Peer Recovery Specialist - Full Time Second Shift

Valley Health; Winchester Center (CT); On-site; USD 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Zero-Deductible Health Plan

Dental and vision insurance

Generous Paid Time Off

Tuition Assistance

Retirement Savings Match

Employee Assistance Program

Incentive-Based Wellness Program

Job summary

Valley Health in Winchester Center, CT, is seeking a Registered Peer Recovery Specialist to provide peer-to-peer support services in the Outpatient Behavioral Health Programs. The specialist will leverage lived experiences to assist individuals in recovery, ensure wellness plans are personalized, and facilitate community integration activities. This role requires a high school diploma or GED and registration as a Peer Recovery Specialist in Virginia, along with BLS and First Aid certification. Benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, paid time off, and tuition assistance.

Qualifications

• Ability to positively interact with persons with mental illness, substance use disorders, and developmental disabilities.
• Good personal management skills—time management, organization, dependability, and independence.
• Ability to work as a team member with agency staff and others on behalf of recovery initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Provide peer-to-peer support services to individuals in the Outpatient Behavioral Health Programs.
• Facilitate non-clinical peer education and wellness coaching through group activities.
• Attend treatment team and program development meetings.

Skills

Active listening

Education and assistive supports

Personal management skills

Team collaboration

Knowledge of mental illness and substance use

Support counseling techniques

Understanding of local mental health systems

Adaptability to program changes

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Registered Peer Recovery Specialist certification

Job description

Job Description

The Registered Peer Recovery Specialist is responsible for providing peer‑to‑peer support services to individuals enrolled in the Outpatient Behavioral Health Programs. Utilizing lived experiences of recovery and mental health disorders, the specialist offers emotional support, shares knowledge, teaches skills, provides practical assistance, and connects individuals with resources, opportunities, communities of support, and other people. Services are non‑clinical, person‑centered, strengths based, wellness focused, and trauma informed. Peer support services help ensure the individual’s wellness‑recovery plan reflects their needs and preferences to achieve measurable, personalized goals. All services are provided as part of a comprehensive treatment team, and the incumbent will be a vital member of this team.

This position involves weekday daytime and evening program coverage for the Outpatient Behavioral Health programs, assists in the development, implementation, and maintenance of these mental health services, participates in interagency planning and service‑coordination activities to improve service continuity and effectiveness, provides face‑to‑face interactions that support individuals achieving their self‑identified recovery, wellness, independence, or personal strengths, serves as a role model of recovery and wellness and self‑advocacy, assists individuals or families with writing and communicating their personal recovery‑wellness plans, and identifies ways to reach goals using a person‑centered plan.

Provides trained peer‑to‑peer support in groups such as WRAP, Dual Recovery, etc., facilitates non‑clinical peer education and wellness coaching through group activities on topics like health leisure activities and community involvement strategies, mentors community integration activities by linking individuals with social, recreational, spiritual, volunteer, educational, or vocational resources, assists individuals in identifying community‑based supports that sustain a healthy lifestyle, and supports, encourages, and enhances the development of natural support systems. Provides emotional support during the acquisition, exploration, and sustaining of employment and/or educational services. Attends treatment team and program development meetings, participates in regular group supervision and individual supervision to enhance professional growth, review clinical services, and address administrative issues, documents all service contacts within 24 hours, demonstrates appropriate documentation of treatment‑related information in compliance with agency standards, actively communicates findings, progress, and needs with the Outpatient Behavioral Health team, maintains collaborative relationships with community referring agencies, attends mandatory trainings, shares unique recovery perspectives with non‑peer staff, and develops positive working relationships with community resources and providers.

Education

High School Diploma or GED required.

Certification & Licensure

Registered as a Peer Recovery Specialist in Virginia is required.

BLS and First Aid certification required when providing services offsite.

Qualifications

• Ability to positively interact with persons with mental illness, substance use disorders, and developmental disabilities, their family members, agency staff, and community members.
• Ability to provide active listening, education, and assistive supports to consumers and family members.
• Good personal management skills—time management, organization, dependability, and independence.
• Ability to work as a team member with agency staff and others on behalf of recovery initiatives.
• General knowledge and understanding of mental illness, substance use, and developmental disabilities.
• Knowledge and understanding of the principles and components of recovery.
• Knowledge of support counseling practices and techniques.
• Knowledge of the local mental health/substance use disorder local systems and various community services available.
• Ability to adapt to changes following implementation when program evaluation indicates a need for change.

Benefits

• A Zero-Deductible Health Plan
• Dental and vision insurance
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Tuition Assistance
• Retirement Savings Match
• A Robust Employee Assistance Program to help with many aspects of emotional wellbeing
• Membership to Healthy U: An Incentive-Based Wellness Program

Valley Health also offers a health savings account and flexible spending account for childcare, life insurance, short‑term and long‑term disability, and professional development. In addition, several perks come with working for the largest employer in the region, such as discounts to on‑campus dining, and more.

To see the full scale of what we offer, visit valleyhealthbenefits.com.