Peer Support Specialist - Mobile Unit

COWLITZ INDIAN TRIBE•Vancouver, WA

3d•$30 - $34

About The Position

The Peer Support Specialist supports patients in their recovery journey within a mobile opioid treatment program (OTP), offering empathy, encouragement, advocacy, and connections to essential resources. The role uses lived experience or a strong understanding of substance use recovery to engage patients in a dignified, person-centered, and nonjudgmental manner. Work takes place in a mobile clinic and community settings to reduce barriers to care, improve treatment engagement, and promote recovery-oriented outcomes. The position assists patients with recovery goals, treatment participation, referrals, and access to resources such as housing, transportation, primary care, behavioral health, and social services. It also supports outreach, basic patient engagement workflows, documentation in the electronic health record, and communication among patients and the care team. The specialist collaborates with clinical and administrative colleagues, maintains professional boundaries and confidentiality under HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2, follows ethical and safety requirements, and completes required training and professional development.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Current Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) credential in Washington; a CPC or CPSS-T is not sufficient.
Lived experience with substance use recovery or a strong understanding of recovery principles.
Valid driver's license and ability to travel for mobile-unit services.
Ability to pass background screening in accordance with organizational and regulatory requirements.
Knowledge of substance use recovery principles and recovery-oriented systems of care.
Understanding of community resources and social service systems.
Ability to engage people from diverse cultural, social, and economic backgrounds.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including empathetic listening and trust-building.
Ability to maintain professional boundaries while using lived experience appropriately.
Ability to work independently in mobile and community-based settings and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team.
Ability to maintain accurate and timely documentation.
Basic computer skills, including use of electronic health records and communication tools.
Ability to remain calm, flexible, and solution-focused in high-stress environments.
Must complete pre-employment drug screening and reference, education, employment, criminal-background, and sanction checks as required.
Must meet the stated background-investigation restrictions relating to specified violent, sexual, exploitation, prostitution, and offenses against persons or children.

Nice To Haves

One year of experience in behavioral health, social services, or peer support.
Experience working in an OTP or substance use disorder treatment setting.
Experience in outreach, community engagement, or mobile service delivery.
Familiarity with Medicaid systems and community-based resources.

Responsibilities

Provide peer-based support, encouragement, and advocacy to patients in recovery.
Build trusting relationships through shared understanding, respect, and nonjudgmental communication.
Engage patients in mobile-unit and community-based services to support ongoing participation in treatment.
Assist patients in identifying recovery goals and connecting them with available services and supports.
Serve as a recovery role model by demonstrating hope and resilience.
Help patients access resources and referrals, including housing, transportation, primary care, behavioral health, and social services.
Coordinate with community agencies, tribal programs, and service providers to support continuity of care.
Maintain knowledge of community resources and develop and maintain referral resource guides.
Provide services in a mobile clinic and participate in community outreach, health fairs, and engagement activities.
Support engagement of patients who may be hesitant or ambivalent about treatment.
Assist with patient check-in, scheduling coordination, and attendance tracking as appropriate.
Document peer interactions and services in the electronic health record in accordance with organizational standards.
Support communication between patients and care team members.
Participate in staff meetings and interdisciplinary team collaboration.
Advocate for patients and families within the care team.
Collaborate with counselors, medical providers, case managers, and administrative staff.
Promote a respectful, team-based, recovery-oriented care environment.
Maintain confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 and adhere to ethical guidelines and peer support scope of practice.
Complete required training and competencies and participate in professional development and supervision.
Adapt to changing workflows, safety protocols, and mobile service delivery needs.