Peer Support Specialist

AccessHealth • Richmond, TX

15d • Onsite

About The Position

The Peer Support Specialist is an individual with lived experience who is trained and certified—or actively working toward certification—to support individuals experiencing mental health challenges, psychological trauma, and/or substance use disorders. Drawing from their own recovery journey, Peer Support Specialists provide unique, experience‑based support that complements traditional behavioral health services. Peer Support Specialists engage clients through shared understanding, mutual respect, and empowerment to encourage sustained recovery and reduce relapse. This role extends behavioral health support beyond the clinical environment into daily life by providing advocacy, mentorship, skills development, education, and community connection in alignment with SAMHSA best practices.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Human Services, or a related field.
• Lived experience with at least one of the following: A mental health condition (in recovery), A substance use condition (in recovery), A family member of an individual receiving or previously receiving mental health or addiction services
• Enrolled or certified through the Texas Certification Board of Addiction Professionals in one or more of the following: Peer Recovery Support Specialist (PRSS), Recovery Support Peer Specialist (RSPS), Mental Health Peer Specialist (MHPS), Re‑Entry Peer Specialist (JI‑RPS), Peer Specialist Supervisor (PSS)
• IC&RC International Peer Recovery Certification recognized by Texas
• Three (3) letters of recommendation
• Willingness to self‑disclose personal recovery journey appropriately
• High ethical standards and professionalism
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills
• Team‑oriented with strong collaboration abilities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency with office equipment and Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Commitment to strict client confidentiality
• Ability to respond professionally to sensitive inquiries or complaints
• Ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Availability to be on‑call for peer emergencies, including weekends and designated holidays

Nice To Haves

• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred
• Two (2) years of paid or volunteer peer support experience, including at least 12 consecutive months
• Bilingual in English and Spanish

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with organizational leadership to strengthen services and maintain a positive reputation within professional and peer communities.
• Participate in multidisciplinary treatment team meetings with all providers involved in client care.
• Advocate for client rights and access to services/resources.
• Communicate client needs, concerns, unusual behaviors, conflicts, or deviations from recovery plans to the care team.
• Provide peer‑to‑peer support to encourage recovery and resilience.
• Assist peers in identifying and removing barriers to quality of life.
• Identify peer needs and refer to appropriate internal and external resources.
• Provide side‑by‑side support during peer services and group activities.
• Coach peers in developing coping, problem‑solving, and critical‑thinking skills.
• Support wellness and recovery goal setting.
• Encourage healthy socialization through recovery‑related activities.
• Assist peers with daily living tasks and identification of personal strengths and recovery resources.
• Respond to client callouts and emergencies as appropriate.
• Conduct client screenings within scope of practice.
• Assist the CORE team with brief interventions and mental health case management.
• Share lived recovery experiences while modeling positive recovery behaviors.
• Co‑facilitate evidence‑based treatment groups.
• Facilitate behavioral health education classes.
• Educate colleagues on recovery principles and peer support services.
• Educate families and support systems on recovery and available resources.
• Engage in public education and awareness efforts.
• Adhere to the Certified Peer Specialist Code of Ethics.
• Recognize professional limitations and seek guidance when needed.
• Utilize supervision effectively through mentoring, reflection, and planning.
• Monitor personal well‑being and recognize signs of distress.
• Pursue ongoing learning and professional development opportunities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level