The Peer Recovery Coach provides non-clinical services intended to aid patients in establishing recovery from high risk of dependent alcohol and drug use problems. The Peer Recovery Coach will work as part of the Emergency Department team to provide peer support and motivation to encourage patients who are seeking treatment for
alcohol or drug dependency and addiction issues. The Peer Recovery Coach will assist in completing referrals to treatment services and developing service plans to promote successful linkage to treatment services. Services will be provided in the Emergency Department with appropriate follow-up.

Job Responsibilities:

• Conducts brief interventions to patients that screen positive for alcohol and/ or drug use.
• Identifies patient’s history of drug/alcohol use, treatment history, motivation to change behavior and other needs for community support services.
• Identifies patient’s readiness to change and use motivational interviewing techniques and other communication skills to support a plan for reducing or eliminating harmful drug and/or alcohol use.
• Works with ED staff and social worker to identify community support services.
• Assist patient and family with understanding how to utilize these community services.
• Protects hospital’s value by keeping patient information confidential
• Ensure good communication and team work skills.
• Knowledgeable of all policies and procedures.
• Working knowledge of all normally used equipment
• Document actions by completing forms, reports, logs, and records.
• Enhances nursing department and hospital reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.
• Attend in-service and education programs; attends continuing education required for maintenance of professional certification or licensure.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ensure good communication and team work skills.
• Knowledgeable of all policies and procedures.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret professional journals, technical procedures, or government regulations.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from supervisors, patient or family, physicians and public.
• Works with ED staff and social worker to identify community support services.
• Assists patient and family with understanding how to utilize these community services.
• Assists patients in linking to community support services and substance treatment services including securing appointment and transportation.
• Acts as peer support throughout the hospitalization and post-discharge, as appropriate to facilitate attainment of goals.
• Provides family members with recovery support materials.
• Provides telephone outreach to patients to assist with linkages and continued peer support.
• Models coping techniques and self-help strategies.
• Participates in trainings to continually gain new skills.
• Attends required staff and other meetings.

• The candidate must be actively engaged in his/her own recovery program with a minimum of two years demonstrated personal recovery and sustained abstinence from alcohol and or drug use.
• Certified Peer Specialist through the DC Department of Behavioral Health; and/or a Recovery Coach
• High school diploma or G.E.D is required
• Basic computer skills are required