Recovery Support Specialist

University of Massachusetts Medical School; Worcester (MA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, MA is seeking a Recovery Support Specialist to provide peer recovery support to patients with SUD and assist them in achieving sustained recovery. You will facilitate access to treatment, resources, and community groups, acting as a motivator, advocate, and bridge across care systems.

You will work with a multidisciplinary team, conduct needs assessments, support discharge planning, and help patients navigate medical and social services

Qualifications

• Current Certification as a Recovery Coach or Peer Specialist.
• Minimum of 3 years in sustained recovery.
• Reliable transportation and comprehensive insurance coverage.
• Strong interpersonal, facilitation, and leadership skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Serves as liaison between recovery community and treatment systems to facilitate connections across care.
• Engages with patients identified with SUD and referred by UMMS.
• Meets with patients prior to discharge to facilitate access to next stage of treatment and conducts needs assessments.
• Works with treatment team to implement evidence-based services for patients with SUD.
• Helps patients navigate healthcare and social services; accompanies to appointments as needed.
• Provides transportation to meetings and appointments as needed.
• Educates patients about addiction and uses motivational enhancement strategies.
• Provides peer counseling and supports patients in establishing treatment goals and recovery.
• Addresses barriers to recovery and serves as role model and advocate.
• Conducts outreach to encourage participation in recovery-oriented groups.
• Assists with access to treatment and rapid identification of needs; supports level of care decisions.
• Assists with data collection for quality assurance and program evaluation.
• Develops relapse prevention/intervention plans with patients and care team.
• Monitors progress and evaluates outcomes using patient tracking systems.
• Maintains confidential records and communicates with PCP and clinicians while maintaining boundaries.

Skills

Recovery Coach Certification

Sustained recovery (3+ years)

Interpersonal skills

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Job description

Overview

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Recovery Support Specialist provides peer recovery support services to patients with substance use disorder (SUD) and will assist patients in achieving sustained recovery. Facilitates patient access to recovery oriented substance use disorder treatment, resources, and community recovery groups. Bridges the segregated treatment system into a more holistic care model through providing support across multiple systems of care. Maintain ongoing patient support regardless of client relapse and will serve as a motivator, ally, role model, problem-solver, and advocate for patients with substance use disorders. Possesses thorough understanding of community culture to address the barriers to successful recovery, better tailor health messages, and provide links to community resources and treatment options.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Serves as a liaison between the recovery community, the addiction treatment system, the medical treatment system, and the patient's community, family, and social context to facilitate connections across systems of care.
• Engages with patients identified with SUD referred by UMMS.
• Meets with patients with SUD prior to discharge and facilitate patient access to next stage of treatment. Conducts initial needs assessment, reviews the patient's SUD history, and identifies the patient's goals and expectations together with clinical staff, facilitate referrals to appropriate disposition options for individual patients.
• Works collaboratively with treatment team to implement evidence‑based services to patients with SUD.
• Helps patient navigate the healthcare system and social service system; accompany patients to appointments and meetings as needed.
• Provides transportation to clients to attend meetings and appointments as needed.
• Educates patients about addiction and utilize motivational enhancement techniques to explore ambiguity and tip the scales towards treatment.
• Provides peer counseling and support patients in establishing treatment goals and achieving and maintaining recovery.
• Addresses barriers to successful recovery and serves as role model and advocate.
• Conducts active outreach efforts to encourage attendance and participation in recovery-oriented, self‑help, and pro‑social groups.
• Assists with access to treatment for SUD and co‑occurring conditions, creating systems and procedures to rapidly identify treatment needs and determine appropriate level of care.
• Assists with data collection for quality assurance and program evaluation
• Develops a relapse prevention/intervention plan with patients and care team.
• Monitors patients' progress and evaluate outcome, using a patient tracking system.
• Clearly and effectively facilitates communication between the patient, PCP, consulting psychiatrist, and any external providers maintaining appropriate confidentiality procedures and boundaries.
• Maintains accurate and up‑to‑date records and standardized data on all patients. Systematically reviews the caseload with the supervisor each week, focusing on new patients and patients who are having difficulties

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Current Certification as a Recovery Coach or Peer Specialist.
• Minimum of 3 years in sustained recovery.
• Reliable transportation and comprehensive insurance coverage.
• Strong interpersonal, facilitation, and leadership skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a multidisciplinary team of psychologists, physicians, social workers, and nurses.
• Strong advocacy skills along with knowledge of community based services, resources, and local recovery community.
• Comfort with multiple pathways to recovery from SUD and willingness to embrace a patient‑centered approach that recognizes an individual's preferences and autonomy ("recovery by any means necessary").
• Comfort in working in both medical and social service settings.
• Clinical skills in motivational enhancement strategies.
• Ability to provide accurate feedback without judgment or discomfort.
• Flexibility to adapt to unforeseen needs or circumstances.
• Excels at problem solving and multi‑tasking, organized, efficient and goal directed. Ability to maintain effective working relationships with patients/families and staff.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• Effective use of the Internet and Microsoft Office programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Ability to handle confidential information.