Peer Supporter

About the role

The Detox Peer Recovery Supporter uses lived experience in recovery to provide hope, encouragement, and non-clinical peer support to individuals receiving detoxification and residential treatment services. Working as part of the multidisciplinary treatment team, this position helps patients engage in treatment, navigate the daily program, prepare for ongoing recovery, and connect with community recovery resources. The Peer Recovery Supporter promotes a trauma-informed, recovery-oriented environment while modeling healthy recovery and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.

Responsibilities

• Establish trusting, recovery-oriented relationships with patients through shared lived experience, hope, encouragement, and empathy
• Provide one-on-one peer recovery support focused on engagement, motivation, and individual recovery goals
• Share personal recovery experiences appropriately to inspire hope while maintaining professional boundaries
• Assist patients in identifying personal, family, community, and recovery supports that strengthen long-term recovery
• Encourage active participation in treatment, recovery programming, and peer support services
• Facilitate or co-facilitate peer-led recovery groups, life skills groups, wellness activities, and recovery-oriented educational sessions as assigned
• Introduce patients to recovery principles, wellness strategies, relapse prevention concepts, and community recovery resources
• Encourage participation in mutual aid and recovery support meetings, including AA, NA, SMART Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, or other recovery pathways consistent with patient preferences
• Model healthy coping skills, self-advocacy, and recovery-oriented decision making
• Welcome and orient new patients to the recovery support program and available peer services
• Assist patients in identifying recovery goals and developing a personal recovery wellness plan to support continued success following discharge
• Support patients in preparing for transition to the next level of care by connecting them with outpatient treatment, recovery housing, peer support services, transportation, employment resources, and community-based recovery organizations
• Provide warm handoffs and follow-up coordination with internal and external recovery resources when appropriate
• Collaborate with counselors, case managers, nursing staff, medical providers, and other members of the treatment team to promote coordinated, person-centered care
• Participate in treatment team meetings and provide recovery-focused input regarding patient strengths, progress, engagement, and identified barriers
• Communicate patient concerns, changes in functioning, or safety issues promptly to appropriate clinical staff
• Promote a recovery-oriented culture throughout the facility by serving as a positive role model and advocate for recovery
• Provide emotional support and encouragement to patients experiencing cravings, anxiety, ambivalence, or other recovery-related challenges
• Utilize trauma-informed communication and approved de-escalation techniques to support patients experiencing emotional distress
• Reinforce healthy coping skills and recovery-focused problem solving while remaining within the peer support scope of practice
• Support the maintenance of a safe, respectful, and recovery-oriented therapeutic environment
• Document peer recovery support services in the electronic health record in accordance with agency policies, OhioMHAS standards, Ohio Medicaid requirements, and HIPAA regulations
• Maintain timely, accurate, and complete documentation of peer support encounters and recovery service activities
• Adhere to the Ohio Peer Recovery Supporter Code of Ethics and maintain appropriate professional boundaries at all times
• Complete required trainings, supervision, and continuing education to maintain certification and competency
• Participate in staff meetings, supervision, and ongoing professional development
• Work collaboratively with all departments to promote quality patient care and positive treatment outcomes
• Maintain flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as program needs require
• Perform other duties as assigned by management

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Current ODBH Peer Recovery Supporter Certification
• Experience working in behavioral health, residential treatment, recovery housing, or peer recovery services preferred

Skills

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to co-facilitate group discussions in a non-judgmental and supportive manner
• Understanding of evidence-based practices and therapeutic modalities for substance use disorder treatment
• Ability to complete clinical documentation in an electronic medical record
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion
• Ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team
• Crisis management and de-escalation skills
• Ability to understand, speak, read, write in English
• Ability to prepare routine reports and correspondence in English
• Effectively speak before groups of customers or employees
• Ability to carry/lift boxes weighing between 10 and 25 pounds
• Must be able to ascend and descend stairs regularly as part of daily job duties

Pay

Full-time position. Wednesday through Sunday schedule.

Benefits

• GENEROUS PTO package up to 5 weeks
• $500 available yearly towards continued education
• Health Benefits - Medical, Dental, and Vision, and Life