Peer Support Specialist

Peer Support Specialist

Are you passionate about helping others overcome challenges and achieve their goals? Do you believe in the power of lived experience to inspire hope, build trust, and create lasting change? If so, we invite you to apply for this role as a Peer Support Specialist. This is more than a job. It's an opportunity to make a direct impact on the lives of others while strengthening the health and well-being of our community. In addition to meaningful work, we offer a collaborative and supportive work environment, opportunities for professional growth, and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support you and your family. If you are ready to use your experiences to empower others and help create positive change, we encourage you to apply.

This position provides support, guidance, and mentorship to community members, including individuals involved in reentry services, pretrial release, diversion programs, and recovery courts, as well as those navigating challenges related to substance use, mental health, and overall wellness. This role leverages lived and living experience to foster trust, encourage recovery and well-being, and connect individuals with community resources and supports. The Peer Support Specialist serves as a bridge between individuals and services, helping participants develop coping strategies, access resources, and build resilience through shared experiences.

The following essential functions serve as a general guide for this position. Position functions are subject to change based on departmental needs and external factors including, but not limited to, regulatory requirements.

• Provides peer-based support, mentorship, and encouragement to community members, including individuals involved in reentry services, diversion programs, recovery courts, and those experiencing substance use or mental health challenges;
• Provides emotional support and crisis de-escalation while connecting individuals to appropriate services and resources;
• Maintains accurate records of participant interactions while adhering to confidentiality and ethical standards;
• Collaborates with healthcare providers, treatment providers, social service agencies, court personnel, and community partners to support coordinated care;
• Organizes and participates in community outreach activities and support groups;
• Upholds ethical guidelines and maintains confidentiality to ensure a safe and trustworthy environment;
• Engages in ongoing professional development, training, and supervision;
• Serves as a resource for community members by providing information and referrals related to housing, employment, education, transportation, healthcare, recovery support, and other community services;
• Assists individuals involved in reentry services, diversion programs, and recovery courts in identifying and accessing resources that support successful community integration, stability, and recovery;
• Helps community members navigate local services and supports that contribute to overall health and well-being;
• Works alongside staff and community partners to ensure individuals receive holistic support tailored to their needs and goals;
• Provides education and information to community members on topics related to recovery, wellness, and peer support services;
• Performs other duties as assigned.

High school diploma or GED. Certification as a Peer Support Specialist is strongly preferred. Experience with mental health and/or substance use recovery, and a willingness to share personal recovery journey appropriately. Ability to speak and read Spanish preferred.

• Strong communication, listening, and interpersonal skills;
• Ability to build rapport and trust with clients;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, maintaining professionalism in various settings;
• Knowledge of community resources, recovery-oriented services, and peer support models;
• Ability to demonstrate empathy and patience with cultural competency and sensitivity;
• Ability to establish trust, demonstrating cultural competency and sensitivity;
• Ability to demonstrate strong emotional resilience and self-care strategies in response to emotionally charged situations and individuals in crisis;
• Understanding of trauma-informed care;
• Basic computer literacy for documentation, reporting, and communication with team members;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates and the general public.

This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 10 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, speaking, hearing and repetitive motions, frequently requires touching or feeling and occasionally requires standing, walking, climbing, balancing, reaching, pushing, pulling and lifting; work has standard vision requirements; work requires vocal communication to express or exchange ideas orally; work requires hearing to perceive information at normal spoken levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data; work has no exposure to environmental conditions; work is generally performed in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic). Work may be conducted in various settings, including offices, community centers, healthcare facilities, or client homes.

Must possess a valid North Carolina driver's license. Must complete mandatory training requirements of all agency employees within the first six months of hire and annually as required thereafter. Must possess or obtain a Peer Support Specialist Certification within 18 months of employment.