House Mentor – Women's Recovery Residence
Supervisor: QA & Recovery Residence Manager
FLSA Designation: Non-exempt
Employment Status: Live-in Employee (no charge for rent)
JOB SUMMARY: Under the supervision of the QA & Recovery Residence Manager, and in collaboration with the Intake & Care Coordinator, the House Mentor resides onsite and supports the daily operations, safety, structure, and recovery environment of the Women's Recovery Residence. The role provides positive recovery mentorship, assists with participant engagement, house operations, transportation, toxicology screening, staff communication, and emergency response.
The House Mentor must reside on site overnight - no charge for rent. Compensated job duties are conducted during the days, evenings, and weekends.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Participant Support and Recovery Mentorship
- Build supportive, professional relationships with participants.
- Model recovery, responsibility, communication, and appropriate boundaries.
- Encourage treatment, meetings, recovery activities, and program participation.
- Orient participants to residence expectations and support accountability for rules, curfews, and chores.
- Assist with crises and promptly report concerns to supervisors.
HOUSE OPERATIONS
- Maintain household supplies, equipment, cleanliness, and common areas.
- Prepare rooms and living spaces for new residents.
- Facilitate house meetings, community meetings, orientations, and appropriate activities.
- Assist with meals, grocery shopping, and chore coordination.
- Report maintenance, safety, property damage, theft, and unusual activity concerns.
- Support compliance with house rules and respond to emergencies, including after-hours support as needed.
DOCUMENTATION AND COMPLIANCE
- Conduct toxicology or urinalysis screenings per procedures.
- Maintain required participant and program records.
- Document incidents and participant concerns.
- Attend required meetings and trainings.
- Stay current on recovery residence standards and comply with state, county, and agency requirements.
SECONDARY DUTIES
- Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bilingual (Spanish/ English) preferred.
EDUCATION
- Associate degree preferred.
- Training in behavioral health, addiction studies, human services, or related fields preferred.
EXPERIENCE
- Lived experience in recovery and active recovery community involvement.
- Experience in recovery housing, residential treatment, or behavioral health preferred.
- Knowledge of community recovery resources and support systems preferred.
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
- Valid California Driver License.
- CPR/First Aid Certification (may be obtained after hire).
- Background clearance and TB testing as required.
SKILLS/ APTITUDES/ TEMPERAMENTS
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills across diverse populations.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and client needs simultaneously.
- Ability to de-escalate crises and resolve conflicts effectively.
- Strong organizational, documentation, and computer skills (Microsoft Office, EHR systems).
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS
- Must reside onsite as a condition of employment.
- Must maintain a substance-free lifestyle. No illicit drugs, alcohol, cannabis, or paraphernalia are permitted at any time in the home or anywhere on the property.
- Must be available for flexible scheduling, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and overnight support when necessary.
- Must demonstrate professionalism, reliability, and appropriate recovery-based leadership.
WORK SCHEDULE
Compensated Duties:
- Approximately 15-20 hours per week.
- Current compensation rate: $17.00 per hour.
- Time records must be completed and submitted in accordance with agency policy and applicable labor laws.
- Work may occur throughout the week as operational needs require and is not necessarily performed in fixed shifts.
JOB SETTING
Work is performed in the women’s recovery residence, including collaboration with program staff, clients and community partners. The residence is a single-family home, and the House Mentor has their own room. All other areas of the home are shared spaces (ex. living room, kitchen, bathrooms, outdoor)
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Sedentary to light work, including computer use, walking within program facilities, and occasional lifting (up to 25 pounds).
RECOVERY MENTOR ROLE AND BOUNDARIES
As a senior member of the recovery residence community, the House Mentor also serves as a leader, mentor, and "head of household" within the shared, sober family living environment. As a role model for the home, the House Mentor maintains a sober lifestyle. Additionally, no illicit drugs, alcohol, cannabis, or paraphernalia are permitted anywhere on the property or premises.
The following activities are separate from compensated employment duties and are voluntary, mutually beneficial aspects of communal recovery living that promote leadership, personal growth, accountability, and long-term recovery.
As part of the House Mentor’s own recovery journey and role within the recovery residence community, these activities are program-based and relationship-centered in nature. They are not considered therapy, counseling, case management, supervision, caregiving, or assistance with physical or emotional needs.
Examples of these non-compensated peer and recovery mentorship activities may include:
- Engage participants in positive, recovery-focused conversations.
- Foster healthy peer relationships and a culture of mutual respect.
- Share personal recovery experiences and model recovery-oriented living.
- Encourage participation in recovery meetings, treatment activities, and supportive events.
- Demonstrate healthy living skills, positive decision-making, and personal accountability.
- Model respectful communication, conflict resolution, and appropriate professional boundaries.
- Coordinate household responsibilities and encourage compliance with house expectations.
- Observe participant rooms and common areas for cleanliness and respectful use of shared spaces.
- Monitor the safe use of household appliances and equipment.
- Observe and report unusual activities or safety concerns that may affect the residence or surrounding community.
- Serve as a positive role model for recovery and responsible community living.
Role Boundaries
The House Mentor:
- Does not provide counseling, therapy, case management, behavioral health treatment, intervention services, detoxification services, or other clinical services.
- Does not provide personal care services or assistance with activities of daily living.
- Does not provide mental health treatment.
- Does not function as a caregiver or provide 24-hour supervision of participants.
- Does not provide medical services or medical monitoring.
AGENCY MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS
Mission: Providing compassionate, personalized, recovery-based addiction treatment and community reentry.
Vision: Be a beacon for the community and church, locally, nationally, and internationally, in addiction treatment, mental health and medical services, education, and spiritual growth.
AGENCY CULTURE
The NLCS culture, built on a traditional Christian world view, is a welcoming community serving all faiths and creeds. The prime task of the current NLCS staff is to show up each day with a commitment to serve both our mission statement and the overall betterment of NLCS. The staff is additionally called to model Christian love towards each other as well as the clients. This calling goes beyond mere sobriety and speaks to recovery and healthy, ethical relationships. Such relationships imply patience, tolerance, respectful disagreement, as well as references to others in loving, positive ways. Proprietary concerns and conflicts should be held in confidence. Pathological triangulation should always be avoided and conflicts should be addressed directly with the offending party (per NLCS grievance policy). In summation our goal is to function beyond simple sobriety as a collective example of Christian values for our clients, donors, and the wider Santa Cruz community.
Pay: $17.00 per hour
Benefits:
Application Question(s):
- The recovery residence has a strict drug and alcohol free policy for the home (including alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs). Are you willing to comply and also submit to random testing?
Education:
Experience:
- recovery community: 2 years (Preferred)
License/Certification:
- Driver's license (Preferred)
Work Location: In person
