Certified Peer Support Specialist

Squaxin Island Tribe•Shelton, WA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Certified Peer Support Specialist facilitates psychoeducational and recovery-focused groups, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills education. They support patient and alumni engagement through advocacy, mentorship, resource navigation, and recovery support services. This role assists individuals in building meaningful connections that strengthen sustained wellness and recovery. The position supports grant-funded initiatives through documentation, data tracking, compliance activities, and program implementation efforts. It also involves participating in health fairs, outreach activities, recovery events, tribal gatherings, trainings, and community engagement opportunities that strengthen recovery networks and improve awareness of available support resources. The Certified Peer Support Specialist plays a critical role in advancing NWITC's mission of culturally responsive, recovery-focused care that honors healing, connection, and lifelong wellness.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED required.
Minimum of one (1) year of experience providing peer support, behavioral health services, substance use disorder services, social services, or related human services preferred.
Lived experience with recovery from substance use, mental health challenges, or other behavioral health conditions, and the ability to use that experience to support others in their recovery, is highly valued.
Must not be under current investigation by the Department of Health or found in noncompliance with DOH ethical standards.
Must be a certified or licensed in the following areas: or Washington State Certified Peer Support Specialist
Bridge Trainer recognized by WA State Health Care Authority
Trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy sufficient to provide education for patients.
Ability to read, understand, and interpret policies, procedures, professional literature, and governmental regulations related to behavioral health services.
Ability to complete accurate documentation, maintain records, prepare reports, and communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
Ability to establish supportive relationships with patients, facilitate peer support groups, provide education and encouragement, and effectively communicate with patients, families, community partners, and multidisciplinary treatment teams.
Ability to engage and manage a training group toward achieving successful outcomes.
Must be able to speak before groups in an engaging manner that maintains attention and work with a team to implement conferences and training.
Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference and volume.
Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form.
Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
Must possess or be eligible to obtain Washington State Certified Peer Counselor certification (or current Washington State credential requirements for peer support services) within the timeframe established by Washington State and employer requirements.
Must maintain all required continuing education and certification requirements.
Must possess a valid Washington State Driver's License, successfully pass a criminal background check, be insured under the Tribe's insurance carrier, and complete required pre-employment health screenings, including TB testing CPR/First Aid training, and all required organizational training.
The successful applicant will regularly be required to talk and hear, frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms and occasionally be required to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, taste or smell.
The employee may frequently be required to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
This position also requires close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
Must maintain the utmost confidentiality in all work, cases, and files pertaining to patients, alumni, staff, grants, and program activities associated with this position.
This includes compliance with all applicable privacy laws, regulations, and organizational policies related to the protection of confidential information.
Any violation of confidentiality may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
The successful candidate will be required to have a urinalysis for drug and alcohol screening in accordance with the Tribe's Drug Free Workplace Policy.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with Native American and Tribal communities, including knowledge of cultural traditions, values, and healing practices, is preferred.
High School Diploma or GED and one years of relevant experience. OR five years of relevant experience.
Experience working with Native Americans and Tribal communities is preferred.

Responsibilities

Utilize lived experience to provide recovery-oriented peer support while maintaining professional boundaries and ethical peer support standards.
Establish trusting, supportive relationships with patients through encouragement, active listening, validation, mentorship, and recovery coaching principles.
Promote patient empowerment, self-determination, personal responsibility, and patient-directed recovery planning.
Assist patients in identifying strengths, barriers, goals, protective factors, and individualized recovery support.
Support development of wellness plans, relapse prevention strategies, and recovery maintenance planning.
Assist patients in strengthening recovery capital through identification of healthy supports, coping skills, cultural resources, and community connections.
Provide emotional support and encouragement during treatment participation and recovery transitions.
Model recovery-oriented communication and healthy coping strategies.
Provide peer mentorship for patients navigating substance use recovery, behavioral health challenges, housing instability, family system challenges, and reintegration into community settings.
Conduct patient check-ins and supportive follow-up interactions consistent with NWITC policy and grant expectations.
Assist patients with self-advocacy and navigation of behavioral health systems, community resources, and tribal support programs.
Provide recovery resource navigation including linkage to housing resources, transportation assistance, food resources, childcare services, behavioral health providers, employment supports, educational opportunities, medical resources, and tribal services.
Support continuity of care through discharge planning and aftercare coordination.
Provide alumni support and follow-up services following discharge to strengthen long-term recovery outcomes.
Respond appropriately to crisis situations and coordinate with licensed clinical staff when escalation or intervention is indicated.
Facilitate groups focused on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills.
Teach and reinforce DBT concepts with patients and in a group class.
Integrate DBT concepts into peer support interactions and patient recovery activities.
Utilize culturally responsive approaches to strengthen patient understanding and application of DBT principles.
Support incorporation of culturally grounded healing activities alongside evidence-based recovery approaches.
Facilitate recovery education activities for patients and alumni related to wellness, recovery maintenance, life skills development, emotional wellness, relapse prevention, and community reintegration.
Present information in an engaging, patient-centered manner that promotes participation and skill development across varying learning styles and levels of readiness for change.
Attend health fairs, wellness events, community outreach activities, recovery events, cultural gatherings, conferences, educational opportunities, and tribal events to strengthen patient recovery resources and community connection opportunities.
Participate in alumni activities and recovery support programming including annual recovery celebrations, alumni gatherings, and patient engagement initiatives.
Build collaborative relationships with tribal behavioral health programs, courts, correctional systems, referral sources, housing providers, and community agencies to strengthen patient support networks.