Bilingual Peer Recovery Specialist (PTCEP)

Public Health Management Corporation•Philadelphia, PA

10d

About The Position

PHMC’s Forensic Services department is seeking a full-time Bilingual Peer Recovery Specialist fluent in Spanish and English to provide peer support to participants in the Philadelphia Treatment Court Enhancement Project (PTCEP). The position serves individuals with high clinical needs and a high risk of criminal recidivism, with an average caseload of 35 participants. Peer Recovery Specialists work as members of the Project Team and collaborate with Case Managers to connect participants with recovery services, including substance abuse treatment, psychiatric evaluation, mental health counseling, education, employment and vocational services, family involvement, medical assistance applications, and housing coordination support. The role involves local travel to treatment programs, recovery houses, court, worksites, and program sites. Typical hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with flexibility required to support participants during evenings and weekends. The position also has rotational on-call responsibility.

Requirements

Must be bilingual in Spanish and English.
High school diploma or GED required.
Lived experience with substance abuse required.
Lived experience with the criminal justice system required.
Must be a Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS) or Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) at time of hire or within the first 90 days of employment.
1–2 years of experience collaborating with individuals with substance use and/or mental health disorders.
Good people skills.
Knowledge of the behavioral health and social services network in Philadelphia County.
Ability to work as a team member to provide comprehensive, supportive services.
Ability to document services in an online database.
Ability to communicate using a recovery-based problem-solving approach and past experiences to support a recovery lifestyle.
Ability to establish trusting and therapeutic relationships.
Knowledge of services and resources that support individuals in reentry.
Commitment to recovery, choice, empowerment, and the ability of people with co-occurring disorders to find meaningful lives in the community.

Nice To Haves

Lived experience with mental health concerns.

Responsibilities

Provide regular face-to-face meetings and phone contacts with participants to identify strengths and challenges and support recovery.
Identify community linkages supporting recovery, including job readiness, education, vocational services, medical and mental health care, housing, and family support.
Provide additional support to participants who have difficulty complying with court or treatment requirements.
Conduct initial outreach and orient new participants to the program.
Conduct outreach at treatment facilities and in the community, including recovery houses, homes, and workplaces, to support participant engagement in Treatment Court.
Attend case management team meetings.
Accompany individuals to appointments as needed to model interaction and provide support.
Engage Treatment Court participants by sharing a personal recovery story.
May attend recovery plan meetings with participants and their assigned Case Managers.
Support participants in recovery skills such as self-esteem enhancement, conflict resolution, and assertiveness.
Meet participants at community-based appointments, including self-help meetings, physician appointments, and food pantries.
Alert the case management unit to current or potential behavioral or health-related problems affecting participants.
Complete Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) assessments and other PHMC-required assessments.
Provide comprehensive wellness support, including routine primary care and mental health services as needed.