Substance Use Peer, Certified Recovery Support Specialist

Responsibilities

Primary Job Function and Responsibilities:

• Promoting self-determination, recovery, self-advocacy, and self-direction; assisting individuals in identifying strengths; wellness goals; setting objectives, and identifying barriers;
• Attending treatment team meetings with the individual to promote the individual's use of self-directed advocacy tools; assisting the individual in goal planning, assisting the individual in learning how to ask for appropriate services in the community;
• Assisting individuals in obtaining information about their benefits (SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, etc.).
• Engaging individuals in outpatient programs and services to encourage recovery;
• Modeling self-advocacy skills;
• Teaching wellness management strategies and helping individuals develop their own self-management plans/tools to use in their personal lives; using manualized strategies such as IMR/WMR, WRAP, and others;
• Connecting to support groups in the community to learn from other peers, to promote hope, to problem-solve through work situations, and to decrease social isolation;
• Providing education to other staff to increase their understanding of self-advocacy and peer support roles, and to promote a culture in which an individuals’ points of view and preferences are recognized, understood, respected, and integrated into service delivery;
• Providing resources and teaching transportation skills (teaching bus routes, etc.);
• Sharing his or her own personal story to model how to choose, obtain, and maintain stability;
• Supporting individuals in making informed decisions about treatment, housing, benefits, and building community connections;
• Supporting the individuals in developing crisis plans and safety plans;
• Building social skills in the community that will enhance recovery;
• Assisting in overcoming barriers to recovery and addressing challenges;
• Assisting in obtaining the proper documentation necessary for benefits, employment, and housing;
• Assisting the individual in completing paperwork;
• Exploring aspirations with the individual;
• Leading recovery support groups and NA/AA meetings with the job seeker if appropriate

Supervision and Consultation:

• Seeks supervision and consultation as needed
• Accepts and employs suggestions for improvement

Record Keeping:

• Maintains confidential files containing required information
• Maintains documentation for those individuals receiving services
• Provides timely documentation that meets requirements of various funding sources including, Medicaid, and others.

Courteous and respectful towards consumers, visitors and co-workers:

• Treats consumers with care, dignity, and compassion
• Respects consumer’s privacy and confidentiality
• Is pleasant and cooperative with others
• Assists consumers and visitors as needed
• Personal values don’t inhibit ability to relate and care for others
• Is sensitive to the consumer’s needs, expectations and individual differences
• Is gentle and calm with consumers and families

Administrative and Other Related Duties as Assigned:

• Actively participates in Performance Improvement activities.
• Actively participates in AltaPointe committees as required.
• Completes assigned tasks in a timely manner.
• Follows AltaPointe policies and procedures.
• Attends to required in-service training and other workshops. 

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent and Peer Specialist Certification through State of Alabama Department of Mental Health.
• Must be 23 years of age, maintain a valid Alabama driver license and an acceptable driving record.
• Must maintain proof of current liability insurance.
• Must be proficient in basic computer word-processing.  

Must have two consecutive years in Substance Abuse Recovery and be comfortable self-identifying as being in recovery. Within six months of hire must have:

• Knowledge of the nature of addiction as a primary illness
• Knowledge of cultural and gender specific issues relative to addiction
• Knowledge of Substance Abuse treatment principles
• Knowledge of psychiatric rehabilitation principles
• Knowledge of twelve-step support groups such as AA, NA, CA, and other self-help groups
• Understands the dynamics of co-dependency of addicted individuals and other typical behaviors of these consumers, such as denial and manipulation
• Understands the behavioral, psychological, physical health and social effects of psychoactive drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, on the consumer and significant others
• Knowledge of helping strategies for reducing the negative effects of substance abuse and dependency and how to tailor strategies and treatment modalities to the consumer’s stage of dependency, change or recovery
• Knowledge of medical and pharmaceutical resources in the treatment of addictive disease and other substance related disorders
• Knowledge of the risk for illnesses among IV drug users such as HIV/AIDS and T.B
• Knowledge of the criminal justice system including court hearings, judges, court referral officers, probation officers if applicable
• Knowledge of behavioral management, crisis intervention to consumers with substance abuse/addiction issues