Recovery Advocate

This position will work with community partners across Montgomery County to develop and promote the County's overdose prevention efforts. This position will primarily be responsible for conducting outreach, spreading awareness surrounding recovery and substance use disorder, educating the public about opioid use and overdose, coordinating meetings related to Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) Local Grant. The Advocate will be supervised by the Certified Recovery Specialist Coordinator and work closely with the OD2A Project Coordinator to help support the county's overdose prevention projects. Some evenings and weekends are required.

Reports directly to Program Specialist I

* Plan and conduct outreach to organizations serving people with or at risk for substance use disorder. Specific projects include educating the medical community and community-based organizations on the stigma of addiction, training community members on how to use Narcan, and continuously building new partnerships to promote overdose prevention efforts.
* Build partnerships with organizations in Montgomery County that can help with overdose prevention activities, such as raising awareness about the role of stigma in seeking care, providing training and education about harm reduction and other ways to help people living with substance use disorder.
* Provide training and education about stigma and harm reduction.
* Help people living with or at risk for substance use disorders connect with care and treatment services, as needed and when appropriate. This includes collaborating with Montgomery County provider agencies to support access to services.
* Complete and submit reports on all activities in accordance with project deadlines.
* sist with planning and leading Opioid Fatality Review team meetings, including communicating with OFR members, conducting, and documenting Next of Kin interviews, preparing materials, and entering data into data collection systems.
* Actively participate in meetings related to the OD2A project, such as OD2A project team meetings, Community Advisory Board meetings, and other County meetings related to overdose prevention.
* Organize, lead, and facilitate CAB related activities. This includes bi-monthly meetings, community events as needed, email communication, and stipend payment.
* Assist the Project Coordinator with expanding overdose prevention efforts and delivery of harm reduction efforts to the community.
* Share your lived experience at designated events and in the community to help educate the community about substance use disorders and recovery.
* Attending appropriate training/s as identified for the position, target population and individual need for professional growth.
* Perform other duties as required by supervisor.
* Performs all other duties as assigned with the scope and range of job responsibilities.

Education and Credentials
* HS/GED
* Bachelors Preferred
* Lived Experience of a substance use disorder and/or an individual directly impacted by a loved one/family member with a substance use disorder
* Certified Recovery Specialist and/or Certified Family Recovery Specialist credential preferred or willing to obtain certification within 12 months of hire
* A familiarity with Montgomery County and the community services offered in the region.
* A strong commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion.
* An understanding of substance uses disorder and the challenges facing this population.

Experience and Skills
* Lived experience of a substance use disorder and/or an individual directly impacted by a loved one/family member with a substance use disorder
* Experience building and maintaining partnerships.
* A strong public speaker.
* Experience planning and conducting outreach to organizations and to individual community members.
* Experience planning and coordinating stakeholder meetings.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; stand; walk; talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands or arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and depth perception.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function.

* The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
* Occasional exposure to inclement weather when conducting outreach or at community events; heat, cold, snow, ice, and rain.
* Appropriate dress and footwear required when conducting outreach or at community events.