Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon (MHAAO)
EVOLVE Kaiser Project Nurture PSS/PWS/CRM Job Description
PAY RANGE: $25.00 per hour
FTE: 1.0 FTE (40 hours per week) M-F 9a - 5p
BENEFITS: This is a benefited position as outlined in the MHAAO Employee Handbook
TITLE: PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST/CERTIFIED RECOVERY MENTOR
REPORTS TO: Kaiser Program Manager
DEPARTMENT: EVOLVEPeer Delivered Services - Kaiser
JOB SUMMARY:
The Peer Support Specialist/Certified Recovery Mentor (PSS/CRM) offers peer support and recovery mentorship for pregnant women and/or parenting women who identify as having a substance use disorder and are navigating their recovery journey. The PSS/CRM will be working with Project Nurture, an interdisciplinary team at Kaiser Permanente (KP). The PSS/CRM will provide a listening, supportive presence to the person being served, will support the development of person-directed plans and goals and will offer follow-up support to connect individuals with a full range of resources in the community.
The PSS/CRM will initially meet with the person being served at Kaiser Eastside Gateway clinic and Kaiser Rockwood building. The PSS/CRM will also have phone contacts and visits with individuals in their home setting or in the community (which is where much of the valuable work of supporting recovery takes place), as well as the hospital where people being served will deliver their babies.
The PSS/CRM will communicate regularly with KP medical, addictions, and social work/case management team members and collateral providers to link the individual with needed services in the community and support the coordination of care.
The PSS/CRM will participate in hospital/clinic-based maternity and recovery group care for pregnant/postpartum women, providing group, individual and family support to individual in order to support them in engagement with medical care and recovery support services including harm-reduction services. The PSS/CRM will play a major, ongoing role in supporting the people being served to engage in addictions treatment, including medication assisted treatment if the individual so desires and to prepare for successful birth and post-partum options.
Access Level to Protected Health Information (PHI): Will be entering information into EVOLVE Peer Delivered Services database. Any other access to PHI is to be determined.
Requirements: As a Peer-Delivered Services organization, MHAAO has implemented a mandatory vaccination policy that requires all employees, interns, and volunteers to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 as a condition of employment in accordance with current Oregon and Washington State laws. All new hires must show vaccine proof at time of onboarding. Accommodations for those with religious and/or medical exemptions will be reviewed.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Expectations: MHAAO strives to honor cultural and spiritual diversity in the communities we serve as well as honoring Voice and Choice through trauma-informed practices. Being committed to Social Justice means being committed to constantly assessing our organizational values and the extent to which we are modeling or falling short of them. It also means listening to feedback from our stakeholders and others who have interacted with our organization and taking the time to understand and reflect on those interactions. This commitment is extended from the organization, as well as each employee of MHAAO.
Education: High school diploma or equivalent experience required.
Background Check: A criminal background check will be conducted by MHAAO in accordance with the MHAAO background check policy. A criminal record does not necessarily exclude an individual from employment with MHAAO.
Experience: Identifies as having lived experience of substance use disorder (SUD) challenges as it relates to pregnancy, parenting and/or DHS child welfare involvement. Candidates with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) or lived experience with addiction must have 2 years of continuous addiction recovery. Previous experience working as a recovery peer mentor preferred. Prior experience in a health care setting is valuable. Experience with SUD recovery/support is highly desirable. Understands the effect of trauma on health, coping, and parenting. Understands the principles of recovery, consumer-involvement, harm reduction approaches and trauma-informed care. Experience navigating the legal/corrections system preferred.
Qualities:
- Strong interest and ability to work with pregnant women
- Possess an absolute belief in every woman's ability to learn, grow and recover
- Value person's right to make their own decisions and as "experts" in their own lives
- Possess insight pertaining to personal biases and worldview and how they may interfere with effectively working with individuals representing a variety of cultural, ethnic, language and life experiences
- Willingness to work variable work schedule
Valid Oregon Driver's License and proof of automobile insurance required. Reliable access to transportation required.
Skills:
- Comfortable working with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
- Strong communication skills.
- Can demonstrate concern, empathy and caring to peers in light of challenging situations to support positive life changes and recovery.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriate boundaries.
- Professional demeanor with excellent organizational skills.
- Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within an interdisciplinary medical team.
- Basic computer skills applicable to job functions.
- Meets with people in medical clinic setting; attends group sessions for people being served (where OB/maternity and recovery support is provided) to support growth and recovery.
- Meets with people being served in the community and/or their homes to establish and maintain a positive, trusting relationship.
- Maintains regular contact with people being served to help with engagement with drug treatment and OB/maternity care, local benefits and resources, DHS child welfare (if relevant), and family adjustment issues.
- Develops a patient plan of care in collaboration with the individual being served and the Kaiser Project Nurture team.
- Meets regularly with addictions counselor, social worker, medical providers and other team members to coordinate care, participate in ongoing review and modification of treatment plan.
- Participates in regular peer support supervisions.
- Attends relevant staff meetings and trainings.
- Implements the regulations, policies, and procedures which pertain to peer-delivered service.
- Following the direction of the individuals served, assist people in exploring strategies that increase satisfaction with the eight dimensions of wellness.
- Assists people with identifying and engaging various community resources and supports.
- Offers people educational opportunities to explore new resources, information and alternatives to utilizing the emergency department for non-emergent needs.
- Administers outcome measurement tools with individuals being served and participates in data collection.
- Reflects positive peer values and appropriate/professional boundaries
- Documents peer support work
- As appropriate, openly identifies as a person who has lived the experience of substance/addiction use while pregnant/parenting.
- Acts as a positive role model for women being served and exploring their own path to wellness, recovery and parenting.
- Acts as an advocate for women being served when appropriate, both within the medical system and in the community.
- Respects and honors people being served's rights and responsibilities and demonstrates professional boundaries and ethics. Adheres to mandatory abuse reporting laws and HIPAA requirements.
- Demonstrates responsibility for safety of patients, staff and property; is familiar with fire regulations and evacuation procedures.
The above accountabilities represent work performed by this position and are not all-inclusive. The omission of a specific accountability will not preclude it from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical extension of the position.
Employment with Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon is "at-will." This means employees are free to resign at any time, with or without cause, and Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice. As an at-will employee, it is not guaranteed, in any manner, that you will be employed with Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon for any set period of time.
Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment opportunities at Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon are based upon one's qualifications and capabilities to perform the essential functions of a particular job. All employment opportunities are provided without regard to race, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, national origin, age, Veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.