Peer Support Specialist I or III

Job Description

Job Description: POSITION SUMMARY This position is responsible for providing direct peer support at the Sister Rosalie Center for Recovery, Catholic Social Services (CSS)’s ASAM Level 3.1 low-intensity residential substance use disorder treatment program located on the Brother Francis Shelter campus. The Peer Support Specialist supports adults experiencing homelessness or housing instability who are participating in voluntary residential treatment for substance use disorders and, when present, co-occurring behavioral health needs. Working as part of a multidisciplinary residential treatment team, the specialist provides recovery-focused mentorship, skill-building, one-on-one support, group facilitation, and practical assistance that helps participants practice recovery and coping skills in a structured, supportive living environment. Using a strength-based, trauma-informed, and recovery-oriented approach, the specialist draws on lived experience to foster hope, build connection, support participant self-determination, and help participants work toward individualized treatment, recovery, and housing stability goals while providing billable services. We are committed to fostering professional growth by offering a Peer Support Specialist Career Development Pathway. CSS provides the training and support needed for peer support specialists to develop their skills, earn certifications, and promote through the career pathway from Peer Support Specialist I to IV. Peer Support Specialists may be hired as Level 1 or Level 3 depending on qualifications. Peer Support Specialist I (Entry-level) Education: High School Diploma or GED Experience: 1 year in a direct service role Promotion: After one (1) year as a CSS Peer Support Specialist I and completion of the Peer Support Certification, team members are eligible for promotion to Peer Support Specialist II. Peer Support Specialist III (Experienced-level) Education: Bachelor’s degree in social work, human services, counseling, or related fields (or 4 years of applicable experience) Training: Advanced Peer Support Certification II obtained Promotion: After 2 years as CSS Peer Support Specialist III, team members are eligible for promotion to Peer Support Specialist IV. Ready to grow your career with us? Apply now! ABOUT US CSS is a Catholic human and social services agency and behavioral health care provider that welcomes people of all faiths through its programs and employment. We provide help for our Alaskan neighbors through a variety of supportive service programs, including emergency shelter, food stability, housing, case management, and refugee assistance. CSS empowers individuals and families on their path to permanent stability, creating thriving communities for all. Located in Anchorage, Alaska, CSS is a nationally accredited organization through the Council on Accreditation (COA), which recognizes that CSS provides high quality services that meet best practice standards in the social service field. Mission: To promote the physical, spiritual and mental welfare of persons in need in the community. This mission is achieved by: Offering charitable assistance to those in need, especially persons who are poor. Developing and conducting programs to strengthen and support families and the dignity of the human spirit. Administering the Corporal Works of Mercy and Gospel of Jesus Christ as defined by the magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church and envisioned by the traditional concepts of Catholic Social Teaching and Action through the laity. And advocating for social justice for the common good of all. ABOUT OUR PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT Catholic Social Services is launching the Sister Rosalie Center for Recovery, a new 10-bed ASAM Level 3.1 low-intensity residential substance use disorder treatment program located on the Brother Francis Shelter campus in Anchorage, Alaska. This voluntary program will serve adults experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of homelessness who are seeking support for substance use disorders, co-occurring behavioral health needs, and long-term recovery. The program is designed to reduce barriers to treatment by bringing residential recovery services directly into a trusted shelter-based setting. Participants will have access to a coordinated team providing substance use treatment, behavioral health support, peer support, case management, recovery planning, and housing-focused services. By integrating treatment with shelter, medical, behavioral health, and housing supports, the program creates a practical and compassionate pathway from crisis and homelessness toward recovery, stability, and long-term wellness. REQUIRED COMPETENCIES Recovery-Oriented Accountability: Takes ownership for delivering recovery-focused, participant-centered services in a residential SUD treatment setting. Follows through on commitments, accepts responsibility for mistakes, uses feedback to improve practice, and maintains professional accountability to participants, the treatment team, program expectations, and Medicaid documentation requirements. Recovery Engagement and Initiative: Recognizes opportunities to support participant engagement, retention, and progress in treatment. Takes initiative to build rapport, encourage participation in recovery activities, support treatment plan goals, and connect participants to recovery supports, while staying within the peer support role and working under appropriate clinical direction. Recovery Support and Resourcefulness: Uses creativity, lived experience, and practical problem-solving to help participants identify barriers to recovery, strengthen recovery capital, practice coping skills, and connect with community-based recovery, housing, health care, and social supports that promote long-term stability. Adaptability in Residential Treatment: Responds professionally to the changing needs of participants in a 24-hour structured residential environment. Adapts support strategies to participant readiness, stage of change, co-occurring needs, relapse risk, and program expectations while maintaining consistency, safety, and therapeutic boundaries. Confidentiality and Ethical Practice: Maintains strict confidentiality of participant information, including substance use disorder treatment information, in accordance with CSS policy, HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, and program expectations. Uses lived experience appropriately, maintains professional boundaries, avoids dual relationships, and protects participant dignity and privacy. Motivational and Supportive Communication: Communicates in a respectful, nonjudgmental, and recovery-oriented manner. Uses active listening, motivational interviewing strategies, validation, encouragement, and clear communication to support participant self-determination, readiness for change, and engagement in treatment. Cultural Humility and Person-Centered Recovery: Demonstrates respect for each participant’s culture, identity, values, recovery pathway, faith or spiritual beliefs, family system, and lived experience. Practices self-reflection, recognizes power differences, and supports individualized recovery goals without stigma or judgment. Judgment, Safety, and Relapse Risk Awareness: Uses sound judgment to recognize and respond to participant needs, safety concerns, return-to-use risk, intoxication, withdrawal concerns, overdose risk, crisis situations, and changes in functioning. Follows program protocols and promptly consults with clinical, medical, supervisory, or emergency supports as appropriate. High-Quality Recovery Documentation: Completes accurate, timely, participant-specific documentation that reflects medically necessary recovery support services, participant presence, interventions provided, progress toward treatment plan goals, relapse prevention or recovery skill-building, and coordination with the treatment team. Recovery Outcomes Orientation: Focuses on measurable participant progress, including engagement in treatment, development of coping and relapse-prevention skills, connection to recovery supports, improved daily routines, increased recovery capital, continuity of care, and transition planning for housing and long-term stability. Multidisciplinary Team Collaboration: Works effectively with clinicians, chemical dependency counselors, case managers, milieu staff, medical partners, MAT/MOUD providers, detoxification providers, shelter staff, and community recovery partners to support coordinated care and continuity of services. Stress Tolerance and Trauma-Informed Presence: Maintains professionalism, calm communication, and emotional regulation when responding to conflict, cravings, relapse concerns, grief, trauma responses, frustration, or crisis. Seeks supervision and support when needed and practices appropriate self-care to reduce burnout and vicarious trauma. Empathy, Hope, and Peer Role Modeling: Provides compassionate, nonjudgmental support to participants experiencing substance use disorders, homelessness, trauma, and co-occurring behavioral health needs. Uses lived experience intentionally to model hope, recovery, resilience, accountability, and the possibility of change. Knowledge of: National Practice Guidelines for Peer Support and ethical use of lived experience in substance use recovery services. ASAM Level 3.1 low-intensity residential treatment expectations, including structured recovery support, residential routines, treatment engagement, and transition planning. Substance use disorder recovery concepts, including stages of change, recovery capital, relapse prevention, cravings, triggers, coping skills, and recovery support networks. Motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, person-centered planning, and culturally responsive recovery support. Overdose prevention and response, including naloxone awareness, recognizing signs of overdose, and following emergency response protocols. Medication-assisted treatment and medications for opioid use disorder, including the peer role in supporting participant choice, engagement, and coordination with qualified providers. Confidentiality requirements related to behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment information, including HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, and CSS privacy expectations. Skills: Builds trusting, professional relationships with participants while maintaining clear peer support boundaries. Provides recovery coaching, skill-building, peer mentoring, and group support focused on coping skills, relapse prevention, wellness, community connection, and recovery routines. Supports participants in identifying triggers, strengths, recovery goals, sober supports, and practical steps that promote sustained recovery and housing stability. Recognizes and responds appropriately to participant distress, cravings, intoxication concerns, withdrawal concerns, overdose risk, and return-to-use concerns by following program protocols and notifying appropriate staff. Collaborates with the multidisciplinary treatment team to support individualized treatment plans, level-of-care transitions, discharge planning, and continuing care connections. Documents recovery support services accurately and timely in the electronic client record, including participant-specific interventions, progress, and follow-up needs. Uses sound judgment, de-escalation, and trauma-informed communication to support safety and stability in a residential treatment milieu. Demonstrates proficiency with Microsoft Office, Apricot or other electronic client record systems, time management, problem solving, and critical thinking. RESPONSIBILITIES Facilitate peer-led recovery groups and skill-building activities that support coping skills, relapse prevention, recovery routines, emotional regulation, healthy relationships, community connection, and long-term recovery in a residential treatment setting. Provide individual peer support sessions with assigned participants to reinforce treatment plan goals, identify recovery strengths and barriers, support recovery planning, practice coping strategies, and encourage continued engagement in treatment. Provide community-based recovery coaching by accompanying participants to appointments, recovery activities, community resources, mutual aid or peer recovery meetings, housing-related appointments, and other approved activities that support recovery, stability, and skill development. Support participants in building practical recovery and independent living skills, including daily routines, communication, problem solving, self-advocacy, appointment follow-through, conflict resolution, wellness planning, and managing triggers and cravings. Assist with the daily operations of the residential treatment program by supporting a safe, structured, recovery-oriented milieu; encouraging participant accountability; reinforcing program expectations; assisting with routines and activities; and communicating participant needs or concerns to appropriate team members. Connect participants to recovery support services, including peer recovery networks, mutual aid groups, culturally relevant supports, faith or spiritual supports when desired by the participant, MAT/MOUD providers, outpatient treatment, primary care, behavioral health services, housing resources, and other community supports. Follow individualized treatment plans developed by clinical staff and provide peer support interventions that are aligned with specific, measurable participant goals. Monitor participant progress, communicate observations to the treatment team, and participate in care coordination and goal review as appropriate. Accurately document all peer support services in Apricot or other required electronic client record within program timelines, including individual sessions, groups, community-based activities, recovery coaching, progress toward treatment plan goals, follow-up needs, and coordination with the treatment team. A minimum of 50% of time must be spent providing direct service to participants and will be monitored weekly. Use lived experience appropriately to model hope, recovery, resilience, accountability, and self-determination while maintaining professional boundaries and respecting each participant’s chosen recovery pathway. Maintain a positive, solution-focused, trauma-informed, harm-reduction, and recovery-oriented approach when responding to participant needs, relapse concerns, conflict, crisis, or barriers to engagement. Support participants in practicing recovery and life skills in real-world settings, including safe community participation, transportation planning, appointment attendanc