Gateway is proud to be a recognized leader in addiction treatment for adults and adolescents in the Northeast Florida region. Since 1978, Gateway has been committed to providing compassionate services to those lost in the despair of addiction.

PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST (PSS)

LOCATIONS:  VARIOUS LOCATIONS

WORK HOURS: Varies, includes nights and weekends/Non Exempt

POSITION OBJECTIVES

The PSS position provides non-clinical, evidenced-based support services within different programs by performing tasks designed to assist patients in wellness and recovery to promote self-advocacy. Serve as a member of the patient’s recovery support team, as an advocate and functions as a role model to peers; exhibiting competency in personal lived-experience recovery and the use of life and coping skills. The Peer Support Specialist’s responsibility is to establish rapport with patients as well as to teach, lead, and mentor patients to reach their personal wellness and recovery goals. Peers are located in Hospitals, the community, on Gateway campus, or mobile.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1.  Provides peer support services on Gateway Campus and in community-based settings.

2.  Peer support will be offered in community Hospitals, Residential, CORe, Detox, Outpatient, MAT, and other Gateway Programs

3.  Advocate for the patient to promote individual choice and self-determination, while developing self-advocacy skills.

4.  Demonstrate healthy boundaries and behaviors expected of a person in recovery.

5.  Establish and maintain an effective peer mentoring relationship with the patient.

6.  Promote social learning through shared experiences.

7.  Serve as a Recovery Ambassador for ?Gateway?, by promoting a positive recovery message and peer support services.

8.  Teach patients life skills, including personal care and social responsibility habits

9.  Assist patients to establish/reestablish and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships with persons such as family members, concerned significant others, and community members.

10.  Using evidence-based practices and program assessments when working with patients.

11.  Establish and maintain a Recovery Capital plan with each patient and provide ongoing support.

12.  Assist the patient in identifying informal support systems to access and build on in order to meet the patient’s needs and wants.

13.  Assist the patient to identify their options and participate in all decisions related to establishing and achieving recovery goals.

14.  Assist patient in developing problem-solving skills so they can respond to challenges to their recovery.

15.  Recognize risks to the patients’ recovery and/or personal safety and respond appropriately.

16.  Apply strategies designed to enhance the patient’s motivation to change.

17.  Reinforce reasons why recovery is a viable and achievable path.

18.  Assist patients in accessing information and resources necessary to make informed decisions that positively affect the patient’s overall wellness and recovery.

19.  Provide program participants information, linkage-to-care, follow-up, monitoring and referral to all individualized community services.

20.  Assist and motivate patients to navigate the array of services available to achieve and maintain recovery.

21.  Engage and assist patients to move through the stages of recovery and develop recovery capital.

22.  Maintain patients’ confidentiality according to state and federal laws.

23.  Maintain a positive working relationship with Gateway’s internal and external staff/providers.

24.  Perform all job tasks according to paraprofessional, legal, and ethical standards.

25.  Maintain documentation as required by program, organization, state, and federal laws.

26.  Documentation and Reporting: Documents or requests documentation of past medical, psychiatric, substance abuse, and social history for each patient. Ensures enrollment documents contain all required services and signatures. Maintains, current, accurate and comprehensive information in each record to include all activities, contacts and communications.

27.  Obtains consents and releases of information when indicated.

28.  Understand the importance of working as a team with other health care professionals to assist in providing the best care possible for the patient.

29.  Recognize individual differences of patients by gaining knowledge about personality, culture, lifestyles, gender, sexual orientation, special needs, and other factors influencing patients’ behavior in order to provide peer support services that are sensitive to the uniqueness of the individual serviced.

30.  Other duties as assigned

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

1. Must be eligible through DCF and AHCA with Level II Background checks throughout employment.
2. Must abide by the organization’s Code of Conduct, policy and procedures, and state certification code of ethics.
3. The ability to comply with equal employment opportunity requirements.
4. Must complete all in-person and Relias trainings assigned during probation and throughout employment.
5. Must practice universal precautions as part of regular job duties whenever applicable.
6. Timely and regularly complete all required documentation, reports, and other organization-related paperwork.
7. Must be able to perform assigned work independently with minimal supervision and make decisions using appropriate judgment.
8. Maintain the work area clean and orderly, ensuring safe operating conditions.
9. Must be able to take direction and guidance from managers and supervisors respectfully and function as an effective team member.
10. Must have the ability to comply with a workplace of dignity and respect.

Gateway Community Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Gateway Community Services does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business needs.