Recovery Coach

The Recovery Coach (RC) is considered an essential, non‑clinical member of the care team. The RC will provide peer recovery support services to participants with substance use disorder (SUD) and will assist those participants in achieving and sustaining recovery as defined by each individual patient. This position will help facilitate participant access to recovery‑oriented systems of care, help identify community resources, and provide peer recovery support.

The RC will bridge the segregated treatment system into a more holistic care model through providing support across multiple systems and frameworks of care. This position will maintain ongoing participant support regardless of where they are in their recovery journey and will serve as a motivator, ally, role model, and advocate for patients with substance use disorders. The RC should possess thorough understanding of community culture and the core principles of peer support to address the barriers to a person‑centered self‑defined recovery pathway, one that inspires hope without judgment, expectation, or requirements.

This position is a full‑time in‑person 40‑hour work week based at the main campus at Massachusetts General Hospital. The role will be working within a multi‑disciplinary Addiction Consult Team (ACT) specialized in caring for participants that are admitted to the inpatient units and are interested in recovery coach support. Bilingual candidates encouraged to apply.

• Engage with participants identified with SUD referred by the MGH Addiction Consult Team
• Serve as a liaison between the recovery community, the addiction treatment system, the medical treatment system, and the participant's community to provide connection to recovery‑oriented systems of care
• Address barriers to self‑defined recovery and serve as a role model and advocate
• Assist with access to treatment for SUD and co‑occurring conditions, understand and use systems and procedures to rapidly support identified needs of the participant
• Meet with participants in clinical settings to understand their needs and personal goals, support the exploration of potential positive and negative consequences associated with personal goals and work collaboratively with the participant to remove obstacles that might interfere with goal attainment
• Help participants navigate the healthcare system and social service system; accompany participants to appointments and meetings based on the wishes of the participant
• Educate participants about harm reduction, safe use practices, multiple pathways of recovery and utilize motivational enhancement techniques to explore ambiguity and tip the scales toward healthy decision‑making
• Offer peer coaching and support to participants and help identify recovery‑oriented goals
• Advocate and support the participant's voice during the care team's consideration and development of a comprehensive treatment plan
• Clearly and effectively facilitate communication between the participant, primary care provider, and any external providers while maintaining appropriate confidentiality procedures and boundaries
• Write brief non‑clinical notes in the participant's medical record to support effective and collaborative medical care and social services, attend multidisciplinary team meetings
• Systematically review the progress and challenges of each participant with a peer supervisor, to understand the most effective ways to support and encourage participant success

• High School Diploma or Equivalent required

• Certified Addiction Recovery Coach (CARC) certification preferred
• Successful completion of Recovery Coach Academy before hire, or the successful completion of an approved Recovery Coach Academy within 4 months of hire
• Recovery Coach [State Certification] - preferred

• Demonstrates ability to maintain 2 years of sustained and uninterrupted recovery at time of hire required; 3‑5 years of sustained and uninterrupted recovery preferred
• Experience working with people with substance use disorders 1‑2 years preferred

• Strong advocacy skills along with knowledge of community‑based services, resources, and…