Recovery Support Specialist (RSS) CPSS or CPSS-T Required

Connections Health Solutions•Kirkland, WA

About The Position

The Recovery Support Specialist (RSS) uses personal experience with recovery to provide hope, encouragement, and meaningful peer support to people navigating behavioral health challenges. The role builds trusting relationships, helps individuals identify and pursue recovery goals, and connects them with natural and community-based supports that promote long-term wellness and stability. As part of a multidisciplinary treatment team, the RSS contributes a peer perspective to individualized care and reinforces that recovery is possible. The RSS provides peer support and advocacy throughout treatment and recovery, supports recovery activities and planning, helps individuals access community resources, and uses trauma-informed, person-centered approaches to promote emotional and behavioral stability. The role collaborates with clinical and interdisciplinary colleagues, supports continuity of care and discharge planning, and maintains accurate, timely documentation while protecting confidentiality. The RSS also participates in training, supervision, team meetings, and professional development. This position requires a current Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) or Certified Peer Support Specialist-Trainee (CPSS-T) certification. For eligible CPSS-T candidates, Connections Health Solutions provides the supervision hours and support needed to obtain full CPSS certification. The role is located in Kirkland, Washington, and pays $26 per hour. Full-time employees are eligible for a $2,500 commitment bonus and shift differentials.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Current Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) or Certified Peer Support Specialist-Trainee (CPSS-T) certification is required.
Registration with the Washington State Care Authority.
Lived experience in behavioral health recovery, or being the parent or guardian of a child with lived experience with behavioral health services; must be at least 18 years old and in behavioral health recovery for at least one year.
Ability to work with individuals who may exhibit agitation, aggression, or unpredictable behavior.
Must be fully vaccinated with proper documentation or qualify for an exemption under the company’s exemption process before the start date.
Complete required credentialing within the required time period, including obtaining a National Provider Identifier (NPI), Medallion enrollment, Medicare enrollment, and other credentials required for the role.
Must be able to obtain a Washington State Food Handlers Card for BHS/RSS positions.
Ability to lift, push, pull, or carry up to 50 pounds occasionally.
Ability to tolerate prolonged walking, standing, and observation in a fast-paced environment.

Nice To Haves

Three or more years of personal recovery experience.
Behavioral health or substance use treatment experience, or GMH recovery experience.
Completion of Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) CPC 40-hour training and exam.
Specialized peer certifications, such as WHAM or ASIST.
Knowledge of evidence-based or person-centered skills, such as Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Care, verbal de-escalation, harm reduction, and person-centered language.
Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.

Responsibilities

Use lived recovery experience to provide hope, encouragement, and authentic peer support throughout treatment and recovery.
Build trusting relationships, maintain professional boundaries, and use appropriate self-disclosure to promote connection and recovery.
Support individuals in identifying their strengths, preferences, goals, and personal definition of recovery; encourage self-determination and participation in care.
Facilitate or co-facilitate individual and group recovery activities that promote wellness, coping skills, connection, and recovery goals.
Respect multiple pathways to recovery and help individuals identify approaches and resources that suit their needs and preferences.
Support individuals during post-discharge transportation and provide engagement, encouragement, and guidance about next steps in care.
Advocate for individuals and encourage participation in treatment planning, communication of needs, and informed care decisions.
Provide practical support to help individuals navigate challenges, build confidence, and develop skills for continued recovery and community integration.
Promote a recovery-oriented environment by modeling hope, resilience, self-advocacy, and belief in the possibility of recovery.
Help individuals identify and access community resources, natural supports, peer networks, and services that promote wellness, stability, and long-term recovery.
Use trauma-informed, recovery-oriented, and person-centered approaches to build trust and support emotional and behavioral stability.
Use communication, active listening, empathy, and appropriate de-escalation strategies to support people experiencing distress or crisis.
Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to promote alternatives to seclusion and restraint by recognizing individual needs and triggers and strengthening therapeutic relationships.
Support a safe and respectful treatment environment and respond appropriately to changes in behavior, risk, or individual needs within the scope of training and role responsibilities.
Collaborate with nurses, providers, clinicians, behavioral health staff, and other multidisciplinary team members throughout treatment and recovery.
Share relevant observations, individual perspectives, and recovery-focused insights with the treatment team while maintaining confidentiality and professional boundaries.
Participate in treatment and recovery planning and support implementation of individualized goals, interventions, and discharge plans as directed by the treatment team.
Help individuals understand recovery plans and connect them with appropriate supports and resources to promote continuity of care.
Document encounters, interventions, observations, and recovery-support activities accurately and promptly in the electronic health record.
Communicate significant changes, concerns, and barriers to recovery to appropriate interdisciplinary team members in a timely manner.
Maintain accurate, timely, professional documentation and protect individual privacy and confidentiality.
Demonstrate professionalism, reliability, self-awareness, appropriate boundaries, and commitment to person-centered, recovery-oriented care.
Participate in required training, supervision, team meetings, and ongoing professional development.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Full-time employees and their families are offered medical, dental, vision, accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance.
Company-paid Basic Life, AD&D, short-term disability, and long-term disability coverage.
Voluntary life insurance option for employees and their families.
Health Savings Accounts with a $1,000 to $2,000 employer contribution, depending on plan.
Flexible Spending Accounts for health care and dependent care.
401(k) company match after six months: 50% of deferrals up to 6% of compensation.
Generous paid time off starting at 160 accrued hours annually.
12 recognized company holidays.
Company-paid parental leave available to eligible employees.
Employee Assistance Program for confidential emotional support, work-life solutions, financial solutions, legal assistance, or online support.
Automatic enrollment in the 401(k) plan after 90 days.
$2,500 commitment bonus for full-time employees.
Additional hourly shift differentials: $2 per hour for Monday–Thursday nights, $3 per hour for Friday–Sunday nights, and $2 per hour for Saturday–Sunday days.