Department: College of Public Health

Classification: Direct Svc Associate 3

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Petersburg, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Pay Band: 03

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Restricted: Yes

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

The Empowered Community Opioid Project (ECOP) utilizes principles from care coordination, case management, and population health to maximize health outcomes and resource utilization for populations and the individuals within them. This targeted approach is a hub-and-spoke community model of care which arranges clinical service delivery assets into a network consisting of an anchor establishment (hub) which offers a full array of clinical support services, and secondary communities (spokes), routing patients needing more intensive services to the hub for treatment. Additionally, it uses active cross-sector system collaborations with criminal justice, behavioral health, and medical teams to optimize resources.

About the Position:

The Community Peer Recovery Specialist is an active member of the ECOP Team. As a peer navigator, this role is vitally important in forming a strong bond between participants and community partners (CSB, jail, others). The Community Peer Recovery Specialist serves on the Community Site team (spoke site). This role provides a continuation of assistance in building recovery community models for cross-sector collaboration, engagement, and mentorship of the ECOP model and coordination for quick access to MAT/MOUD Bridges for rapidly released individuals who are involved in the carceral and legal systems.

The Community Peer Recovery Specialist (Peer Navigator) develops a one-on-one relationship with program participants who are early in their recovery journey. The Peer Navigator encourages, motivates, and supports. Responsibilities include peer navigation and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) bridge coordination for the ECOP community site.

Responsibilities:

Peer Navigation for the Community Site (spoke):

• Jail In-reach. Engage with incarcerated persons who have opioid challenges to explain ECOP. Increase the likelihood of connection at release. Provide resource ideas for ineligible individuals;
• ECOP Intake. Consent eligible participants. Completed intake process with eligible participants;
• Peer recovery resource connecting. Provide information on available resources for health insurance, COVID, medical, behavioral health, housing, transportation, etc.;
• Building community. Build relationships with local agencies, advocating for participants. Assist individuals and communities to adopt healthy behaviors and social networks; and
• Collaborate with partner peer for continued peer recovery support and coordination.

Bridge Care Coordination for Community Sites (spoke):

• Medication for Opioid Use Disorder. Collaborate with ECOP Bridge Team to coordinate rapid connection to MOUD and ensure local community provider intake;
• Care Coordination. Collaborate with ECOP Bridge Team to coordinate inpatient treatment, reengaging with participant upon discharge; and
• Team Member. Participate on integrated care team but not responsible for care plan.

Data Tracking:

• Participant Documentation. Document participant interactions and resource connectivity;
• Monitoring Survey. Administer benchmark surveys; and
• Community Data. Collect data to help identify social and community health needs and gaps.

Required Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent;
• Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) is required;
• Lived experience of and in stable recovery from a substance use disorder, with significant sustained recovery time;
• Ability to serve as a role model for recovery, wellness, and self-advocacy;
• Disclosure of recovery experiences;
• Completion of Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) 72-hour peer recovery specialist curriculum;
• Completion of Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) within 6 months of hire;
• Reliable transportation to meet participants and partners within the local Health District;
• Ability to meet volunteer criteria at the local or regional jail (e.g., Chesterfield County Jail, Riverside Regional Jail, Prince William-Manassas Regional Jail).
• Peer Support skills:
  • Ability to use lived experience with addiction and justice-involvement, to help others access care and reintegrate after incarceration;
  • Ability to maintain professional boundaries;
  • Comfortable using recovery journey to help others connect to services;
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality;
  • Demonstrated strong written and verbal communication skills;
  • Ability to build rapport and listen actively;
  • Ability to role model recovery.
• Technical skills:
  • Ability to type and enter data;
  • Ability to use Microsoft Office, Excel, Outlook, Zoom;
  • Ability to enter notes timely into an electronic health record; and
  • Ability to manage time to complete tasks.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Lived experience of the carceral and legal systems;
• Bi-lingual (Spanish) speaking;
• Experience in wraparound intervention as a peer specialist; and
• Collaboration on an integrated team with behavioral health, medical, or justice system partners.

Instructions to Applicants:

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Peer Navigator (Petersburg) at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include a list of three professional references with contact information; and provide (1) a cover letter, (2) resume, and (3) a diversity statement summarizing the extent to which you have worked with any individuals from marginalized groups and how you helped them identify and overcome barriers to success.

Posting Open Date: February 23, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by: March 8, 2024

Open Until Filled?: Yes