Peer Support Specialist

UHS•Anchorage, AK

22h

About The Position

The Peer Support Specialist provides support and education to patients and family members as an adjunct to direct clinical services, enhancing each patient’s personal pathway to recovery. Working alongside master's-level clinical staff, the specialist supports patients professionally and uses lived experience to encourage healing, bring a personal sense of hope to the therapeutic process, and serve as an example of overcoming life challenges.

Responsibilities

Facilitate patients’ readiness for change, using motivational interviewing and other communication skills to encourage planning for reduction or elimination of drug and alcohol use.
Model coping techniques and self-help strategies.
Help patients set personal recovery goals and develop recovery care plans.
Work with the addiction treatment and recovery care team and patients to connect them with community support and treatment services that promote recovery.
Help patients and families understand how to access community resources.
Help patients connect to community support and treatment services, including by assisting with transportation and other resources.
Provide peer support during the program, discharge planning, and care transitions throughout the continuum of care.
Provide family members and social support network members with education and recovery support materials.
Educate patients and significant others about overdose risks and ensure they have naloxone and are trained to use it.
Participate in training to continually gain new skills.
Attend required meetings.
Complete required documentation.
Serve as a recovery-support resource to other clinical team members.
Assist with running inpatient groups as needed.
Perform other duties assigned or required by the position.