Peer Support Specialist

UCHealth; Aurora (CO); On-site; USD 30,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

UCHealth in Aurora, CO is seeking a Peer Support Specialist to provide recovery-focused support to individuals with opioid use disorder during hospitalization and after discharge.

You will work with a multidisciplinary team to promote recovery, assist with treatment navigation, and connect patients to community resources for long-term recovery. This is a 5-year grant-funded, onsite role with dayshift hours and pay based on experience.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED required.
• CPFS or NCPRSS certification required; full certification.
• 2 years' experience in peer support or related work.
• Advanced CPI within 3 months of hire.

Responsibilities

• Assists individuals in identifying strengths, barriers, and recovery goals, accessing community resources, and building skills necessary to achieve and maintain wellness and independence.
• Fosters hope, engagement, and self-determination through recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, and person-centered approaches.
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary care teams to support treatment planning, wellness planning, discharge planning, relapse prevention, and ongoing recovery support. Assists individuals in navigating behavioral health systems and strengthening connections to services that promote long-term recovery and stability.
• Communicates relevant observations and recommendations to the clinical team, supports implementation of the care plan, maintains timely and accurate documentation, and participates in team meetings.
• Within scope of job, requires critical thinking skills, decisive judgement and the ability to work with minimal supervision. Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment and take appropriate action.

Skills

Peer support

Critical thinking

Team collaboration

Education

High School diploma or GED

Tools

CPFS/NCPRSS certification

Job description

Description

Location: UCHealth Anschutz Inpt Pavilion, CO, Aurora

Department: SAMHSA MAT PDOA Grant

Work Schedule: Full Time, 80.00 hours per pay period (2 weeks)

Shift: Days

Pay: $21.49 - $27.94 / hour. Pay is dependent on applicant's relevant experience

This position is an onsite role and does not offer a hybrid or remote option

Summary:

The Peer Support Specialist will provide recovery-focused support to individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) during hospitalization and following discharge. This role will focus on building relationships, promoting recovery engagement, assisting with treatment navigation, and connecting individuals to community resources to support long-term recovery. Candidates should have a strong understanding of the challenges individuals face when accessing treatment and recovery services.

This is a 5-year grant-funded position contingent upon continued grant funding.

Responsibilities:

• Assists individuals in identifying strengths, barriers, and recovery goals, accessing community resources, and building skills necessary to achieve and maintain wellness and independence.

• Fosters hope, engagement, and self-determination through recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, and person-centered approaches.

• Collaborates with interdisciplinary care teams to support treatment planning, wellness planning, discharge planning, relapse prevention, and ongoing recovery support. Assists individuals in navigating behavioral health systems and strengthening connections to services that promote long-term recovery and stability.

• Communicates relevant observations and recommendations to the clinical team, supports implementation of the care plan, maintains timely and accurate documentation, and participates in team meetings.

• Within scope of job, requires critical thinking skills, decisive judgement and the ability to work with minimal supervision. Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment and take appropriate action.

Requirements:

• Preferred: High School diploma or GED.

• Certified as a Colorado Peer and Family Specialist (CPFS), National Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist (NCPRSS) certification, or equivalent peer certification. Full certification is required.

• 2 years' experience in peer support position or relevant work.

• Advanced CPI within 3 months of hire.

Employees are our number one asset.

UCHealth promotes a culture that invests in professional success and personal well-being through a comprehensive total rewards program. *

Recognition

• Performance bonus: UCHealth offers a 3-Year Incentive Bonus to recognize employee contributions to our success in quality, patient experience, organizational growth, financial goals and tenure. The bonus accumulates annually each October and is paid out in October during the third year of employment.

• Performance-based pay increase: The Annual Merit Pay Increase recognizes work performance that meets or consistently exceeds performance standards documented through UCHealth's established evaluation process and accounts for increased experience, skills and cost of living.

• Market reviews: All UCHealth positions are reviewed annually to ensure UCHealth base pay aligns with market standards. Base pay rates are adjusted as needed to stay market competitive.

Health and well-being

• Medical, dental and vision coverage.

• Access to 24/7 mental health and well-being support for employees and dependents.

• Discounted gym memberships and fitness resources.

• Free Care.com membership.

• Voluntary benefits such as accident insurance, critical illness insurance, group legal plan, identity theft protection, pet insurance, auto and home insurance, and employee discount programs.

• Time away from work: Paid time off (PTO), paid family and medical leave (inclusive of Colorado FAMLI), leaves of absence.

• Employer-provided basic life and accidental death and dismemberment coverage with buy-up coverage options.

• Employer-provided short-term disability and long-term disability with a buy-up coverage option.

Retirement and savings

• 403(b) plan with employer matching contribution.

• Additional 457(b) plan may be available.

• Flexible spending accounts for health care and dependent day care; health savings account available when enrolled in high-deductible (HD) medical plan.

Education and career growth

• UCHealth provides access to academic degrees and certificate programs to promote professional and personal growth.

• Up to 100% of tuition, books and fees paid for by UCHealth for specific educational degrees.

• Other programs may qualify for up to $10,000/year pre-paid by UCHealth or up to $5,250/year in the form of tuition reimbursement.

• Access to LinkedIn Learning, which offers thousands of virtual courses and seminars, and internal professional development opportunities.

• Employees have access to free assistance navigating the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and submitting their federal student loans for forgiveness.

*Eligibility for some programs is based on an employee's scheduled work hours.

We improve lives. In big ways through learning, healing, and discovery. In small, personal ways through human connection. But in all ways, we improve lives.

UCHealth always welcomes talent. This position will be open for a minimum of three days and until a top applicant is identified.

UCHealth recognizes and appreciates the rich array of talents and perspectives that equal employment and diversity can offer our institution. As an equal opportunity employer, UCHealth is committed to making all employment decisions based on valid requirements. No applicant shall be discriminated against in any terms, conditions or privileges of employment or otherwise be discriminated against because of the individual's race, color, national origin, language, culture, ethnicity, age, religion, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender, veteran status, socioeconomic status, or any other characteristic prohibited by federal, state, or local law. UCHealth does not discriminate against any qualified applicant with a disability as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act and will make reasonable accommodations, when they do not impose an undue hardship on the organization.

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