Peer Recovery Specialist

Va Technology - Woodbridge, VA

Full-time

Hybrid - Woodbridge, VA

501-1,000 employees

Ambulatory Health Care Services

About the position

The Peer Recovery Specialist/Educator plays a crucial role in providing support services to adult veterans and their families facing suicide risk and behavioral health challenges. This position focuses on advocacy, crisis assessment, and facilitating access to behavioral health services, leveraging the specialist's lived experience as a veteran to connect with clients effectively. The role requires collaboration with clinical teams and community partners to ensure comprehensive care and support for clients' needs.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with partners to support the assessment of client safety in the home and community.
• Advocate for client needs, assisting clients in verbalizing areas of physical and emotional risk and communicating those risks to their clinical team.
• Directly support engagement of clients in behavioral health services, utilizing personal experience as a former veteran to connect with clients.
• Assess service activities and identify therapeutic options for individuals and their families that will contribute to their healing and support.
• Review and analyze the Person Centered/Safety Plan as part of the clinical treatment team, making suggestions for improvement related to peer participation.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Lived experience as a veteran involved in the behavioral health system or with social risk factors.
• High school diploma/GED or higher.
• One (1) year of experience providing peer support services preferred.
• Certified as Peer Specialist in the state of Virginia.
• Demonstrated ability to assess and respond in crisis situations.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills for collaboration and networking.
• Ability to multitask and handle a non-traditional work environment.
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently with limited supervision.
• High level of compassion and respect for veterans and individuals with behavioral health issues.
• Experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook Email, and other systems.

Nice-to-haves

• Bilingual in any language is desired.