Peer Recovery Specialists Needed as Volunteer Warm Line Operators

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Peer Recovery Specialists Needed as Volunteer Warm Line Operators

Attention: Trained PRS’s Needing Supervised Hours to Obtain Certification!

Recovery Program Solutions of Virginia (RPSV) operates a virtual Warm Line Monday to Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

RPSV is a peer-run organization, where volunteers bring a breadth and depth of knowledge acquired through their lived experience mental health, substance use, or homelessness challenges. This experience allows them to provide support and guidance to the individuals they serve from a place of empathy and understanding. In essence, we are those we serve.

RPSV is seeking skilled and trained Peer Recovery Specialists to operate the RPSV Warm Line. Those selected will receive the required supervised 500 hours of Peer Recovery Specialist experience needed to become a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist. You will receive your full required hours in the necessary domains: Advocacy, Ethical Responsibility, Mentoring/Education, Recovery/Wellness Support.

Warm Line Operators are expected to provide culturally competent, trauma-informed, strengths-based, person-centered peer support to individuals who are struggling with mental health, substance use and/or homelessness challenges as well as providing referrals to resources when needed.

Principal Responsibilities and Duties:

· Receiving calls in a private location to ensure the confidentiality of the caller;

· Being empathetic and actively listening to the callers needs using active/deep listening skills;

· Using a person-centered approach, where one focuses on the immediate needs of the caller;

· Self-disclosing when appropriate, when a caller is comfortable with such disclosure and disclosure stays within original needs of the caller;

· Using recovery principles and the skills acquired in your training to meet the caller where they are in their own recovery journey;

· De-escalating callers in crisis by providing appropriate interventions, including warm transfers to CrisisLink, PRS if necessary;

· Identifying callers needs and referring them to resources when appropriate while providing support with follow-up and self-advocacy when needed;

· Making follow-up and check-in calls when requested and not on active calls;

· Compiling and updating resources for assigned localities;

· Logging all calls in Microsoft (MS) Excel form (also accessible in Google Docs).

Main Requirements for Warm Line Operators:

· RPSV Warm Line Operator Training offered through RPSV;

· Group and one-on-one supervision with the Warm Line Coordinator;

· Ability to serve on the Warm Line for a minimum of 6 months or longer (depending on time required to earn the 500 experience hours to become Certified Peer Recovery Specialist).

Qualifications and Skills Required to Become a Warm Line Operator:

· Successful completion of the 72-hour DBHDS-Approved Peer Recovery Specialist Training;

· Demonstration and working knowledge of peer support, recovery principles, WRAP, Trauma-Informed Peer Support, cultural competency, and active/deep listening and de-escalation skills;

· Ability to model peer support and empower callers to make their own choices, while providing appropriate support that will meet the caller where they are at in their recovery journey;

· Ability to identify and convey relevant resources to callers when appropriate in a timely manner. Access to the internet and a computer is essential;

· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills (oral and written);

· Ability to be calm and thoughtful if there is a serious threat of caller harming oneself or another. Demonstration of distress tolerance and crisis management skills;

· General Microsoft Office proficiency; moderately proficient computer and internet skills; moderately proficient in the use of MS Excel specifically and knowledge of SmartPhone operation and technology and the ability to quickly learn mobile phone app to receive and initiate Warm Line calls.

Interested individuals may send a copy of their resume to Anisa Mustafa at amustafa@recoveryprograms.u