Recovery Support Specialist

CONTRIBUTION TO MISSION & CONTINUUM OF CARE

The goal of Dawn Farm is to remove the barriers that people with addictions face to entering into recovery. Recovery Support Specialists at Dawn Farm further this mission by acting as a community based barrier remover. Recovery Support Specialists engage with clients through all levels of care and help them stay connected and supported within the recovering community.

Explanatory note: Dawn Farm believes that maintaining a balance of “priests” [professionals by training] and “shaman” [professionals by experience] in our clinical setting is integral to maintaining high quality and effective services. These “shaman” serve not only as members of the clinical team, but also as community guides. As community guides they know of indigenous resources in the community, which other professionals are generally unaware of, and are able to connect clients with these resources for the purpose of assisting clients in developing sobriety-based support structures that are an enduring part of the fabric of local community life.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Locates indigenous community resources that support recovery and links clients with them, including people and groups within the recovering community

• Provides hope, emotional support and motivational support to help clients sustain recovery

• Maintains contact with client at vulnerable times (including weekends and holidays) to provide support and accountability for following through on recovery plans

• Helps clients connect with extracurricular activities and/or local opportunities for healthy sober hobbies

• Helps clients advocate appropriately for themselves in the community to assure that barriers to recovery are addressed

• Provides crisis management as needed and connects clients with other services as appropriate

• Interacts with family members to assist them in providing support for clients, as needed

• Maintains complete record of all client recovery support services.

• Interacts with other Dawn Farm programs and community agencies regarding recovery progress and referrals, as needed

• Completes other duties, as requested by program coordinator

• Participates in all required trainings, staff inservices, and special events

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

ALL DAWN FARM EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Integrates Dawn Farm mission and core values into daily functions

• Familiar with recovery principles and the philosophy and practice of 12-step recovery

• Pursues continuing education to improve job knowledge and maintain licensing/certification, as applicable

• Able to interact with a wide variety of people in a cordial, professional manner, both independently and as part of a team

• Able to interact with clients and family members in an empathetic manner while maintaining professional boundaries

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

None

CREDENTIALS

• Ability to attend required training and pursues certification for Peer Recovery Support as required

• Must identify as a person in recovery from addiction

• CPR certification

• Valid driver’s license and ability to be covered by Dawn Farm auto insurance, and reliable transportation

RECOVERY

• At least eighteen months of continuous sobriety, if in recovery from addiction.

• If ever a client in any Dawn Farm program, at least one year since the date of last service.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

For all Dawn Farm employees

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to speak and listen.

• The employee is frequently required to use hands to write, type, use phone, and to reach with hands and arms.

• The employee is frequently required to sit, stand, and walk.

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and peripheral vision.

• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 lbs.

Additional demands specific to this job

None

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Approved By: Ray Dalton

Approved Date: October 2020