Peer Support Specialist

Universal Health Services; Anchorage (AK); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Universal Health Services in Anchorage is seeking a Peer Support Specialist to provide recovery-focused support to patients and families, complementing clinical services.

You will use lived experience to motivate change, collaborate with the care team, and help connect patients to community resources and coping strategies.

This role emphasizes education, discharge planning, and ongoing recovery support within the inpatient program.

Responsibilities

• Facilitates patient’s readiness for change and uses motivational interviewing techniques and other communication skills to support and encourage the patient to plan for reduction or elimination of drug and alcohol use.
• Models coping techniques and self-help strategies.
• Assist patients in setting personal recovery goals and developing recovery care plans.
• Works with addiction treatment and recovery care team and patient to connect with community support and treatment services to promote recovery.
• Supports patients and families to understand how to access community resources.
• Assist patients in linking to community support and treatment services, including helping secure transportation and other resources.
• Acts as peer support during the Program, discharge planning, and care transitions throughout the continuum of care.
• Provides family and social support network members with education and recovery support materials.
• Provides education on risks of overdose and assures that patients and significant others have naloxone and are trained to use it.
• Participates in trainings to continually gain new skills.
• Attends required meetings as required.
• Completes required documentation.
• Acts as a resource to other clinical team members on recovery support.
• Assist in running Inpatient groups as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned/required by this position.

Job description

Responsibilities

Position Summary: The Peer Support Specialist is responsible for providing support and education to patients and family members that serve as an adjunct to direct clinical services and enhance patient’s personal pathway to recovery. The Peer Support Specialist will work alongside the master's level clinical positions to support patients' needs in a professional manner, using their lived experience to move patients towards healing while in our care, bring hope into the therapeutic process that is personal, and be a living example that a person can overcome life challenges.

Qualifications

Essential Job Duties/Responsibilities

• 1. Facilitates patient’s readiness for change and uses motivational interviewing techniques and other communication skills to support and encourage the patient to plan for reduction or elimination of drug and alcohol use. 15%
• 2. Models coping techniques and self-help strategies. 13%
• 3. Assist patients in setting personal recovery goals and developing recovery care plans. 10%
• 4. Works with addiction treatment and recovery care team and patient to connect with community support and treatment services to promote recovery. 5%
• 5. Supports patients and families to understand how to access community resources. 5%
• 6. Assist patients in linking to community support and treatment services, including helping secure transportation and other resources. 5%
• 7. Acts as peer support during the Program, discharge planning, and care transitions throughout the continuum of care. 10%
• 8. Provides family and social support network members with education and recovery support materials. 10%
• 9. Provides education on risks of overdose and assures that patients and significant others have naloxone and are trained to use it. 2%
• 10. Participates in trainings to continually gain new skills. 2%
• 11. Attends required meetings as required. 2%
• 12. Completes required documentation. 5%
• 13. Acts as a resource to other clinical team members on recovery support. 2%
• 14. Assist in running Inpatient groups as needed. 8%
• 15. Performs other duties as assigned/required by this position. 2 %