Peer Recovery Specialist

Salary: $51,698.16 - $66,555.05 Annually
Location : Portsmouth, VA
Job Type: Full-Time Regular
Job Number: FY2026-01529
Department: Behavioral Healthcare Services
Opening Date: 09/23/2026
Closing Date: 10/7/2026 11:59 PM Eastern


General Statement of the Job & Essential Functions

GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

Under general supervision, assists with crisis intervention, service coordination, screening and assessments for mentally ill, substance use and co-occurring individuals. Work involves assisting individuals by identifying individual needs; assist with crisis counseling to individuals and families experiencing a psychiatric emergency. Employee participates in case management discussions. Work involves ensuring the physical, mental, medical, and social well-being of the individuals. Employee documents clients' progress and maintains records in accordance with program policies and procedures. Employee may transport individuals. Reports to the Program Administrator.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Provides peer-to-peer supportive counseling to individuals experiencing a psychiatric crisis.


Provides consultation to individuals and their families to assess their social, health, and vocational needs; assist clients' in obtaining information regarding appropriate community service programs.


Assists Clinical Therapist in providing crisis intervention to individuals and their families that are experiencing a psychiatric emergency at the Safe Harbor location.


Provides staff coverage at the Safe Harbor location.


Implements goals and objectives by linking individuals to appropriate services, transport individuals in pursuit of employment, living arrangements, and educational opportunities.


Assists in the development of treatment plans and determination of consumers' goals. Ensures safety of consumers and security of facility.


Follows policies and procedures during medical, behavioral, and fire emergencies. Ensures that departmental policies and procedures are followed.


Maintains accurate and complete records, files according to program policies and procedures. Provides outreach services to locate and re-engage consumers.


Consults with clinical staff regarding continuity of individual's care. Participates in staff meetings and case reviews to ensure team approach. Transports individuals to and from assigned locations.


Attends related training/workshops.


Performs routine administrative duties (answer phone, take messages, etc.).


Performs other related work as required. Individual assignments will be determined by supervisor based on current workload and department needs.



Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Knowledge of Job: Has general knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of residential rehabilitation, crisis intervention, case management, and substance abuse issues. Is skilled in promoting the integration of services for residential rehabilitation among a variety of service agencies. Is skilled in assisting, coordinating, and supervising the activities of substance abuse consumers. Is able to use standard office equipment, including a telephone, calculator, copier, facsimile, etc. Is able to compile information from a variety of sources and prepare clear and concise reports. Is able to respond quickly and effectively in a variety of emergency and non-emergency situations. Is able to effectively express ideas orally and in writing. Is able to exercise considerable discretion in handling confidential files and cases. Is able to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.

Quality of Work: Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Exercises immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Maintains high-quality communication and interacts with co-workers, consumers and the general public.

Quantity of Work: Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities as described under "Specific Duties and Responsibilities."

Dependability: Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and for meeting deadlines. Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, DBHS policy, standards and prescribed procedures. Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas.

Attendance: Attends work regularly and adheres to DBHS policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness. Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and time-off requests.

Initiative and Enthusiasm: Maintains an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities. Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for the completion of work with a general level of supervision and instruction.

Judgment: Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors. Seeks expert or experienced advice and researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment.

Cooperation: Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet the goals and objectives of same. Questions such instruction and direction when clarification of results or consequences are justified i.e., poor communications, variance with DBHS policy or procedures, etc.

Relationships with Others: Shares knowledge with supervisor for mutual and DBHS benefit. Contributes to maintaining high morale among all consumers and DBHS employees. Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees, staffers and managers in other departments, to project a good DBHS image. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons in order to maintain good will. Emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive image within the DBHS and surrounding regions. Interacts effectively with fellow employees, program consumers, supervisors, professionals and the general public.

Coordination of Work: Plans and organizes daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology. Avoids duplication of effort. Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establishes a personal schedule accordingly. Attends meetings, planning sessions and discussions on time. Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules. Maintains a calendar for meetings and deadlines.

Safety and Housekeeping: Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the DBHS and various regulatory agencies. Sees that the standards are not violated. Maintains a clean and orderly workplace.

Education, Experience & Special Requirements

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Graduation from a college or university with a degree in Social Work, Psychology or related human services field and requires 1-3 years related experience or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Must possess Red Cross First Aid and CPR certifications or have the ability to obtain certifications within 90 days from date of hire and maintain them as a condition of employment.


An acceptable general background check to include a local, state, and federal criminal history check and sex offender registry check.


A valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record.


Individuals in this position cannot be listed as having a founded child abuse or neglect complaint. Subject to pre-employment substance abuse testing.


Must have lived experience.

Physical Demands

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate a variety of automated office equipment which includes telephones, calculators, copiers, computer terminals, facsimile, etc. Must be able to exert up to 20 pounds force occasionally and up to 50 pounds to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects or resisting individuals.


Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.


Interpersonal Communications: Requires the ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving assignments and/or directions to unit members, volunteers or assistants. Includes receiving instructions from immediate supervisor.


Language Ability: Requires the ability to read and write a variety of correspondence, reports, documents, evaluations, assessments, summaries, forms, charts, etc. Requires the ability to prepare consumer records, reports, charts, reviews, treatment plans, using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style. Requires the ability to interact with individuals and groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence.


Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical thinking to define problems and emergencies, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret a variety of technical or medical instructions in verbal or written form.


Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of medical or professional languages, including counseling terminology.


Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to add and subtract, multiply and divide.


Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.


Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using automated office equipment.


Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.


Sensory Discrimination: Does not require the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.


Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress when confronted with persons acting under stress.


Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking - expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing - perceiving nature of sounds by ear). Must be able to communicate via telephone.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) REQUIREMENTS The City of Portsmouth is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.This is a class description and not an individual position description. A class specification defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification.
The city of Portsmouth offers a complete and comprehensive benefit package to full-time employees including: medical, dental, vision, legal, Flexible Spending Accounts, basic and optional life insurance, short-term disability insurance, Virginia Retirement System (includes a mandatory 5% employee contribution), holidays, vacation, sick leave, deferred compensation plan, and Chartway Credit Union. To learn more details, visit
01


Please select the highest level of education completed.

• Less than High School
• High School Diploma or GED
• Some College
• Associates/Vocational/Technical
• Bachelor's Degree or Higher

02


Do you have Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Psychology, or a related human services field?

• Yes
• No

03


Do you have a valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record?

• Yes
• No

04


Do you have or able to pass Red Cross Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid Certifications or have the ability to obtain certifications within 90 days from date of hire and maintain them as a condition of employment?

• Yes
• No

05


Do you have 1-3 years related experience or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities?

• Yes
• No

06


Please explain your lived experience.
Required Question