Recovery Coach, Moms Do Care
$18.21 – $21.42
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Recovery Coach (RC) serves as an integral member of the Moms Do care team supporting individuals struggling with substance use. They will provide peer recovery support services to pregnant, post-partum, and parenting people (PPPP) with substance use disorder. Candidates for this position must have lived experience as a parenting person in recovery. In this role, the RC supports PPPP in achieving the goals that are meaningful to their health and wellbeing. By employing a harm reduction approach, the RC can help support both individuals seeking sustained recovery and those who wish to employ practices of safer substance use. Additionally, the RC should possess a thorough understanding of the steps to successful recovery, be able to provide individualized health messages, and be able to connect to patients to BNHC and community resources and treatment. This position requires good organizational and communication skills, as well as the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. The RC will report to the Moms Do Care Program Supervisor and receive peer support/recovery coach supervision from BNHC’s Peer Support Supervisor. Work environments may include BNHC’s main clinic and MainSpring shelter locations, street outreach, and/or BNHC’s mobile addictions Community Care-in-Reach program.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Promote Moms Do Care in the community to increase patient access to the program; this includes outreaching local hospitals, OB/GYN offices, treatment programs, and other services providers to provide information on Moms Do Care
- Engage and build professional relationships with potential and existing BNHC patients in order to effectively deliver peer recovery support services
- With the Behavioral Health Clinician, co-lead support groups tailored to pregnant, post-partum, and parent people
- Develop and implement wellness and relapse prevention plans with patients
- Practice harm reduction approaches with patients, including providing overdose prevention education, teaching risk reduction techniques, and facilitating access to Narcan® (naloxone) and other harm reduction resources
- Offer appropriate recovery information, referrals, and linkages to help individuals improve recovery and reduce risky behaviors, including but not limited to healthcare support services, social work, financial assistance, child care, housing, food, financial entitlements, clothing, transportation, food pantries, and other community resources
- Provide ongoing support and follow up as necessary to support recovery, health, and general wellbeing; support and understand different paths to recovery, including treatment with medications such as buprenorphine, naltrexone, or methadone
- Establish and maintain open communication with community-based organizations, other appropriate healthcare organizations, providers, and services, and other potential resources
- Use non-judgmental, non-stigmatizing language, and employ techniques such as motivational interviewing that help encourage patients to identify and prioritize their personal needs
- Gain and share reliable, validated information about specific health topics most relevant to the population being served
- Act as warm handoff to the Moms Do Care program
- Document patient encounters in the electronic medical record
- Clerical duties such as answering phones and checking voicemails in order to assist in scheduling of appointments and providing follow up or reminder calls as needed
- Attend required department and other staff meetings
- Adhere to regulations protecting patient information and privacy, including HIPAA, 42CFR Part 2, and other federal and state privacy standards
- Other duties as assigned
SCOPE OF PRACTICE:
The following patient care activities within scope of practice for recovery coaches:
- Serves as a motivator for patients; encourages and celebrates
- Provides honest feedback to patients and offers suggestions to meet recovery goals
- Acts as role model and mentor to patients by demonstrating their own examples of healthy living and provides stage-appropriate recovery information
- Assists with problem identification and resolution in a non-judgmental manner
- Serves as liaison and coordinator to recovery community, treatment, and other support services
- Advocates for patients needs
- Practices motivational interviewing to support patients in development of wellness and relapse prevention plans for patients
- Complete wellness plans, relapse prevention plans, and Plans of Safe Care with program participants
MINIMUM SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS:
- A high school diploma or GED required
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, email, and the internet; requires the ability to independently research community resources
- Knowledge of community, social, and health resources, particularly substance use-related resources
- Understanding of recovery and principles of recovery; lived experience with substance use disorder, recovery, and motherhood required
- Experience using EPIC or other electronic health record is a plus
- Able to apply principles of cultural competency and racial equity to patient care
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
- Certified Addictions Recovery Coach (CARC); completion of Recovery Coach Academy and working toward certification is allowable
WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Works in a busy community health center in a high crime, urban neighborhood. Physical demands require lifting small pieces of equipment (not over 20 lbs.). Mostly sedentary with some walking within office and to other departments. Interruptions are present and can be disruptive to work flow. Stress is present due to high volume of work, diversified nature of activities and frequent crises and deadlines. Performs other employee duties to cover for staff absences. Works overtime as needed for emergencies or to meet project deadlines. Visual acuity sufficient for frequent reading. Hearing acuity for holding conversations with or without audio devices. Night or weekend work may be required at discretion of Program Manager, in order to best meet the needs of patients and the community.