Peer Recovery and Re-Entry Specialist

Job Type

Full-time

Description

The Peer Recovery and Re-Entry Specialist is will use their lived experience with community corrections and substance use in the delivery of comprehensive, culturally-responsive, care coordination and community reintegration services for individuals who use drugs and who are exiting the house of corrections or jail into the community, as well as those with other justice involvement (e.g. probation/parole; history of incarceration). The Peer Recovery and Re-Entry Specialist will focus on individuals with histories and/ or current risk for overdose, particularly those who experience overdose-related disparities. The primary goal is to reduce the risk of overdose and other drug related harms through the provision of low barrier, peer recovery support and linkage to services that increase access to care, support reintegration in the community, addressing stigma and structural inequities related to health.

Essential Functions

• Act in accordance with Victory Programs’ Standards of Excellence at all times, including maintaining professional ethics, boundaries and client confidentiality;
• Outreach and recruitment efforts to identify potential Members from the priority population (substance use, justice involvement, etc.);
• Meeting with potential new Members before their release date to screen for service eligibility, begin the intake process and plan for release;
• Conduct risk/readiness to change assessments and develop short-and long-term client identified goals related to re-entry, overdose prevention and recovery support;
• Facilitate access to VPIs harm reduction services (e.g., overdose prevention, syringe services, integrated testing);
• Assist members in connecting to recovery services, engage in 1:1 peer recovery support and provide groups on recovery themed topics on a regular schedule;
• Recruit, plan and facilitate psychoeducational groups for members to help educate and increase motivation for to change;
• Apply consistent attention to detail in data capture and case notation relating to utilization of programs and services;
• Coordinate and deliver navigation services (including linkage to care) to members of the Boston Living Center (BLC) with specific support and expertise working with members with SUD;
• Actively participate in the drop in milieu including eating lunch with Members and engaging in spaces throughout the BLC;
• Engage and nurture collaborative opportunities with community partners, including building relationships with contacts at relevant organizations and visiting sites both in person and through ongoing connections through phone and email;
• Participate in case conferencing to talk about complex members and assist in plans to support them;
• Other duties as deemed necessary by your supervisor.
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and/or two years of case management experience preferred. Lived experience related to the scope of work is valued, and will be considered in place of educational requirements on a circumstantial basis.
• First hand understanding of issues related to one or more of the following strongly encouraged: disparities experienced by communities of color, in particular Black and/or Latinx communities; addiction and recovery, and involvement with the criminal justice system.
• Demonstrated level of personal maturity enabling ability to provide understanding, insight and motivation to others.
• Experience and competency in working with individuals of diverse race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex and drug cultures, age groups, religion, country of origin, disability and economic status.
• Comfort and willingness to work within a criminal justice setting (i.e. delivering services in a House of Correction).
• Knowledge and understanding of addiction recovery, and the principles of harm reduction, co-occurring conditions, housing and homelessness, and criminal justice involvement.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills including an ability to have open and affirming conversations about substance use, justice-involvement, and re-integrating into the community.
• Strong computer skills, including experience with Microsoft Outlook, Excel and the internet.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Fluency in Spanish is strongly preferred.
• Ability to work independently and cooperatively as a member of a team.
• Current TB assessment and current CPR certification.
  
  

Position Type: Full-time (40 hours) Monday- Friday, some evenings. Non-exempt.

Rate: $26.00/hr

Victory Programs values a diverse workforce, as we collectively seek to create welcoming, inclusive and accessible environments for our employees and the people we serve. We strive to sustain healthy, functioning communities that respect and celebrate different experiences, identities, cultures and ideas.

Victory Programs has helped individuals and families in crisis for over 45 years. Thousands turn to us yearly for shelter, sustenance, recovery, care, and professional, compassionate support. Most struggle with homelessness, substance use and mental health, and many live with HIV/AIDS. Our team of more than 300 staff across over 30 programs works with people to develop and execute creative, safe solutions to the very real challenges our clients face.

Our benefit program includes a 75% health and 25% dental employer premium contribution, 100% employer paid disability and life insurance. Victory Programs offers a generous paid time off package to all employees including vacation, sick, and personal time as well as holidays. Upon hire, all staff are entitled to up to: 4 personal days, 160 sick hours, 10 holidays and 3 1/2 weeks of vacation. These figures adjust based on full time or part time status and allocated vacation time increases with length of employment.

Salary Description

$26.00/hr