Remote Peer Support Specialist

Lines for Life Job Description 

Position Title: Remote Peer Support Specialist 

Status: Full-Time (40 hours)/Non-Exempt 

Reports To: Crisis Lines Clinical Assistant Director

Salary Range: $22/hr. - $24.26/hr. with a great benefits package valued at over $13,000 per year, including coverage for employee health, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, and life insurance premiums; a matching 401K plan; a flexible spending plan; and an employee assistance program

Location: Remote

Start Date: June 16th, 2025

About the Organization: Lines for Life is a regional non-profit that is dedicated to preventing substance abuse and suicide. We offer help and hope to individuals and communities and promote mental health for all. Our work addresses a spectrum of needs that include intervention, prevention, and advocacy. We educate, train, and advocate to prevent issues of substance use, mental health challenges, and thoughts of suicide from reaching crisis levels. But when a crisis arises or support is needed, we are available 24/7/365 to intervene with personalized help. 

Program Purpose: The purpose of the Lines for Life (L4L) Peer Support program is to provide compassionate, empathic support in a judgement-free space where individuals can engage in collaborative communication with Peer Support Specialist through shared lived experiences, understanding, and inspiration. L4L Peer Support encourages resilience and comfort as participants navigate their path beyond the crisis at hand, we aim to assist in alleviating feelings of isolation and distress, while acting as a partner through de-escalation, coping strategies, and empowerment as individuals identify and access their journey towards recovery, safety, and well-being.  

Position Summary: This position is a key element to a program to add peer viewpoints into the crisis continuum. In occupying this role, a Peer Support Specialist will be part of a team delivering peer services to contacts made through 988. 

Responsibilities: 

• Demonstrate the culture of Lines for Life by modeling behavior that supports the organization’s goals and philosophies. 
• Complete 4-5 weeks of crisis intervention training for peers with a combination of classroom, peer and on-the-job training. Complete ongoing trainings as assigned to meet contractual/grant and internal requirements and continue to learn about best practices in the delivery of peer services.
• Answer referred calls with mutuality and relationality applying the best practices of peer delivery models.
• Complete intakes into peer follow up program and manage caseload of callers in peer follow up program
• Place outbound follow-up calls as assigned.
• Provide referrals for long-term community peer support and assist with resource verification.
• Complete call documentation in a timely manner with key information from the calls.
• Consult with the supervisor as needed about high acuity and complex calls.
• Perform other duties, such administrative and organizational tasks as needed. 

Required Qualifications: 

• Certified Peer Support Specialist in the State of Oregon (https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ei/pages/thw-pss.aspx) 
• Located in the state of Oregon
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills 
• Able to handle high levels of stress 
• Ability to develop meaningful connection and empathize 
• Team-oriented 
• Proficient in web-based computer environment and multi-line phone system 
• A HIPAA compliant workspace at home
• Private high speed internet

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Certified Recovery Mentor (Certifications - MHACBO)
• Crisis intervention experience 
• Experience in a call center environment 

Work Schedule: 

             Thursday – Monday: 1:30 pm – 10 pm Pacific time (40 hrs)

Interview

• Interviews are conducted via Zoom with a Lines for Life supervisor and HR team members and are recorded so that members of the Hiring Committee who are unable to attend the live interview are able to watch the recording and give feedback afterwards.

Training

Remote Work:

• Telecommuting requires passing a clinical and technical evaluation, having a HIPAA compliant workspace at home, and meeting technology requirements. Supervisors provide support to telecommuters by listening in on acute crisis contacts and using an internal messaging system (Microsoft Teams) to communicate.
• Daily tasks require a stable and consistent internet speed of 10 Mbps for both Upload and Download speeds, as well as Jitter below 20.  Packet Loss should be as close to 0% as possible. You may test if your network requirements are met by doing a speed test here: https://speed.cloudflare.com/
• Private highspeed internet is required for a HIPAA compliant workspace

Physical Requirements: 

• Work is mainly conducted in an office environment and requires sitting or standing for long periods of time. 
• This position requires high energy, patience and controlling one’s emotions, as well as the ability to think analytically. 

Quality Assurance:

Compensation Package:

This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities but, constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function in the company.  

EEO: Lines for Life strives to create a diverse, inclusive environment to better represent the communities that we serve. We are an equal opportunity employer.

All Lines for Life employees must be approved to work by the Oregon Department of Human Services’ Background Check Unit. Background checks are completed after a conditional offer of employment has been extended.