Peer Recovery Coach Intern

Bright Harbor Healthcare•Toms River, NJ

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Peer Recovery Coach/Peer Intern uses their lived experience with substance use recovery to engage, support, and advocate for individuals in active use or early recovery. This role operates within a low-threshold framework, meeting participants where they are without demanding abstinence. A core component of this internship position is completing the required 500 hours of supervised work experience and attending mandatory clinical and administrative supervision to qualify for official state peer certification.

Requirements

Personal, self-identified lived experience with substance use and a sustained period of stable recovery (typically 1–2 years preferred).
High School Diploma or GED equivalent.
Completion of the foundational Peer Recovery Coach training hours (or willingness to complete them immediately upon hire) to begin tracking the 500-hour supervision requirement.
Strong communication, conflict de-escalation, and boundary-setting skills.
Knowledge of harm reduction philosophy is essential.
Ability to walk for extended periods during outdoor street outreach and work in varying weather conditions.

Responsibilities

Attend Supervision: Actively participate in mandatory individual and group supervision sessions to complete the required 500 experiential hours.
Log Hours: Maintain meticulous, accurate documentation of all direct and indirect service hours for certification board submission.
Skill Development: Apply feedback from supervisors regarding ethics, boundaries, and evidence-based peer support strategies.
Conduct mobile and foot-based outreach in encampments, public spaces, and known community hot-spots.
Distribute life-saving supplies, including naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and safer-use kits.
Build trust and rapport with highly vulnerable individuals who are actively using substances, utilizing a non-judgmental approach.
Collaborate with local emergency rooms, syringe service programs, and social services to locate and engage disconnected individuals.
Guide participants through complex healthcare and social service systems.
Facilitate direct connections to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), detox, inpatient care, primary medicine, and housing resources.
Help participants obtain identification, insurance, and food assistance to stabilize their lives.
Provide critical staff support at emergency shelters during extreme weather activations (Code Red for extreme heat, Code Blue for extreme cold).
De-escalate tense situations, provide emotional support, and monitor the safety of unhoused individuals seeking refuge.
Use shelter stays as an opportunity to introduce participants to long-term outreach services and care coordination.