Return-to-Work Liaison – Workforce Development

About the role

Ascension Recovery Services is seeking a Return-to-Work Liaison to work directly with individuals navigating substance use disorder, recovery, health-related challenges, and barriers to employment. The Return-to-Work Liaison serves as the primary point of contact for assigned participants, helping them navigate the process from initial referral through employment placement, stabilization, and long-term retention. This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys working directly with people, solving problems, coordinating resources, and helping individuals move toward greater stability and independence through meaningful employment. You'll help participants identify what's standing in the way of returning to work, build an individualized plan, connect with the right resources, navigate employment transitions, and address challenges before they put employment at risk. This position is based in West Virginia and requires local travel for participant meetings, employer engagement, and community partner visits.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for participants throughout their Return-to-Work journey.
• Conduct timely outreach to new participants and explain available program services and supports.
• Complete participant intake and coordinate required assessments and work-readiness screenings.
• Identify employment barriers, participant needs, preferences, and potential risks to employment stability.
• Develop individualized Return-to-Work plans based on each participant's goals, functional abilities, job requirements, and recovery or treatment needs.
• Help participants navigate job searches, applications, interviews, onboarding, workplace expectations, and the transition back to employment.
• Help coordinate appropriate conversations regarding work restrictions, job modifications, and reasonable accommodations with authorized parties.
• Connect participants with clinical, recovery, rehabilitation, wellness, and community resources based on identified needs.
• Coordinate warm handoffs to outpatient care, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), psychiatric services, peer recovery support, recovery groups, and other approved resources when appropriate.
• Help participants address practical barriers such as transportation, childcare, licensing, benefits navigation, and access to community resources.
• Follow up on referrals to help ensure participants successfully connect with recommended services.
• Partner closely with Peer Recovery Support Specialists without duplicating services.
• Maintain appropriate communication with participants, employers, and other authorized partners throughout the Return-to-Work process.
• Respond quickly when emerging health, recovery, or workplace challenges could put a participant's employment at risk.
• Continue supporting participants after placement to identify barriers early and coordinate solutions.
• Track employment outcomes and support follow-up at 30, 60, 90, and 180 days.
• Maintain timely, accurate, and complete participant documentation.
• Participate in case reviews, quality improvement activities, and program performance reporting.

Requirements

• Compassionate, organized, resourceful, and comfortable working with individuals who may be navigating recovery, behavioral health needs, employment challenges, and significant life barriers.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent organization, documentation, and follow-through.
• Ability to manage multiple participants, priorities, referrals, and follow-up needs.
• Strong problem-solving skills and knowledge of community resources.
• Ability to communicate professionally with participants, employers, providers, and community partners.
• Understanding of confidentiality, consent, and appropriate information sharing.
• Ability to work with participants in a respectful, person-centered, and recovery-oriented manner.
• Ability and willingness to travel locally for participant meetings, employer engagement, and community partner visits.

Qualifications

• Associate or bachelor's degree in human services, social services, behavioral health, workforce development, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Experience in case management, employment services, community outreach, recovery support, workforce development, or a related service field preferred.
• Experience working with individuals affected by substance use disorder or other barriers to employment is highly valued.

Benefits

At Ascension Recovery Services, we believe recovery can transform lives, families, and communities. Our work is centered on creating opportunities for individuals to build greater stability, independence, and purpose. Meaningful employment can be an important part of that journey. You'll join an organization that values people, ownership, collaboration, continuous improvement, and meaningful results—and you'll have the opportunity to directly support individuals as they take meaningful steps toward recovery, employment, and long-term stability.

Pay

Salary: $50,000–$55,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications.

Schedule

Field-based position located in West Virginia. Frequent local and regional travel is required for participant meetings, employer engagement, community partnerships, and other program-related activities.