Job Description:

Will assist individuals throughout the pre and post recovery process. Will help them gain skills, access resources, and regain the confidence to succeed in society. Will assist program participants with basic life skills, such as bill paying and how to keep appointments, and provide encouragement and guidance for engaging with activities to engender feelings of support and community. Will have lived experiences as a person engaged with surviving substance use disorder. Will use their own unique, life-altering experience in order to guide and support others who are in some form of recovery.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Handle some of the logistics of patient pre-waiting list, arrival, intake, and exit.
• Provide recovery education to service recipients for every phase of the recovery journey from pre-recovery engagement, recovery initiation, recovery stabilization, and sustained recovery maintenance.
• Promote self-advocacy by assisting recovering persons to have their voices fully heard; their needs, goals and objectives established as the focal point of rehabilitation and clinical services.
• Arranging transportation for the patient, managing follow-up appointments, and working with facility administrators and discharge staff members.
• Build a community of both patients and staff that is supportive and conducive to patient growth and recovery.
• Assist in the creation and implementation of social activities and help create a positive environment for everyone.
• Link up with various community organizations and resources to provide additional support for patients, particularly as they transition from recovery back into the general community.
• Assist with continued healthcare, housing, job assistance, and additional treatment services as well as support in the task of finding or re-integrating with friends, family, and outside communities.
• Support connections to community based, mutual self-help groups.
• Link individuals to appropriate professional resources when needed.
• Provide vision-driven hope and encouragement for opportunities at varying levels of involvement in community-based activities (e.g., work, school, relationships, physical activity, self-directed hobbies, etc.).
• Assist program participants in the development of skills, confidence, and relationships as they resume independent living.
• Identify barriers (internal and external) to full participation in community resources and developing strategies to overcome those barriers.
• Facilitate groups in an open and welcoming environment.
• Use their personal experiences to develop meaningful and trusting relationships with patients, acting as a mentor.
• Maintain contact by phone and/or e-mail with recovering person after they leave AARS to ensure their ongoing success and to provide re-engagement support in partnership with others in the agency if needed.
• Provide long-term engagement, support, and encouragement.
• Provide patients an example of what they can strive for in their recovery.
• Provide direct peer counseling based on your own lived experiences.
• Help participants understand and employ recovery strategies.
• Maintain project logs, reports and records in appropriate files and database(s).
• Participate in staff training and conduct training sessions as requested.
• Participate in probationary and annual evaluation.
• Prepare and submit timely reports and records to Executive Director.
• Prepare and submit incidents reports as needed both positive and negative to Executive Director and other staff.
• Required to read all policies and procedures manuals of AARS; able to pass exam manuals.
• Maintain Client Confidentiality according to Federal and State guidelines.
• Participate in staff meetings or review minutes within 48 hours of missed meeting.
• Participate in staff training and provided leadership for training as requested.
• Participate in probationary and annual staff evaluations.
• Review and become familiar with the Personnel Manual for AARS.
• Completes other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications & Required Skills

• High school diploma or GED certificate.
• Prefer: Associate degree or higher in social services.
• Prefer: Peer Support Specialist certification.
• Prefer: Counselor Technician Certificate or CDC1
• Good computer proficiency.
• Enjoys working with forms, compiling data and handling filing system.
• Flexible, organized, and willing to assist in other program areas when needed.
• MUST HAVE: lived experience as a person engaged with surviving substance use disorder.
• MUST HAVE: current Alaska Driver’s License, appropriate computer skills, current TB test, current first aid/CPR cards (obtainable within first 90 days of employment), initial COVID vaccinations, and a good driving record.

Reports to: Clinical Supervisor
Location: AARS, Pt. MacKenzie Road
Employment Status: Full-Time
Starting Pay: $20.40 per hour (position also includes a monthly gas allowance, health insurance stipend, and COVID vaccination bonus)