Peer Recovery Specialist - Recovery Coach

Job description

Peer Recovery Specialist – Family Practice & Recovery Services
Department: Primary Care / Recovery Services
Job Status: Full Time
FLSA Status: Exempt
Reports To: Director of Recovery & Wellness
Grade/Level:
Amount of Travel Required: 30%
Work Schedule:
8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday - Thursday.
8 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Friday.
However, adjustments in schedule or additional hours may be required to complete duties as applicable.
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Peer Recovery Specialist (PRS) serves as part of the ROOTED Recovery & Wellness Program team, providing non-clinical, person-centered support to patients and families receiving care within the family practice clinic. The PRS places particular emphasis on individuals experiencing substance use disorders, pursuing recovery, or transitioning into and maintaining treatment.
Drawing on their own lived experience with recovery and/or supporting a loved one through recovery, the PRS uses personal experience appropriately and professionally to build trusting relationships, promote hope, reduce stigma, encourage engagement in care, and help patients identify and access resources that support their health and recovery goals.
The PRS functions as an integral member of the primary care and recovery team and works collaboratively with medical providers, behavioral health professionals, care coordinators, community health workers, social workers, and other members of the care team. The PRS participates in continuous Quality Improvement activities and supports a Patient Centered Medical Home model of care.
The PRS does not provide clinical assessment, diagnosis, psychotherapy, medical advice, or other services outside the scope of peer support and applicable certification requirements.
SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Establish trusting, respectful, and nonjudgmental relationships with patients using a strengths-based, recovery-oriented approach.
• Use lived experience appropriately to offer hope, encouragement, understanding, and practical support.
• Meet patients where they are in their recovery journey and support patient-defined goals.
• Help patients identify strengths, barriers, personal goals, and available recovery supports.
• Provide ongoing recovery support before, during, and after treatment initiation, including support for patients who are ambivalent about entering treatment.
• Provide peer support to patients receiving Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) or other substance use disorder treatment, referring medical or medication questions to qualified clinical staff.
• Provide encouragement and practical support related to treatment adherence and engagement, including additional peer contact during periods of increased vulnerability, within clinic protocols.
• Support patients during transitions of care, including referrals from emergency departments, hospitals, courts, community organizations, and other healthcare settings.
• Help patients understand and navigate the healthcare system and available community resources.
• Assist patients in identifying barriers to treatment and recovery, including transportation, housing, food insecurity, employment, childcare, and financial concerns.
• Connect patients with community resources, recovery organizations, mutual-support groups, peer-led recovery groups, treatment programs, and social services.
• Assist with referrals and follow-up within the scope of the PSS role.
• Encourage patients to attend scheduled medical, behavioral health, and recovery appointments, and follow up after missed appointments or other points of disengagement.
• Participate in warm handoffs between providers, behavioral health staff, and community resources.
• Support patients in accessing preventive and routine primary care and in maintaining a consistent relationship with their primary care team.
• When appropriate and with patient consent, provide education and peer support to family members and other identified support persons, and connect them to family-support programs.
• Participate in outreach to individuals who may benefit from recovery services.
• Develop and maintain relationships with community recovery organizations, treatment providers, courts, hospitals, emergency departments, and other referral partners.
• Represent the clinic and recovery program at community events, meetings, and educational opportunities.
• Assist with development of referral pathways between the clinic and community partners, and identify gaps in recovery resources for program leadership.
• Participate as a member of the interdisciplinary care team, including team meetings, case consultations, huddles, and care coordination activities.
• Communicate patient-reported barriers, needs, and concerns to the appropriate clinical team member while maintaining confidentiality.
• Document peer support contacts, services provided, referrals, and patient-reported goals in the electronic medical record in an accurate and timely manner.
• Provide feedback based on lived experience to help improve recovery services, patient engagement, retention, and access to care.
• Participate in quality improvement activities and collection of program data as appropriate.
• Assist in developing patient education and recovery-support materials and participate in staff education on recovery-oriented, peer-informed care.
• Promote a culture of recovery, compassion, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Promote customer-driven excellence as a driver of organizational services and goals.
• Maintain professional boundaries and protect patient confidentiality at all times.
• Performs all job duties in compliance with MHSI policies and procedures and HIPAA.
• Participates in all Risk Management activities, and reports to QI as needed or deemed appropriate.
• Other duties as assigned.

SCOPE OF PRACTICE:
The PRS provides non-clinical peer support and functions within the scope of applicable state certification, training, organizational policy, and supervision requirements. The PRS does not:
• Diagnose medical, psychiatric, or substance use disorders.
• Provide psychotherapy or clinical counseling.
• Provide medical advice or make medication recommendations.
• Independently assess clinical risk or determine a patient's level of care.
• Perform clinical assessments reserved for licensed professionals.
• Represent themselves as a licensed healthcare professional.
• Make treatment decisions on behalf of patients or providers.

When a patient presents with a clinical, medical, psychiatric, or safety concern outside the PRS's scope, the PRS will promptly involve the appropriate member of the healthcare team according to clinic policy.
SKILLS & ABILITIES:
Education
High school diploma or equivalent, unless otherwise permitted by applicable certification requirements.
The ability to work in a constant state of alertness and in a safe manner.
Experience
Demonstrated lived experience with recovery from substance use and/or significant lived experience supporting a loved one through recovery, consistent with applicable certification requirements. Basic computer and electronic medical record proficiency required. Experience in a healthcare, behavioral health, substance use disorder, recovery, or community-service setting preferred. Experience providing peer support, working in a primary care or integrated-care setting, and navigating patients to healthcare or community services preferred. Familiarity with local treatment, recovery, social-service, and community resources preferred.
Certificates & Licenses
Current or eligible Peer Support Specialist certification in accordance with State of Arkansas requirements. Additional training in substance use disorders, recovery, trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, harm reduction, suicide prevention, or related areas preferred.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIP:
The Peer Recovery Specialist reports to, is supervised, and evaluated by the Director of Recovery & Wellness, and works as part of the interdisciplinary primary care and recovery team. The PRS will receive appropriate supervision, consultation, training, and support consistent with organizational policy, state requirements, and the nature of peer support services.
POSITIONS SUPERVISED:
None.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Physical Demands
Lift/Carry
Stand
O (Occasionally)
10 lbs or less
F (Frequently)
Walk
O (Occasionally)
11-20 lbs
O (Occasionally)
Sit
F (Frequently)
21-50 lbs
N (Not Applicable)
Handling / Fingering
F (Frequently)
51-100 lbs
N (Not Applicable)
Reach Outward
O (Occasionally)
Over 100 lbs
N (Not Applicable)
Reach Above Shoulder
O (Occasionally)
Push/Pull
Climb
N (Not Applicable)
12 lbs or less
O (Occasionally)
Crawl
N (Not Applicable)
13-25 lbs
O (Occasionally)
Squat or Kneel
O (Occasionally)
26-40 lbs
N (Not Applicable)
Bend
O (Occasionally)
41-100 lbs
N (Not Applicable)
N (Not Applicable) Activity is not applicable to this occupation.
O (Occasionally) Occupation requires this activity up to 33% of the time (0 - 2.5+ hrs/day)
F (Frequently) Occupation requires this activity from 33% - 66% of the time (2.5 - 5.5+ hrs/day)
C (Constantly) Occupation requires this activity more than 66% of the time (5.5+ hrs/day)
Other Physical Requirements
• Vision (Near, Color)
• Sense of Sound (telephone and verbal conversations)
• Sense of Touch
• Ability to work in a clinical office environment and interact with patients throughout the workday.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and electronically.
• Occasional community travel or participation in outreach activities.

EVALUATION:
The evaluation of work performance will be ongoing, and will be carried out by the Director of Recovery & Wellness. It will include specific duties and responsibilities of this position description plus employee attitude and general working behavior. Formal evaluation will be performed annually, but may be initiated at other times by the Director of Recovery & Wellness or the Chief Operating Officer.
STATUS:
This is a FLSA Exempt position.
This is an OSHA low risk position.
This is an ADA negotiable position.
This is a safety sensitive position. (Arkansas Act 593 of 2017)
DISCLAIMER
The duties and responsibilities, qualifications, physical conditions and other statements contained herein represent the current general nature of the job described, and are subject to change at any time, with or without notice. This job description does not limit in any way the assignments that may be given to an employee in the job, and employees are expected to perform any and all duties assigned by their supervisor willingly and without reservation.