Peer Support Specialist

Job Purpose

Support the recovery of members of a micro community by providing support services for the clients that are recovering from alcohol and/or substance use disorder and need additional support. Decisions on establishing goals and formal action plans will be made in conjunction with the client with a wellness approach as the foundation. The peers support specialist will have lived experience knowledge on how to support the client in solving problems.

Support the clients accessing support services by providing requested information to include but not limited to; wellness assessment, scheduling services, connecting them with providers. The Peer Specialist (PSS) assists and guides clients toward the identification and achievement of specific goals defined by the client and specified in the Individual Treatment Plan (ITP). This work involves a variety of routine, standardized tasks that will facilitate work to be performed by higher level providers.

The peer support specialist will promote community socialization, recovery, self-advocacy, self-help, and development of natural supports.

• Collaboratively work with the Clinical Director and participate in the multi-disciplinary team approach to client care. Using a formal goal setting process, the PSS will:
• Assist clients in articulating personal goals for recovery through the use of one-to-one and group sessions.
• Assist clients in working with their support teams and/or providers in determining the steps he/she needs to take in order to achieve these goals and self-directed recovery.
• Assist clients in setting up and sustaining self-help (mutual support) groups, as well as means of locating and joining existing groups.
• Utilize tools such as the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) to assist clients in creating their own individual wellness and recovery plans.
• Independently or with periodic assistance of higher graded treatment team members, utilize and teach problem solving techniques with individuals and groups; discussions will be utilized where clients will share common problems in daily living and methods they have employed to manage and cope with these problems.
• Use ongoing individual and group sessions to teach clients how to identify and combat negative self-talk and how to identify and overcome fears by providing a forum which allows group members and PSS to share their experiences.
• Support clients’ vocational choices and assist them in choosing a job that matches their strengths, overcoming job-related anxiety by reviewing job applications, and providing interview tips.
• Assist clients in building social skills in the community that will enhance job acquisition and tenure. Utilizing their recovery experience, the PSS will:
• Teach and role model the value of every individual’s recovery experience.
• Assist the client in obtaining decent and affordable housing of his/her choice in the most integrated, independent, and least intrusive or restrictive environment by taking them out to view housing, either driving them or riding with them on public transportation.
• The PS models effective coping techniques and self-help strategies.
• Serve as a recovery agent by providing and advocating for any effective recovery-based services that will aid the client in daily living.
• Assist in obtaining services in the community and that will aid in recovery process.
• Assist clients in developing empowerment skills and combating stigma through self-advocacy.
• Work with the clients and other treatment team staff to develop a treatment/recovery plan based on each client’s identified goals.
• The PSS will maintain a working knowledge of current trends and developments in the mental health field by reading books, journals, and other relevant materials. The PSS will continue to share recovery materials with others at continuing education seminars and other venues to be developed to support recovery-oriented services; and attend continuing education seminars and other in-service training when offered.
• Maintain and organise files.
• Perform other duties assigned.
• Demonstrate exceptional customer service, in everything you do, by placing the client first to…