Peer Support - Campus Ambassador

POSITION SUMMARY

The Peer Support Campus Ambassador serves as a welcoming, supportive, and visible presence throughout the assigned clinic, helping create a safe, respectful, and recovery-oriented environment for patients, staff, and visitors. Utilizing lived experience, peer support principles, trauma-informed practices, and recovery-oriented engagement, the Peer Support Campus Ambassador promotes patient engagement, supports de-escalation efforts, and enhances the overall patient experience.

Acting as a liaison between patients and clinic resources, the Peer Support Campus Ambassador assists with navigation, engagement, problem resolution, and connection to services while collaborating with clinical, medical, operational, and security staff. This role contributes to Valle del Sol's mission by fostering a therapeutic environment, reducing barriers to care, and supporting positive patient experiences.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Patient Engagement & Peer Support

•Serve as a welcoming, supportive, and visible presence throughout the clinic environment.

•Build positive rapport with patients through peer support principles, active listening, empathy, and recovery-oriented engagement.

•Conduct wellness check-ins and proactively engage patients who may appear isolated, distressed, anxious, frustrated, or disengaged.

•Encourage participation in treatment, support services, groups, and recovery-focused activities.

•Assist patients with navigating clinic services, appointments, check-in processes, and available resources.

Safety, De-escalation & Environment of Care

•Promote a calm, respectful, and recovery-oriented atmosphere throughout the campus.

•Utilize trauma-informed, recovery-oriented, and non-confrontational communication techniques to support de-escalation efforts.

•Observe and report safety concerns, behavioral concerns, environmental issues, or potential risks to appropriate staff.

•Collaborate with clinical staff, leadership, and security personnel when escalation, safety, or patient support concerns arise.

•Support positive interactions in common areas, waiting rooms, entrances, outdoor spaces, and other high-traffic areas.

Customer Service & Resource Connection

•Provide exceptional customer service to patients, visitors, and staff.

•Assist patients in accessing information, resources, and support services.

•Help address patient concerns by connecting individuals with appropriate staff, departments, or community resources.

•Support patient engagement initiatives and activities designed to enhance the overall patient experience.

Team Collaboration & Professional Responsibilities

•Participate in team meetings, training activities, and organizational initiatives as assigned.

•Maintain professional boundaries and ethical standards consistent with peer support principles and organizational expectations.

•Demonstrate culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and recovery-oriented practices in all interactions.

•Maintain awareness of clinic resources, workflows, and available services to effectively support patients and visitors.

•Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Required:

•High school diploma or equivalent

Preferred:

•Coursework or training in behavioral health, social services, or a related field.

Experience

Required:

•Minimum two (2) years of experience in behavioral health, substance use treatment, peer support, healthcare, customer service, crisis intervention, security, outreach, or relevant human services field.

•Demonstrated ability to engage individuals experiencing behavioral health challenges and support de-escalation in a professional setting.

•Must have lived experience with behavioral health and/or substance use recovery and have successfully navigated services.

•Must be in stable recovery and/or wellness for a minimum of one (1) year.

•Must be willing and able to appropriately share lived experience to support others in a professional peer role.

Preferred:

•Experience in community behavioral health, SMI services, crisis services, substance use treatment, or integrated healthcare settings.

•Experience working in high-volume patient-facing environments.

•Experience working in behavioral health, substance use treatment, or recovery support settings.

•Familiarity with Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), including methadone or buprenorphine.

Licensure/Certification

Required:

•State-recognized Peer Support Certification, or ability to obtain within six (6) months of hire, in accordance with state and organizational requirements.

•This role may function within the scope of a Behavioral Health Paraprofessional (BHPP) or Behavioral Health Technician (BHT), as applicable, and must meet all corresponding competency and regulatory requirements in accordance with AHCCCS guidelines.

•Must practice within the scope of applicable credential(s), consistent with organizational policies and populations served.

•BLS certification, or ability to obtain within 5 days of start date.

•Arizona Level I Fingerprint Clearance Card, or ability to obtain within 5 days of start date.

Preferred:

•Additional certifications related to recovery support, mental health, or substance use treatment.

Other Requirements

•Must be at least 18 years of age.

•Must be authorized to work in the United States.

•Must be able to pass pre- and continued employment screenings successfully.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

•Knowledge of peer support principles, recovery-oriented practices, and trauma-informed care.

•Knowledge of serious mental illness, substance use disorders, co-occurring conditions, and community-based recovery resources.

•Ability to establish rapport and build trusting relationships with patients from diverse backgrounds and experiences.

•Ability to engage individuals utilizing active listening, empathy, encouragement, and recovery-oriented communication techniques.

•Ability to remain calm, professional, and solution-focused during high-stress or emotionally charged situations.

•Ability to effectively de-escalate conflict utilizing verbal intervention and trauma-informed engagement techniques.

•Ability to observe, assess, and communicate safety concerns, behavioral concerns, and environmental risks to appropriate staff.

•Ability to maintain professional boundaries and exercise sound judgment in patient interactions.