The Project Nurture Peer Mentor works as a Certified Recovery Mentor (CRM)/Peer Support Specialist (PSS) to offer peer support to individuals as someone who has similar life experiences in substance use and recovery, and who acts as a positive role model of a person in recovery. 

The Project Nurture Peer Mentor is a member of an interdisciplinary team, collaboratively supporting an individual’s substance use recovery plan of care. This position maintains regular communication with team members and community providers, and links the client to needed services within the community. Client support is a combination of referral linkage, individual counseling, family support, group counseling and peer support services to assist a client's engagement in substance use treatment. 

This position is cross trained as a doula to provide continuous and nurturing physical, emotional and informational support to the client during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and also in the first months after birth.

GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITIES AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 

• Develops the service plan for program participant including a reporting plan. Works as part of an interdisciplinary team in implementation of the plan of care, maintaining regular communications with the team members, collateral providers, community corrections staff and linking the client system to needed services within the community. Following client intake into services, meets with client and (if appropriate) family members and team to develop a case management plan.
• Maintains regular contact with clients during the program, and following treatment helping with engagement in recovery support, family adjustment issues, medical and benefit issues. Frequency of contact should gradually decrease.
• Meets regularly with staff from social service agencies to update them on the plan; identifying unmet series/needs that may be able to be addressed for patient while in treatment.
• Attends informational and clinical meetings which may include team meetings, consultation with medical providers, intra-agency trainings as required.
• May include work in client’s home or offsite community meetings. Some evenings/weekends required.
• All services must be provided in a culturally appropriate manner.
• Comfortable working with diverse populations

SKILLS:

• Strong patient, peer, and provider communication skills
• Professional demeanor with excellent organizational skills
• Interest and ability to work with pregnant population
• Ability to demonstrate empathy, caring, or concern to bolster person’s self-esteem and confidence
• Basic computer skills
• Knowledge of the legal/corrections system required 
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality and appropriate boundaries. 

Education:

High School diploma or equivalent required.  

Experience: 

• Previous experience as a peer mentor preferred. 
• Prior experience in a health care setting preferred. 
• Prior experience with recovery models and groups preferred.  

Certification as a Peer Support Specialist (PSS), Peer Wellness Specialist (PWS) or other equivalent peer recovery mentor certification required at time of hire. (If certification has lapsed, it must be renewed within three months of hire.)

National certification through the Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA) or DONA International within two years of hire. (Funding and support provided by Legacy.)

Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association within three months of hire. BLS certification upon hire preferred.

Current valid applicable state driver’s license.