Job Summary: The Peer Support Specialist role is to use their own unique, life-altering experience to guide and support others who are in recovery from substance abuse. The PRSS will serve as a role model, mentor, advocate, and motivator to recovering individuals in order to help prevent relapse and promote long-term recovery.

Qualifications and Education Requirements
●        High school diploma or GED
●        WV Peer Recovery Support Specialist Certification
●        Must have been in recovery for a minimum of two years and be involved with a personal support and / or recovery system and not have received SUD treatment for the preceding six months
●        Ability to work well independently and in a team environment
●        Ability to work with a diverse group of people
●        Valid driver’s license, vehicle, insurance, and car registration, able to transport clients in own vehicle and company vehicles

Preferred Skills
●        Effective verbal and written communication skills
●        Must be resourceful, an independent and critical thinker, and self-sufficient
●        Ability to prioritize tasks, exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality with sensitive information
●        Proficient understanding of basic office applications and computer skills.

Certifications All certifications will be required to be completed within 30 days of employment with yearly revalidation per company’s policy ●        HIPAA
●        Adult CPR -First Aid
●        Blood Borne Pathogens
●        Professional Boundaries Training
●        UDS competency
●        SUD competency
●        Cultural Diversity training and competency
●        Naloxone Training
●        Crisis intervention training that includes workplace violence, education
●        Other Trainings as assigned
●        Requirement of at least 25 Continuing Education hours per year for agency for all direct care staff

Role and Responsibilities 
●        Providing medically necessary services to clients with SUD 
●        Primary role is to assist clients in overcoming barriers and helping them bridge the gaps between their needs and available resources in their community to sustain their recovery process. 
●        Assist recovering persons to identify their personal interests, goals, strengths, and challenges regarding recovery. 
●        Provide emotional support services - demonstrate empathy, caring, or concern to bolster a person’s self-esteem and confidence. 
●        Provide informational support services - Share knowledge and information and/or provide life or vocational skills training. 
●        Provide emotional support services - Provide concrete assistance to help others accomplish tasks. 
●        Provide emotional support services -  Facilitate contacts with other people to promote learning of social and recreational skills, create community and acquire a sense of belonging.  
●        Ability to share personal lived experience in a way that empowers others, understanding that all sharing of lived experience must benefit the client, not the PRSS 
●        Provide a model for both people in recovery and staff by demonstrating that recovery is possible 
●        Provide education and advocacy within the community and reduce the stigma and discrimination against people with mental health and substance use disorders 
●        Facilitate the transition from a professionally directed service plan to a self-directed recovery plan, facilitate aftercare services 
●        Support Connections to community based, mutual self-helps groups. Link individuals to appropriate professional resources when needed. Provide vision-driven hope and encouragement for opportunities at varying levels of involvement in community-based activities (e.g., work, school, relationships, physical activity, self-directed hobbies. Etc.). 
●        Assist with adult living skills lost while in active substance use 
●        Complete progress notes and documentation in a timely manner, including billing and recovery plans, upload these to EMR database 
●        Attend treatment team meetings periodically 
●        Attend weekly PRSS meetings 
●        Transport clients during initial transition period to help them acclimate.
●        Collecting urine drug screens periodically and maintaining UDS competency 
●        Other duties and documentation as directed