Peer Recovery Specialist – Patient Services

Peer Recovery Specialist – Patient Services

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus seeks three full-time, University Staff (non-classified) Peer Recovery Specialists within the Addiction Research and Treatment Services (ARTS) Adult Outpatient Program, with clinic locations in Denver, Aurora, and Arvada. The ARTS Adult Outpatient Program is within the School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry. ARTS Adult Outpatient clinics provide drug and alcohol assessment, psychosocial and pharmacological treatment for adults. Programs in various clinic locations include traditional outpatient, intensive outpatient and may contain specialty services for clients referred by the criminal justice system, county departments of human services, and services for pregnant women, individuals who are HIV-positive and gender-responsive services.

The person in this position is an individual with lived substance use disorder (SUD) experience to support positions providing drug and alcohol assessment, psychosocial, and pharmacological treatment for adults with substance use disorder (SUD), who first enter into care at ARTS Adult Outpatient Program clinic locations, ARTS Medication Mobile Unit, or through other medical/clinical settings such as the UC Health hospital. Peer Recovery Specialists can often use their own experiences to help patients navigate through their journey of recovery from SUD by offering practical advice and emotional support that can help patients feel empowered and not alone. Peer Recovery Specialists can help clients identify their strengths and coping strategies, as well as offer guidance on how to manage any life challenges. These positions help patients to feel confident, and provide patients with support from an experienced, knowledgeable, and compassionate ally who is dedicated to helping them live a healthier, fulfilling lifestyle and to achieve their goals through recovery.

This is a full-time, University Staff (non-classified) position that provides activities to engage, educate, and offer support to adults with SUD, their family members, and caregivers to connect patients to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up sessions. This position is also responsible for conducting outreach activities with patients, staff, community partners, subcontracted agencies, and/or other entities as appropriate, travel to various sites, and perform other duties as assigned or required.

Working hours are based on a standard 40-hour work week, to include breaks, as follows:

• 6:00am-2:30pm on Mondays to Fridays.

Note: The above working hours and locations may be subject to change according to the needs of the clinic, and this position may be required to work periodically on some weeknights and/or some Saturdays or Sundays, to represent ARTS at outreach events for example.

Important: Applicants MUST have personal, lived experience with Substance Use Disorder (SUD), and recovery from the SUD/addiction, with existing sustained sobriety and supports.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as a Peer Recovery Specialist and peer educator to improve health outcomes for patients who enter care at ARTS Adult Outpatient Program (AOP) clinic locations in Denver, Arvada, Aurora, and/or the ARTS Medication Mobile Unit, and are identified for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for substance use disorder (SUD).
• Use a strengths-based, patient-focused approach with patients to identify any problems or challenges.
• Conduct case management activities for patients, especially around social determinants of health such as issues of housing, transportation, Medicaid and/or Medicare enrollment, food/nutrition, access to health care, provide referrals to necessary, appropriate resources such as those offered through community/partner agencies.
• Conduct structured, Peer-led individual and group interventions that focus on health education, care coordination, identifying and reducing barriers to care for patients, and conduct outreach activities in the community in order to engage patients into SUD treatment and/or MAT treatment.
• Actively collaborate with supervisor and clinic staff to coordinate and provide timely, effective efforts to ensure successful delivery of services to patients and monitor their progress with respect to their care plan and/or treatment plan.
• Attend and actively participate in all clinic meetings, huddles, trainings, etc.
• Continuously maintain accurate and up-to-date records and/or notes as required by agency policy.
• Use electronic health record systems to ensure timely documentation, recording and tracking of communications, interventions, and patient data.
• Schedule and maintain multiple, internal, and external appointments, and
• Gather, analyze, and report patient statistical data.
• Maintain personal contact with patients that is respectful, empathetic, and aligns with the patient's preferences for such communications (e.g., phone, text, email, in-person, or a combination of these, etc.)
• Respond courteously to queries and provide excellent customer service to patients, staff, internal and external stakeholders, and other individuals associated with ARTS Adult Outpatient Program goals and projects.
• Work comfortably among patients with or without substance abuse disorder, who are referred from city and county parole/probation departments, department of social services, and other relevant agencies.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor and/or other AOP Management Team members.

Work Location: Onsite – the person in this position is expected to work onsite and is located in Denver, Aurora, or Arvada, Colorado.

Why Join Us: This position at the University of Colorado/Addiction Research and Treatment Services (ARTS) provides a unique opportunity for individuals with lived experience and recovery from SUDs to use, in turn, their specialized knowledge and experience to provide care, assistance and support of individuals currently living with SUD. The individual in this position, through their words and actions, will have a direct influence on helping others with SUD to set themselves on a path to recovery and make health lifestyle choices. In addition, by joining ARTS, employees will be actively engaged in a supportive, professional, and nurturing environment where individuals with various backgrounds and experiences converge and collaborate to provide an evidence-based, multi-faceted approach to provide the best treatment and care to every patient who comes into care at ARTS clinics.

ARTS promotes the continued development of its employees and assists in the CCAR Recovery Coach Academy training and the Colorado Peer and Family Specialist (CPFS) certification.

Why work for the University? We have AMAZING benefits and offer exceptional amounts of holiday, vacation and sick leave! The University of Colorado offers an excellent benefits package including:

• Medical: Multiple plan options
• Dental: Multiple plan options
• Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision
• Retirement 401(a) Plan: Employer contributes 10% of your gross pay
• Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year
• Vacation Days: 22/year (maximum accrual 352 hours)
• Sick Days: 15/year (unlimited maximum accrual)
• Holiday Days: 10/year
• Tuition Benefit: Employees have access to this benefit on all CU campuses
• ECO Pass: Reduced rate RTD Bus and light rail service

There are many additional perks & programs with the CU Advantage.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: The University of Colorado (CU) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED).
• One (1) year of professional experience with connecting individuals in SUD treatment or addictions recovery to resources directly associated with SUD treatment, MAT, or addictions recovery. Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.

Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate's degree or higher in psychology, social work, counseling, human services, or related field from an accredited institution.
• Prior experience in Patient Navigation, enrolling patients for required services such as Medicaid or Medicare, or other resources available to patients.
• Possess certification as a Colorado Peer and Family Specialist (CPFS), or another Peer Specialist/Coach certification from a recognized or accredited entity comparable to the CPFS.
• Experience with motivational interviewing techniques.
• Experience working with clients who are involved with the criminal justice system, drug courts, recovery courts, probation/parole offices, city and county departments of human/family services, and/or other similar referral sources.
• Experience providing administrative support to clients, families, staff, and other stakeholders in a SUD or MAT treatment setting.
• Experience working with individuals with a variety of cultural, socio-economic, ethnic, racial, and/or spiritual backgrounds.