Peer Recovery Specialist - Street Medicine

Overview

The Peer Recovery Specialist is a vital member of the multidisciplinary street medicine team that provides direct outreach, medical care, and social support to individuals experiencing homelessness. Drawing on their own lived experience of recovery from substance use, mental health challenges, or homelessness, the Peer Recovery Specialist builds trusting relationships with clients, supports engagement in services, and fosters hope and empowerment. This role is instrumental in reducing barriers to care, advocating for client needs, and promoting a harm reduction and trauma-informed approach to recovery.

Key Role Responsibilities

• Actively engage with individuals experiencing homelessness in street settings, encampments, shelters and other locations to build trust and encourage connection to services.
• Assist clients in accessing behavioral health treatment, housing resources, and other supportive services by facilitating warm handoffs and accompanying them to appointments as needed.
• Provide one-on-one peer support, sharing lived experiences of recovery to inspire and empower clients in their own journey.
• Work closely with medical providers, behavioral health clinicians, case managers, and outreach workers to ensure holistic, person-centered care.
• Offer harm reduction education, facilitate access to supplies, (e.g. naloxone safer use kits), and provide crisis intervention to reduce risks related to substance use and mental health challenges.
• Advocate for clients’ rights and needs within health care and social service systems, supporting their self-determination and engagement in decision-making.
• Use trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches to foster safety, trust, and empowerment in interactions with clients.
• Complete documentation within the electronic health record in a manner that is easy to understand and in accordance with established formats and required timeframes.
• Participate in ongoing training, supervision, and reflective practice to enhance skills and effectiveness in the role.
  
  

Key Agency Responsibilities

In addition to role responsibilities, every staff member has the following responsibilities as a part of their employment:

• Models and reinforces the core values of dignity, authenticity, hope, justice, passion, and balance
• Actively participates in performance improvement and advocacy activities that support the mission
• Protects clients’ personal health information by maintaining compliance with HIPAA and other relevant healthcare-related IT security regulations
• Performs other duties on an as-needed basis
  
  

Knowledge, Experience And Skills

Formal Education and Training

• High school diploma or equivalent required; Associate degree preferred
• Certification as a Peer Recovery Specialist required
• Bilingual Spanish-English (Conversational Spanish) highly preferred
• Personal vehicle that is available for use during the workday and valid Maryland driver’s license required
  
  

Experience

• Three years of experience providing peer recovery services required
• One year of experience in a health care setting or community-based organization preferred
• Experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds required
  
  

Skills

• Personal experience with recovery from substance use, mental health challenges, or homelessness, with a demonstrated ability to use that experience to support others.
• Willingness to operationalize an understanding of trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and equity-focused practices when working with diverse populations.
• Ability to build trust, engage in nonjudgemental conversations, and foster meaningful connections with clients and team members.
• Familiar with Baltimore City, community resources, and locations of relevant service providers
• Ability to de-escalate crises, provide emotional support, and connect clients to appropriate crisis services when needed.
• Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary team and willingness to engage in shared decision-making.
• Comfortable working in dynamic, unpredictable environments, including street-based settings and encampments.
• Competence with electronic health records, email, and mobile communication tools used for coordination.
  
  

Health Care for the Homeless is an equal opportunity employer.

This is an essential onsite position primarily based at an agency location.