The Behavioral Health division of the Health & Human Services department is seeking a Peer Recovery Support Specialist to join the Diversion and Recovery Team (DART).DART serves Hennepin County adults living with a substance use disorder, experiencing housing instability, and wanting to make quality of life improvements. In this position, you will work alongside a team of social workers, senior social workers, peer support specialists, registered nurses, and a vocational counselor that serve DART participants. DART also supports 2 initiatives, Anishinabe III, a harm-reduction housing support program, and collaborating with Pre-Petition Screening on any petitions where substance use is primary. This position will also co-facilitate and house recovery groups at the DART Peer Space and at Anishinabe III.
The Peer Recovery Support Specialist will engage individuals who have been petitioned for chemical dependency commitment and are being engaged in a less restrictive alternative through DART case management. The best candidate will establish connections with residents anchored in a shared lived experience, normalizing, and validating lived experiences, and bridging clients to resources that match their stated recovery goals while acting as the liaison with internal and external care team members. The best-qualified applicants will operate from a harm-reduction position with an ability to comfortably serve individuals in a variety of recovery avenues and support their autonomy and dignity by connecting the individual with community resources that match their goals.
In this position, you will:
Work alongside Hennepin County pre-petition screening and support individuals who have been petitioned for chemical dependency commitment; explore whether a less restrictive alternative to commitment is available and realistic for the individual.
Advocate for client’s desired recovery path while maintaining positive working relationships with partner agencies through a client’s transitions of care, between and amongst medical facilities, other Mental Health (MH), Substance Use Disorder (SUD), and/or housing programs.
Work with a variety of partner agencies, including but not limited to the Behavioral Health and Wellness Clinic, American Indian Community Development Corporation (AICDC), crisis residences, hospitals, withdrawal management, board and lodges, and substance use treatment agencies.
Provide mental health and substance use disorder information and resources to residents, normalize and validate lived experiences, and connecting clients to resources that match their stated recovery goal.
Provide person-centered services that honor residents’ choice and agency and actively engages them in decisions about their own life and health through accompanying individuals to appointments in the community related to treatment, support, and meeting basic needs.
Facilitate harm reduction recovery groups.
Initiate and maintain case records in SSIS, respond to messages in Outlook, and via phone.
Coordinate and assist in the training around harm reduction practices for internal and external partners.
Need to have:
One of the following:
Completion of two years or more of college, in social/behavioral sciences or another field related to the area.
Two years or more of related work experience.
A valid driver's license, the ability to obtain a Hennepin County drivers permit, and daily access to your own vehicle sufficient to transport residents to appointments.
Nice to have:
Be a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) or be eligible and willing to become a CPRS within the first six months of employment.
Experience with:
Serving individuals living with substance use disorder and/or mental health condition.
Employing harm-reduction strategies with individuals.
Ability to:
Function well in unpredictable and challenging situations calling for sensitivity, flexibility, and resourcefulness.
Work well in a group setting, be accountable to the team.
Interact with people from diverse backgrounds including efforts towards disparity reduction.
Apply Harm Reduction principles in a work or community setting.
Knowledge of:
County and community resources for mental health, substance use disorder, social services, and basic needs.
Person-Centered Thinking and Harm Reduction principles.
Civil commitment process.
Website: Peer Recovery Support Specialist | Job Details tab | Career Pages (governmentjobs.com)