Peer Recovery Specialist (DOM Infectious Disease)

The Center for Substance Use & Infectious Disease Care Integration is dedicated to promoting healthy outcomes for people who use substances, with a focus on prevention and treatment of infectious disease and other unintended consequences of substance use. We are seeking a casual Peer Recovery Specialist (PRS ) will support people released from hospitalization, released from jails and prisons, receiving care in skilled nursing facilities or outpatient clinics, and those in the general community to link to and engage in low threshold, stigma free treatment for substance use disorders and infectious diseases. The PRS will simultaneously address social determinants of health, e.g. housing, transportation, and health insurance access by interacting with clients and assisting with access to resources. The individual will be trained to support engagement and retention of individuals in treatment. The PRS will identify community-based substance use and infectious disease care and recovery supports, and support engagement of program participants with community resources closest to them. The PRS will identify targeted areas in the community for outreach and engagement. The PRS will contribute to a productive, collaborative work environment and consistently hold clients and coworkers, clinic staff, community partners, available resources, and providers in positive and respectful regard.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of clients using project-specific registries to ensure that no one falls through the cracks.
• Follow a standardized protocol to engage with referred participants, including conducting an initial evaluation to assess needs related to social determinants of health.
• Use protocol goals to support a care plan agreed upon by the treatment team.
• Support client navigation of resources related to substance use disorder and infectious diseases treatment, e.g. overdose prevention, drug treatment services, medications for treating substance use disorder and infectious diseases, transportation, nutrition, health care, housing, medical insurance, employment opportunities, etc.
• Independently, and with supervisor and team support as needed, identify and connect with people slated for release from incarceration, meet them at the time of release, and engage them in ongoing care.
• Navigate resources required for stability post-incarceration.
• Identify local resources required for stability; maintain and share knowledge of current service availability.
• identify and support access to housing resources, health insurance (linkage to local / local health department-based Maryland Health Connection sites), and transportation to appointments.
• Act as a bridge of trust between clients, local resources, and medical care for substance use disorders and infectious diseases.
• Provide proactive support to program clients for adherence to prescribed medications.
• Maintain a good working knowledge of all assigned protocols and reporting requirements.
• Maintain paper and computerized files as indicated in protocols.
• Prepare for and participate in weekly scheduled treatment team meetings.
• Collaborate with clinicians at designated Hopkins and community-based sites across Maryland to assist with patient linkage to care and engagement.
• Administer questionnaire to assess drug use practices, social networks (friends and family) characteristics, and health care access.
• Travel to intervention sites and community locations where clients are located.
• Participate in fundamental and ongoing training in evidence-based skills and interventions, treatment, and medication options for participants living with HIV, hepatitis, mental health issues, and substance use disorders.
• Maintain professionalism in interactions with clients / patients, medical providers, and staff, community-based organizations, and resources.
• Work with clients according to specific project protocols and client-developed goals.
• Complete documentation of interaction with program clients correctly and within one business day of interaction.
• Use a provided work phone and be available to assigned patients in caseload during Monday-Friday working hours.
• Maintain healthy professional boundaries and self-care.
• Consistently adhere to COVID-19 and other infectious disease safety requirements.
• Gain facility and use various programs to complete work, e.g. Epic (the JH EMR); REDCap, Qualtrics, and other software programs needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

Classified Title : Community Outreach Specialist

Job Posting Title (Working Title) : Peer Recovery Specialist (DOM Infectious Disease)

Role / Level / Range : ACRO37.5 / 02 / CC

Starting Salary Range : $15.70 - $26.25 HRLY ($50,000 targeted; Commensurate w / exp.)

Employee group : Casual / On Call

Schedule : variable, site-dependent

FLSA Status : Non-Exempt

Location : School of Medicine Campus

Department name : SOM DOM Infectious Disease

Personnel area : School of Medicine

Total Rewards

The referenced base salary range represents the low and high end of Johns Hopkins University's salary range for this position. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. Exact salary will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, market conditions, education / training and other qualifications. Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here : benefits-worklife / .

Education and Experience Equivalency

Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines : JHU Equivalency Formula : 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education / experience required for the respective job.

Applicants Completing Studies

Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester / quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.

Background Checks

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Johns Hopkins is committed to hiring individuals with a justice-involved background, consistent with applicable policies and current practice. A prior criminal history does not automatically preclude candidates from employment at Johns Hopkins University. In accordance with applicable law, the university will review, on an individual basis, the date of a candidate's conviction, the nature of the conviction and how the conviction relates to an essential job-related qualification or function.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

EEOis the Law

Accommodation Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at . For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit .

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University requires all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Exceptions to the flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry.

The following additional provisions may apply, depending upon campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.