About Options Recovery Services (ORS) & the CareBridge Program
Options Recovery Services (ORS) is the lead service provider for the Berkeley CareBridge Program, a post-arrest diversion and reentry initiative funded by the State of California’s Proposition 47 Grant Program. ORS operates a 30-room transitional housing facility and provides comprehensive wraparound services to adults arrested in Berkeley who face mental health, substance use, and homelessness challenges.
ORS’s model is unique: We employ graduates of our own individuals with lived experience in recovery, homelessness, and justice involvement—to deliver peer-based, trauma-informed care. As a Peer Specialist at ORS, you are not just a staff member; you are part of a “by us, for us” mission to transform lives through lived experience and peer mentorship.
Position Summary
The Peer Specialist will use their own lived experience with recovery, mental health challenges, homelessness, and/or justice involvement to provide authentic mentorship, advocacy, and emotional support to program participants. In this role, you will be a living example of recovery and resilience, helping to guide participants through their six-month journey in transitional housing and beyond. You will work as part of a dedicated ORS team responsible for 24/7 program operations, ensuring a safe, supportive, and transformative environment for all participants.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
1. Direct Peer Support & Role Modeling
- Engage participants using shared lived experience to build trust, reduce stigma, and inspire hope.
- Model recovery principles, self-advocacy, and personal accountability in daily interactions.
- Provide one-on-one mentorship to support participants in achieving their individualized Care Plan goals.
- Accompany participants to appointments (medical, treatment, court, benefits) as part of ORS’s wraparound service model.
2. Group Facilitation & Community Building
- Co-facilitate peer-led support groups, recovery circles, and wellness workshops.
- Help maintain a respectful, trauma-informed community within the ORS-operated housing facility.
- Encourage participation in pro-social activities and peer network development.
3. Collaboration with ORS Care Team
- Work closely with ORS Case Managers, Navigators, and clinical staff to ensure integrated care.
- Participate in weekly case conferences and treatment team meetings.
- Provide peer-informed insights to help tailor interventions to each participant’s needs.
4. Crisis Support & De-escalation
- Offer immediate peer support during emotional or behavioral crises using trauma-informed approaches.
- Uphold ORS and CareBridge program safety protocols and house rules.
- Document incidents and communicate effectively with the ORS on-site team.
5. Documentation & Grant Compliance
- Maintain timely, confidential records of peer interactions in accordance with ORS policies and grant requirements.
- Support ORS’s data collection and reporting obligations under the Proposition 47 grant.
- Adhere to all confidentiality, ethical, and professional standards required by ORS and the City of Berkeley.
6. Professional Development within ORS
- Participate in ongoing training in trauma-informed care, cultural humility, harm reduction, and peer support best practices.
- Engage in clinical supervision and peer support professional development.
- Contribute to the growth and evolution of ORS’s peer support service model.
Qualifications
Required:
- Lived Experience: Personal history of recovery from substance use disorder, mental health challenges, homelessness, and/or justice system involvement.
- Connection to ORS Mission: Understanding of and commitment to ORS’s peer-based, “by us, for us” approach.
- Certification or Eligibility: Certified Peer Support Specialist (or willingness to obtain certification within 6 months of hire).
- Experience: At least 1 year of experience in peer support, mentoring, coaching, or related human services (volunteer or paid).
- Skills: Strong interpersonal and active listening skills; ability to maintain healthy boundaries and practice self-care.
- Availability: Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, as part of ORS’s 24/7 staffing model.
- Background Check: Must pass background check permissible under California law for peer support roles.
Preferred:
- Bilingual in Spanish, Cantonese, or other language commonly spoken in Berkeley.
- Familiarity with Alameda County behavioral health, housing, and reentry resources.
- Experience working in residential or transitional housing settings.
Working Conditions
- This position is based at the ORS-operated transitional housing hotel in Berkeley.
- Work environment may include exposure to individuals in crisis or emotional distress.
- Must be able to move throughout a multi-story facility and respond to situational needs.
- ORS maintains a 24/7 staffing model; shift work may be required.
Benefits & Why Work for ORS
- Hourly Rate: $27 per hour with opportunities for overtime as needed.
- Meaningful Work: Directly impact the lives of those reentering the community.
- Professional Growth: Access to training, certification support, and career pathways within ORS.
- Comprehensive Benefits: Health, dental, vision, and paid time off in accordance with ORS policies and the City’s Equal Benefits Ordinance.
- Supportive Culture: Work within a team that values lived experience, diversity, and peer leadership.
- Contract Stability: Position is funded through a multi-year contract with the City of Berkeley
Pay: Up to $27.00 per hour
Expected hours: 40.0 per week
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
