Peer Support Specialist

Position Description

Reporting to the Practice Administrator and Lead Clinician, the Peer Support Specialist will serve as a key member of the care team, helping patients navigate their recovery journey both inside and outside of the Eleanor Health clinic. The CRP is responsible for providing the support patients need to understand the Eleanor Health program, adhere to their personalized treatment plan, and access the support they need to support whole-person health and wellness. The nature of support provided will vary widely depending on an individual patient’s needs and may span logistical, financial, emotional, or social aspects of a patient’s life.

The Peer Support Specialist will also serve as an essential and active member of the community. S/he will educate patients and their families, encourage them to engage in treatment, and work towards stigma reduction in the community. Other key activities include driving referrals to complementary care partners, encouraging visit and medication adherence, and addressing any roadblocks that may negatively impact patients.

The Peer Support Specialist will support patients through times of need, encourage their continued commitment in difficult times, and celebrate both the small and significant achievements throughout their journey. As a Peer Support Specialist you will have a group of patients who you will get to know who live in your community; you will meet with them in their homes, neighborhoods, community organizations, and wherever is most convenient for the patients. This role will require up to 50% community-based work and require travel to patients’ homes.

As a Peer Support Specialist , you will often be the first point of contact with members as they arrive and you will play an important role in welcoming them into Eleanor Health and supporting them through the clinical intake process, coordinating follow-up appointments with our provider team, and proactively responding to any existing members or potential members’ needs.

Candidate Responsibilities

Clinical* (Community and In-Clinic)

Capture clinical, behavioral, and social information about the patient

Collaborate with the care team (including therapists, Advanced Practice Practitioners, and physicians) to inform personalized patient treatment plans and adherence strategies

Identify broader health, wellness, and social needs for patients

Identify and proactively connect patient with specific community resources and services to address needs

Help patients understand their personalized treatment plans, including their short term and long term activities

Perform progress assessments at points of treatment phase advancement

Continuously learn about substance use disorder, opioid use disorder, and the common clinical and social comorbidities for patients

*Clinical activities will be completed under the supervision of an MD or Advanced Practice Provider (APP)

Coaching

Establish trusting relationships with patients and their caregivers

Effectively communicate the Eleanor Health model and program requirements

Help patients understand their confidentiality rights and procedures

Collaborate with patients to set self-identified goals, leveraging motivational interviewing techniques

Work with patients to assess progress against their goals and identify improvement areas, leveraging motivational interviewing techniques

Empower patients to increase their recovery capital

Provide patients with relevant education and link patients to community resources to support their recovery journey

Clinic Operations

Support daily operations of the clinic, including making calls to patients, welcoming patients into the clinic, assisting with front desk inquiries, performing urine drug assays, and assisting with bringing patients around the clinic

Coordinate with external treatment facilities and support services, assisting with referrals where needed

Proactively identify methods to improve Eleanor Health’s program based on feedback from patients, including ideas for new services to offer to certain patient populations

Collaborate with other care team members to facilitate the enrollment of new members to Eleanor Health, including making appointments, verifying insurances and collecting co-payments

Candidate Qualifications

Peer Counselor (CPC) Certification is Preferred

Mission driven and motivated to join an organization that will transform the way we deliver accessible, evidence-based, and clinically excellent care in the substance use disorder space

Must be a person with lived experience and currently in recovery for a minimum of two years

Strong interpersonal communication skills, written communication skills, and active listening abilities

Highly empathetic, non-judgmental, and open-minded

Experience in a collaborative team environment

Experience in a clinical or customer service environment preferred

Experience working with substance use disorder and/or opioid use disorder patients is preferred, but not required

Community health experience is preferred, but not required

Understanding of personal finance and financial terms is preferred, but not required

Basic understanding of health insurance and health insurance terms is preferred, but not required

Familiarity with the healthcare and social support resources in Lakewood is preferred, but not required

Located in the Lakewood area and able to travel to clinic sites and community organization sites on a daily basis

A candidate who owns or leases a well-maintained automobile is preferred, but not required, for traveling to patient homes, pharmacies, and other locations in the community

Candidates should be able to lift 30 pounds and walk one mile

Bilingual preferred

About Eleanor Health

Eleanor Health is the first outpatient addiction and mental health provider delivering convenient and comprehensive care through a value-based payment structure. Committed to health and wellbeing without judgment, Eleanor Health is focused on delivering whole-person, comprehensive care to transform the quality, delivery, and accessibility of care for people affected by addiction.

To date, Eleanor Health operates multiple clinics and a fully virtual model statewide across Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Washington, delivering care through population and value-based partnerships with Medicare, Medicaid, and employers.

If you are passionate about providing high quality, evidence based care for individuals with substance use disorder through an innovative practice and about building a great business that makes a difference, Eleanor Health is an ideal opportunity for you. We seek highly skilled, motivated and compassionate individuals who take responsibility and adapt quickly to change to join our deeply committed and collaborative team.

Job Type: Full-time