PEER Recovery Specialist - Addiction Response Team; ART; Hospital

Job Description PEER RECOVERY SPECIALIST TIER 1 - Addiction Response Team (ART) - Hospital Sector

Peer Recovery Specialist – Tier 1 is a foundational role within the Addiction Response Team (ART) providing peer-based engagement, outreach, and connection to treatment and recovery services through lived experience. Tier 1 Peer Recovery Specialists build core peer support competencies while learning ART workflows, grant requirements, Medicaid expectations, and embedded sector operations (jail, court, hospital/clinic, community).

The Peer Recovery Specialist – Tier 1 reports to the Peer Recovery Supervisor and indirectly to the Program Manager.

• Complete facility onboarding and healthcare workflow training
• Develop understanding of hospital and emergency department workflows
• Support engagement using SBIRT and AUDIT-C screening tools, as appropriate
• Develop familiarity with First Net (Banner) and EPIC (UCHealth) documentation systems as needed for coordination
• Provide harm reduction education related to alcohol, THC, and other substances
• Offer encouragement and peer support to individuals considering MAT or treatment services
• Support referrals to care coordination and assist individuals with follow-up appointment navigation
• Participate in outreach within required post-discharge timelines (e.g., 48 hours, 14 days, 45 days) through peer engagement

Tier 1 staff are expected to build foundational knowledge and skills through training, supervision, and supported practice.

• Minimum of two (2) years in active personal recovery from substance use
• Ability to engage individuals through shared lived experience while maintaining professional boundaries
• Ability to model recovery-oriented behaviors and reinforce strengths-based, person-centered approaches
• Foundational understanding of substance use disorders, including common substances, withdrawal basics, harm reduction principles, and overdose response
• Foundational knowledge of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and how peers support engagement in MAT
• Awareness of co-occurring mental health conditions (recognizing signs, not diagnosing)
• Ability to engage individuals in hospital, jail, court, office, and community-based settings
• Cultural humility and ability to effectively engage diverse populations
• Strong verbal and written communication skills (phone, in-person, and electronic formats)
• Strong decision-making, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities
• Ability to manage stressful situations calmly and non-reactively
• Ability to adjust priorities as member needs change
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA and organizational policy
• Basic computer skills or willingness to learn EMR systems and data collection platforms including RDP
• Reliable transportation and able to meet the requirements for driving a company vehicle (driving record)
• Ability to work independently in environments with frequent interruptions
• This role requires strict adherence to confidentiality requirements, including HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, organizational policies, and ethical peer practices.

• Provide peer-based support through lived experience, encouragement, and recovery-focused conversation
• Build foundational understanding of person-centered, strengths-based, and recovery-oriented language
• Engage in training and supervised practice of motivational interviewing techniques
• Support individuals in identifying recovery goals and next steps
• Promote independence by sharing resources and modeling recovery behaviors
• Act as an ambassador to individuals experiencing substance use by connecting them to treatment, recovery, harm reduction, and community support resources

• Intake and contact incoming referrals within 2–24 business hours
• Complete intake assessments and reassessments in RDP within required timelines
• Support short-term monitoring and follow-up
• Assist individuals with navigating appointments, referrals, follow-up