Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) – Tribal Care Engagement Specialist
Baseline Pay Rate: $31.00/hour. Hope & Healing offers medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; short‑term and long‑term disability coverage; an Employee Assistance Program (EAP); vacation, sick, paid holiday, jury duty, and bereavement leave; and a 401(k)-retirement plan as part of our total compensation package.
Reports To: CPSS Supervisor
Why Hope and Healing Clinic?
Every journey to recovery is unique. At Hope and Healing Clinic, we offer personalized medication-assisted treatment and behavioral health services tailored to each member's individual needs. We walk alongside our members every step of the way by providing guidance, support, education, and resources that promote long-term recovery and wellness.
Our interdisciplinary team delivers an expanded scope of care for individuals enrolled in our Opioid Treatment Program (OTP). Through a holistic, person-centered approach, we address not only substance use but also the behavioral, emotional, social, and cultural factors that contribute to overall health and recovery.
Position Summary
The Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) serves a dual role within Hope and Healing Clinic.
Primary Function – Tribal Care Program Engagement
The primary responsibility of this position is to engage members enrolled in the Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) and successfully acclimate them into the Tribal Care Mental Health Program. The Peer Support Specialist serves as the initial connection between OTP services and Tribal Care, creating a welcoming, supportive, and recovery-oriented experience that promotes member participation and long-term engagement.
This position is instrumental in growing the Tribal Care Mental Health Program by educating members on available services, reducing barriers to enrollment, assisting with onboarding, and providing a seamless "warm handoff" from OTP providers to Tribal Care clinicians. The CPSS works collaboratively with OTP and Tribal Care teams to ensure members feel supported, informed, and connected throughout the transition process.
Secondary Function – Ongoing Peer Support
Once members have successfully entered the Tribal Care Mental Health Program, the Certified Peer Support Specialist continues to provide peer support services throughout the member's recovery journey. Utilizing lived experience and recovery principles, the CPSS offers non-clinical, person-centered support consistent with Washington State Department of Health (DOH) guidelines, emphasizing mutuality, empowerment, hope, and recovery-oriented systems of care.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Primary Responsibilities – Tribal Care Engagement
- Proactively engage OTP members to introduce and educate them on Tribal Care Mental Health services.
- Build trusting relationships that encourage participation in behavioral health treatment.
- Provide a welcoming and supportive onboarding experience for members entering the Tribal Care Mental Health Program.
- Facilitate a seamless warm handoff from OTP clinicians, counselors, and peer support specialists to Tribal Care clinicians.
- Assist members in navigating the onboarding process by supporting access to email, the KIPU Portal, electronic communications, and required program documentation as part of care coordination.
- Identify and reduce barriers to accessing behavioral health services.
- Maintain regular communication with members prior to their first appointment to promote successful attendance.
- Collaborate with OTP, Tribal Care clinicians, Member Service Representatives, and leadership to improve member engagement and retention.
- Participate in outreach initiatives designed to increase Tribal Care Mental Health Program engagement.
- Track member engagement activities and communicate progress with the interdisciplinary team.
Secondary Responsibilities – Peer Support Services (DOH Guidance)
- Build recovery-oriented relationships founded on mutual respect, trust, hope, and shared lived experience.
- Support members in identifying personal goals for recovery and overall wellness.
- Provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and non-judgmental peer support.
- Facilitate or co-facilitate recovery groups, orientation sessions, educational activities, and peer engagement opportunities.
- Provide harm reduction education, community resources, and referrals.
- Encourage self-advocacy, self-determination, and personal empowerment.
- Advocate for members internally and externally to improve access to resources and services.
- Collaborate with interdisciplinary treatment teams while representing the voice of lived experience.
- Maintain professional peer boundaries and adhere to the Washington State DOH Code of Ethics for Certified Peer Counselors.
- Complete documentation accurately, ethically, and within required timeframes.
Core Competencies
- Member Engagement and Relationship Building
- Recovery-Oriented Care
- Motivational Interviewing Techniques
- Cultural Humility and Tribal Community Engagement
- Trauma-Informed Care
- Communication and Collaboration
- Care Coordination
- Problem Solving
- Professional Boundaries
- Documentation Accuracy
- Time Management
- Team Collaboration
Role Allocation
This position balances two complementary responsibilities throughout the member's treatment experience:
Initial Phase (Primary Focus):
- Member engagement
- Relationship building
- Advocacy
- Care coordination
- Onboarding support
- Warm handoff into Tribal Care Mental Health
Ongoing Phase (Secondary Focus):
- Recovery coaching
- Peer support
- Wellness planning
- Resource connection
- Continued advocacy
- Long-term recovery engagement
While the emphasis of the role naturally transitions as members become established in treatment, both functions remain integral to promoting continuity of care and positive recovery outcomes.
Minimum Qualifications
- Current Washington State Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) Certification in good standing.
- Self-identify as an individual with lived experience in mental health and/or substance use recovery or as a family member with lived experience, consistent with Washington State CPSS eligibility requirements.
- Demonstrated commitment to recovery-oriented principles including hope, self-determination, empowerment, mutuality, and peer support.
- Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
- Ability to establish trusting, recovery-oriented relationships with diverse populations.
- Ability to advocate for members while maintaining professional peer support boundaries.
- Ability to collaborate effectively within an interdisciplinary healthcare team.
- Basic computer proficiency and ability to utilize electronic health records and member communication platforms.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and comply with all applicable federal, state, Tribal, and organizational privacy standards.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working within an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP).
- Experience engaging members in behavioral health or substance use treatment.
- Experience working in outpatient clinics, outreach, tribal health, housing, or community settings.
- Familiarity with KIPU or other electronic health record systems.
- Knowledge of trauma-informed care and harm reduction principles.
- Minimum of 1,000 hours working as a Certified Peer Support Specialist.
- Experience serving Native American and Tribal communities.
Success Measures
A successful Certified Peer Support Specialist will:
- Increase Tribal Care Mental Health Program enrollment through proactive member engagement.
- Successfully complete warm handoffs between OTP and Tribal Care providers.
- Improve first appointment attendance rates.
- Reduce barriers to accessing behavioral health services.
- Foster meaningful relationships that promote continued participation in treatment.
- Maintain high-quality documentation and ethical peer support practices.
- Contribute to member satisfaction, retention, and overall recovery outcomes.
Tribal Preference
Preference will be given to qualified native applicants; Chehalis Tribal Member and Native American preference policy is applicable. However, all qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. Applicants must be able to provide Indian preference documentation if claimed.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. The requirements listed above are representative of the minimum knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of the job according to specific company requirements. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability, or marital status.
