Peer Navigator (Prince William)

Department: College of Public Health

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Prince William County

Telework Friendly: On Site Required

Pay Band: 03

Salary:  Salary commensurate with education and experience

Restricted: Yes

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Program:

The Empowered Communities Opioid Project (ECOP) is a hub-and-spoke community model of care that utilizes principles from care coordination and case management, emphasizing engagement with and services for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) who are recently released from incarceration. Leveraging an interdisciplinary team, ECOP arranges clinical service delivery assets into a network consisting of an anchor establishment (hub) which offers a full array of clinical support services, and secondary communities (spokes), routing patients needing more intensive services to the hub for treatment. Additionally, ECOP uses active cross-sector system collaborations with criminal justice, behavioral health, and medical teams to optimize resources. Locations include Prince William, Chesterfield, Crater (Petersburg), Norfolk, and Portsmouth health districts.

About the Position:

The ECOP Peer Navigator is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) within the Community Site Team (spoke site). This role fosters one-on-one connections with program participants in the early stages of their recovery journey. As an integral team member, the Peer Navigator motivates, supports, and guides participants, contributing to the development of recovery community models that promote collaboration across sectors, engage individuals, and mentor them in the ECOP framework. Additionally, they facilitate prompt access to Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) for individuals recently released from the carceral and legal systems.

Responsibilities:

Peer Navigation:

• Peer Recovery Resource Connecting:
  • Actively connect participants to resources for health insurance, COVID-response, medical, behavioral health, housing, transportation, etc.
• Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Coordination:
  • Collaborate with ECOP Bridge Team to coordinate rapid connection to MOUD and intake with local community provider.
• Building Community:
  • Build relationships with local agencies, advocating for participants. Assist individuals and communities to adopt healthy behaviors and social networks.
• Collaborate with partner peer for continued peer recovery support and coordination.

Participant Recruitment and Consent:

• In-reach:
  • Engage with justice-involved persons at the jail or community corrections who have opioid challenges. Explain ECOP. Increase the likelihood of connection post-release. Provide resource ideas for ineligible individuals. 
• ECOP Intake:
  • Consent eligible participants. Complete intake process with eligible participants.

Data Tracking:

• Participant Documentation:
  • Document participant interactions and resource connectivity.
• Monitoring Survey:
  • Administer benchmark surveys.
• Community Data:
  • Collect data to help identify social and community health needs and gaps.

Required Qualifications:

• High School diploma or GED;
• Must possess a valid Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) in Virginia;
• Prior experience in a peer recovery role with a proven track record of leadership or mentorship;
• Stable recovery from a substance use disorder, with at least two (2) years of sobriety;
• Commitment to promoting recovery, breaking stigmas, and uplifting the community;
• Maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries;
• Use personal experience with addiction and justice-involvement to help others access care, reintegrate after incarceration, and role model recovery;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the capacity to engage diverse audiences to build rapport and listen actively;
• Ability to understand, relate, and offer support, while maintaining personal boundaries and well-being;
• Basic knowledge of MS Office, documentation tools, and the ability to quickly adapt to program-specific software;
• Reliable transportation to meet participants and partners within the local Health District; and
• Ability to meet volunteer criteria at the local or regional jail or community corrections (e.g., Prince William-Manassas Regional Jail, Chesterfield County Jail, Petersburg Community Corrections, etc.).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bi-lingual (Spanish) speaking;
• Prior experience of the carceral and legal systems; and
• Collaboration on an integrated team with behavioral health, medical, or justice system partners.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for the Peer Navigator (Prince William) at https://jobs.gmu.edu/; complete and submit the online application; and provide (1) a cover letter, (2) resume, (3) list of three professional references with contact information, and (4) diversity statement summarizing the extent to which you have worked with any individuals from marginalized groups and how you helped them identify and overcome barriers to success.

Posting Open Date: November 29, 2023

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  December 13, 2023

Open Until Filled?:  Yes