Certified Recovery Peer Advocate- Provisional

Acacia Network; Buffalo (NY); On-site; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Acacia Network is seeking a Certified Recovery Peer Advocate in Buffalo, NY. The role focuses on recovery-oriented, peer-delivered behavioral health support rooted in evidence-based practices and trauma-informed care.

You will collaborate with an inter-disciplinary team to promote coping, engagement in services, and community integration. The position emphasizes client-centered care, advocacy for benefits, and linkage to health homes and community resources.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Must possess current Certified Recovery Peer Advocate certification.
• Provisional certification accepted; full certification within six months.
• Mandated reporter training within 30 days.
• Trauma-informed care and military/veteran culture training within 1 month.
• Bi-lingual (Spanish/English) strongly preferred.
• Excellent computer skills including MS Office.

Responsibilities

• Provide rehabilitative and recovery-oriented interventions for clients diagnosed with substance disorders.
• Help promote skills for coping and managing behavioral health symptoms.
• Conduct assessment and groups specific to substance abuse and dependency.
• Utilize motivational interviewing and evidence-based practices while working with individuals at different stages of change.
• Work as a member of multidisciplinary treatment team; accompany clients to appointments and complete warm handoff referrals.
• Communicate effectively with clients and collateral contacts and conduct outreach for care coordination.
• Provide advocacy services for clients, including assisting individuals obtain benefits and entitlements, food, housing, and access appropriate care in the community.
• Conduct interim visits with individuals after discharge to facilitate community tenure and readiness.
• Assist in selection and utilization of self-directed recovery tools such as relapse prevention planning.
• Connect individuals to self-help groups in the community.
• Provide recovery education and counseling to individuals and their family members.
• Provide transitional support bridging from institutions to home.
• Provide preventative and crisis support services.
• Provide parent skills development and training.
• Conduct groups with families to strengthen social skills and reduce isolation.
• Participate in staff and organizational meetings for care coordination and policy development.
• Maintain compliance with organizational policies.
• Facilitate and co-facilitate EBP groups and curriculum development.
• Complete office duties as needed and wellness activities.
• Follow-up with individuals and family to confirm linkage to services.

Skills

Computer skills

Bilingual Spanish/English

Trauma-informed care

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Communication skills

Education

High school diploma or GED

CRPA certification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Certified Recovery Peer Advocate requires someone who is culturally aware and sensitive to the needs of the targeted population, possess excellent computer skills, be able to function as a part of an inter-disciplinary team and have understanding of therapy and group work rooted in evidenced based approaches for intervention and management strategies. Certified Recovery Peer Advocate services are peer-delivered services with a rehabilitation and recovery focus. They are designed to promote skills for coping with and managing behavioral health symptoms while facilitating the utilization of natural resources and the enhancement of recovery-oriented principles (e.g. hope and self-efficacy, and community living skills). The Certified Recovery Peer Advocate uses trauma-informed, non-clinical assistance to achieve long-term recovery from a behavioral health disorder.

Under supervision of the Program Director, the requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. The provider ensures strengths based, person centered quality of care provided in a culturally and linguistically meaningful therapeutic environment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities as defined by the ADA to perform the essential functions of the job. The functions below outline the general responsibilities associated with this position. Each of these functions is considered critical to effective department operations and our Mission. It is expected that all staff in this position will have satisfactory attendance and will perform these functions as assigned in a competent, cooperative, and timely manner. The Job Description will be reviewed periodically for accuracy and/or adjusted according to business necessity.

MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBLITIES

• This position includes no managerial or supervisory responsibilities.
• This is a supervisory position.
• This is a managerial position.
• This is a director/administrator position.

This position has the following management/supervisory responsibility (check only one):

KEY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provide rehabilitative and recovery-oriented interventions for clients diagnosed with substance disorders.
• Help promote skills for coping and managing behavioral health symptoms.
• Conduct assessment and groups specific to substance abuse and dependency.
• Utilize motivational interviewing and other evidence-based practices (EBP) while working with individuals at different stages of change to help individuals reduce use/abstain from substance use.
• Work as a member of multidisciplinary treatment team that practices client centered and holistic care; accompany clients to appointments and complete warm handoff referrals, including health homes services.
• Communicate effectively with clients and collateral contacts and conduct outreach for care coordination.
• Provide advocacy services for clients, including assisting individuals obtain benefits and entitlements, food, housing, and access appropriate care in the community.
• Conduct interim visits with individuals after a discharge from a hospital, rehab, or inpatient stay to facilitate community tenure and increased readiness while waiting for the first post-discharge visit with a community-based mental health provider.
• Assist in the selection and utilization of self-directed recovery tools such as relapse prevention planning.
• Connect individuals to self-help groups in the community.
• Provide recovery education and counseling to individuals and their family members.
• Provide transitional support bridging from an institution (jail, hospital, rehab) to an individual’s home.
• Provide preventative and crisis support services.
• Provide parent skills development and training.
• Conduct groups with families to strengthen social skills, decrease isolation, provide emotional support and create opportunities for ongoing natural support.
• Participate in staff and organizational meetings as requested for care coordination and development of policies and procedures.
• Maintain compliance with all organizational policies and procedures.
• Facilitate and co-facilitate EBP groups.
• Participate as member of the EBP groups’ curriculum development process.
• Complete office duties as needed/required.
• Complete wellness, health promotions activities.
• Follow-up with the individual and the individual’s family/support network to confirm linkage to Care Coordination, outpatient treatment or other community services.
• Perform additional relevant duties as requested by supervisor/management.
• Follows established policies and procedures.

REQUIREMENTS

• High school diploma or GED
• Must possess current Certified Recovery Peer Advocate certification.
• Provisional certification will be accepted and must obtain full certification within six (6) months from the date of hire.
• Must obtain Mandated reporter (2 hours) training/certificate within thirty (30) days.
  • Website info: https://nysmandatedreporter.org/TrainingCourses.aspx
• Must obtain training/certification within thirty (30) days of hire.
  • Domestic Violence
  • HIV
  • Child Abuse
  • Impaired Driver Screening and Assessment
• Must obtain training/certification during in-house orientation.
  • Supporting Recovery with Medications Addictions Treatment (MAT)
• Must obtain SUD training/certificate within thirty (30) days of hire (if applicable).
  • Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment
  • CASAC Canon of Ethics (6 hours)
  • Confidentiality related to 42CFR (3 Hours)
• Must be trained in Trauma Informed Care and in Military and Veteran’s culture, or complete training within 1 month of employment.
• Experience or desire to work with people who have a mental illness or substance use disorder.
• Positive attitude and professional demeanor.
• Ability to complete work independently as well as in collaboration with team members.
• Must be team oriented with a willingness to be flexible and helpful.
• Excellent computer skills including Microsoft, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and electronic communications tools: internet and email.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Highly organized, motivated self-starter.
• Bi-lingual (Spanish/English); strongly preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Please indicate which level of activity best describes the position (check only one):

• Sedentary Work (equivalent to lifting or exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may occasional walking or standing for brief periods of time).
• Light Work (equivalent to lifting or exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work).
• Medium Work (involves exerting 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently. Physical demand requirements are in excess of these for Light Work).
• Heavy Work (involves exerting 50 to 100 pounds of force occasionally, or 25 to 50 pounds of force frequently. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Medium Work).
• Very Heavy Work (involves exerting in excess of 100 pounds of force occasionally, or in excess of 50 pounds of force. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Heavy Work).

WORK LOCATION

The work location(s) required of incumbents in this position are as follows (check only one):

• All work is completed in the office/ within the program.
• Majority of work is completed in the office/program, with occasional trips to the community/other sites.
• Work is completed equally in the office/program and in the community/other sites.
• All work is completed in the community/other sites, with the exception of required meetings.
• Majority of work is completed in the community/other sites, with occasional work done in the office/program.

WORK HOURS

The work hours for this position are as follows (check all that apply):

• Has standard work schedule (set hours).
• May require work outside of standard work hours (evenings and weekends).
• On‑call as required.
• Overtime may be required.
• Position subject to possible mandating.
• Shift work required.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Incumbents in this position are exposed to the following environmental condition(s):

• Not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.
• Subject to infectious waste (typical of most patient care/housekeeping positions).
• Subject to outside environmental conditions.
• Subject to inside environmental conditions.
• Subject to both environment conditions (work occurs inside and outside).
• Subject to extreme heat (temps above 80 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Subject to extreme cold (temps below 32 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Subject to extreme noise (noise must be sufficient to cause shouting in order to be heard over ambient noise level).
• Subject to extreme vibrations (exposure to oscillating movements of the extremities of the whole body).
• Subject to work hazards (ex: moving mechanical parts, electrical current, scaffolding in high places).
• Subject to one or more condition that affects the respiratory system or skin (fumes, gas, dust, odors)

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Please indicate which level of supervision is required for this position (check only one):

Close Supervision (provided with daily oversight of work day‑to‑day tasks, methods and functions. There are regular checks of tasks for quality and quantity of work. Employee performs a variety of routine duties within established policies and procedures or by referring to the written guidelines. Any deviation is reviewed by the supervisor).

Routine Supervision (provided with instructions on job requirements, methods, priorities and deadlines. Advice and assistance are provided as needed. There are regular and systematic reviews of progress, quality and output, usually at discrete times, but occasionally only upon completion).

General Supervision (provided with general instructions on an ongoing basis, usually covering only the broad aspects of the job. Incumbents exercise some control over both the technical and administrative aspects of work. Decision‑making is limited in context to the completion of work tasks. Completed work is consistent with established guidelines, policies and procedures).

Limited Supervision (provided with clear statements of objectives and resources available. Oversight by the supervisor is only exercised on longer term goals and policy issues. Completed work is reviewed for compliance with laws and regulations, and adherence to program goals, objectives, budgetary limitations and general employer policies. This level is common among most mid‑level managers).

Broad Supervision (provided with broad objectives and have broad responsibility for planning, organizing and prioritizing work. Employee exercises independent decision‑making authority for determining work objectives and goals to be accomplished, independently plans, designs and carries out programs, projects in accordance with broad policy statements or legal requirements. This level is common among senior management).

Acknowledgment of Job Description

This will acknowledge that I have received, reviewed and understand the above job description and will discuss with my supervisor if I have any questions. I further acknowledge that I am capable of performing the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. I understand and agree that nothing in this job description is binding, and that the organization remains free to change the duties and responsibilities of the above‑described job at any time, with notice to the union, and at management discretion.

_____________________________ ___________________________ _____/_____/_____

Employee Name (Print) Employee Signature Date