follow all ethical and organizational requirements.
• Maintain professional boundaries and use personal disclosure only when it benefits the client.
• Participate in supervision, training, and professional development.
• Perform other related duties consistent with the position.

Requirements

• Lived experience relevant to the population served. This may include homelessness, behavioral health and substance use recovery, or involvement with complex service systems.
• Willingness and readiness to use lived expertise professionally to support others.
• High school diploma or GED required. Additional education in a related field is preferred.
• Peer Support Specialist or Certified Peer Recovery Specialist credential preferred. Candidates may be required to obtain an approved credential after employment.
• Experience working or volunteering in a shelter, recovery program, behavioral health program, or community-based setting preferred.
• Knowledge of homelessness, behavioral health, harm reduction, recovery, and community resources.
• Ability to build rapport with individuals who may be experiencing crisis or distrust of service systems.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to maintain clear documentation and meet required deadlines.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries and client confidentiality.
• Ability to work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team while representing the peer perspective.
• Ability to engage clients with compassion and professionalism.
• Willingness and ability to work at any Interfaith Works shelter location and in community-based settings, based on program needs.
• Bilingual or multilingual skills are highly desired.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.

Benefits

• 14 paid holidays and 21 days of PTO
• Subsidized medical, dental, and vision costs for employees and their families (for full-time employees working 30+ hours per week)
• Employer-paid long-term disability insurance
• Employer-paid life and AD&D insurance
• Option to purchase supplemental benefits that are fully portable, including short-term disability insurance, critical illness insurance, and more
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at no cost to all employees regardless of full or part-time status

Pay

$60,000-65,000 annually

Schedule

Schedule varies by assigned shelter and organizational needs; evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday coverage may be required.