Peer Navigator - Substance Use Care Pathways - Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), Barrie

Peer Navigator - Substance Use Care Pathways - Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), Barrie

Position Title: Peer Navigator – RVH Substance Use Care Pathways

Status: Full-Time (37.5 hours per week)

Location: Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), Barrie, Ontario

Term: Contract position, ending March 31st 2027, subject to continued funding

Salary Range: $25.00–$26.50 per hour

ABOUT KRASMAN CENTRE

Krasman Centre is a peer-led mental health and addiction organization serving York Region, North Toronto, and Simcoe County. Since 1998, we have provided recoveryoriented, peer-based programs grounded in hope, empowerment, mutuality, social inclusion, and self-determination.

All Krasman Centre staff bring lived and/or living experience of mental health and/or substance use challenges and use that experience to support others in their recovery journeys.

Services include:

• Peer Support Drop-In Centres
• Warm Line and Peer Crisis Support Services
• Mobile Peer Support Outreach
• Family Peer Support Programs
• Peer Support Training Programs
• Hospital-Based Peer Supporters

Substance Use and Withdrawal Management Program Peer Supporters For more information, visit Krasman Centre.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Peer Navigator – RVH Substance Use Care Pathways is an employee of Krasman Centre, working in collaboration with Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre's interdisciplinary Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Integrated Care Pathways team.

Using their own lived and/or living experience of substance use, recovery, and navigating health and social service systems, the Peer Supporter provides non-clinical, recoveryoriented support to individuals accessing care related to substance use challenges.

The Peer Supporter works alongside physicians, nurses, social workers, addiction specialists, and community partners to support individuals during emergency department visits, inpatient admissions, discharge planning, and transitions to community services.

Through the intentional use of lived experience, the Peer Supporter helps foster hope, selfdetermination, connection, and engagement in services identified by the individual's goals and needs.

This position supports Ontario Health's Substance Use Disorder Integrated Care Pathway by improving access to care, strengthening transitions between hospital and community services, reducing barriers to engagement, and enhancing outcomes for individuals affected by substance use health challenges.

The Substance Use Peer Supporter brings lived and living experience expertise to the care team. While working collaboratively with clinical staff, the Peer Supporter maintains a distinct non-clinical role grounded in peer support values, mutuality, recovery, and self-determination. The role does not include counselling, psychotherapy, clinical assessment, diagnosis, case management, or treatment planning. Documentation and interactions reflect the unique contribution of peer support and are designed to strengthen hope, empowerment, social connection, selfadvocacy, and engagement with recovery supports.

This distinction is essential to preserving the integrity of the peer support role and ensuring that lived experience remains the primary source of expertise brought to the relationship. The Peer Supporter complements—but does not replace—clinical, therapeutic, or case management services. The role remains intentionally non-clinical and focused on recovery, wellness, system navigation, and peer support.

WHAT IS PEER SUPPORT?

Peer Support is a voluntary, non-clinical relationship grounded in shared understanding, mutual respect, and lived experience.

Peer Supporters use their experiential knowledge to:

• Offer hope and encouragement
• Support self-determination and informed choice
• Reduce stigma and isolation
• Promote recovery and wellness
• Assist individuals in navigating services and supports
• Foster connection and belonging

Peer Support complements clinical services but does not include counselling, psychotherapy, diagnosis, treatment, case management, or clinical assessment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Direct Peer Support

• Establish meaningful, supportive relationships with individuals accessing substance use services at RVH.
• Use lived experience purposefully and appropriately to inspire hope and model recovery.
• Support individuals in identifying strengths, goals, and recovery resources.
• Provide emotional support during emergency department visits, inpatient admissions, and discharge planning.
• Support individuals experiencing substance use and mental health challenges.
• Engage individuals in a manner that is respectful, person-directed, traumainformed, culturally safe, and recovery-oriented.

System Navigation and Care Transitions

Assist individuals in understanding available healthcare and community-based supports.

• Provide information regarding: o Withdrawal management services o Addiction medicine services o Harm reduction programs o Community counselling services o Residential treatment programs o Recovery support programs o Peer support programs/services o Housing supports o Income and social assistance resources o Community health and wellness services
• Facilitate warm handoffs and referrals to community partners.
• Support continuity of care following discharge from hospital.
• Assist individuals in navigating complex health and social service systems.

Follow-Up Support

• Provide virtual (e.g. phone) short-term follow-up support following emergency department visits, inpatient admissions, and discharge.
• Encourage engagement with recommended services and supports.
• Help identify and address barriers to accessing treatment and recovery resources.
• Support connection to ongoing peer support and recovery communities.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

• Participate as a valued member of the interdisciplinary care team.
• Collaborate with hospital staff and community organizations to improve participant experiences and transitions of care.
• Share lived experience perspectives to support service improvement and personcentred care.
• Promote understanding of peer support values, principles, and practices within the healthcare environment.
• Participate in program development, education, and quality improvement initiatives as required.

DOCUMENTATION AND REPORTING

Documentation and Reporting

• Maintain documentation that reflects peer support values, recovery-oriented principles, and the individual's voice, strengths, goals, and self-identified needs.
• Document peer support activities, connections made, resources shared, referrals facilitated, advocacy provided, and follow-up contacts completed.
• Use strengths-based, person-directed, culturally safe, and non-stigmatizing language that supports hope, empowerment, recovery, and self-determination.
• Record information related to engagement in peer support services and the individual's expressed goals and priorities while avoiding clinical observations or interpretations.
• Maintain clear peer support role boundaries by documenting from the perspective of a Peer Supporter rather than a clinical provider.
• Maintain confidentiality and privacy in accordance with organizational policies, hospital requirements, and applicable legislation, including PHIPA.
• Participate in service evaluation, quality improvement, and program reporting activities through collection of peer-support-related information and outcomes.
• Contribute lived experience perspectives to program development and service improvement initiatives as requested.

Peer Support Documentation Principles

The Substance Use Peer Supporter documents interactions in a manner that reflects the unique role of peer support within the healthcare system.

Documentation focuses on:

The individual's strengths, hopes, goals, and self-identified recovery priorities.

• Barriers identified by the individual.
• Resources, information, and supports provided.
• Advocacy requested by and provided for the individual.
• Connections made to hospital or community services.
• Follow-up activities and outcomes.
• Actions taken to support self-determination, recovery, wellness, and community integration.

Documentation should reflect the individual's own words and perspectives whenever possible and support a recovery-oriented understanding of their experience.

Peer Support Documentation Does Not Include

The Peer Supporter role is distinct from clinical and case management functions. Documentation does not include:

• Clinical assessments
• Mental status examinations
• Diagnostic impressions or diagnostic language
• Clinical interpretations of behaviour
• Risk assessments or suicide risk evaluations
• Treatment planning
• Medication recommendations or medication compliance monitoring
• Clinical progress notes
• Determinations regarding capacity, readiness, motivation, or prognosis
• Deficit-based descriptions of individuals

The Substance Use Peer Supporter functions as a non-clinical member of the care team whose documentation reflects lived and living experience expertise, relationship building, recovery support, advocacy, system navigation, community connection, and the promotion of hope.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Lived and/or living experience of substance use challenges and personal recovery.
• Demonstrated commitment to recovery-oriented and person-directed approaches.
• Completion of peer support training or willingness to complete approved peer support training.
• Strong understanding of peer support values, ethics, and role boundaries.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively within an interdisciplinary healthcare environment.
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and time-management skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Comfort using electronic documentation systems and standard computer applications.

Preferred

• Lived experience accessing substance use treatment, withdrawal management services, hospital services, or recovery supports.
• Knowledge of harm reduction principles and practices.
• Knowledge of overdose prevention and naloxone education.
• Understanding of trauma-informed approaches.
• Understanding of concurrent mental health and substance use challenges.
• Knowledge of substance use services and community resources throughout Simcoe County and surrounding communities.
• Experience working in healthcare, addictions, peer support, or community-based services.
• Current First Aid and CPR certification.
• Crisis intervention training.
• Fluency in French or another language in addition to English.

KNOWLEDGE AND COMPETENCIES

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Recovery-oriented practice
• Harm reduction approaches
• Trauma-informed care principles
• Anti-oppressive and anti-racist practice
• Cultural humility and cultural safety
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Effective advocacy skills
• Self-awareness and reflective practice
• Professional boundaries and ethical decision-making
• Resilience, flexibility, and adaptability
• Knowledge of local community resources and supports

PEER SUPPORT VALUES

The successful candidate must demonstrate commitment to:

Hope and Recovery

Believing recovery is possible and supporting people to define recovery for themselves.

Self-Determination

Respecting each person's right to make their own informed decisions.

Mutuality

Recognizing the value of shared lived experience and authentic human connection.

Dignity and Respect

Honouring the worth, identity, experiences, and choices of every individual.

Inclusion and Equity

Promoting equitable access to supports and reducing barriers created by stigma, discrimination, and systemic inequities.

Authenticity and Trust

Building relationships grounded in honesty, reliability, transparency, and confidentiality.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Full-time position (37.5 hours per week)
• On-site at RVH
• Some evenings, weekends, and statutory holidays may be required
• Fast-paced healthcare environment
• Combination of direct participant support, documentation, and team collaboration Physical requirements may include:
• Standing and walking for extended periods
• Light lifting
• Use of computers and mobile devices
• Movement throughout hospital units and community settings

EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

Successful candidates must be able to provide:

• Criminal Record Check
• Proof of immunization as required by RVH
• Tuberculosis screening as required by RVH
• Any mandatory occupational health requirements established by RVH
• Eligibility to work in Canada

WHY JOIN KRASMAN CENTRE?

At Krasman Centre, lived experience is valued as expertise. We are committed to creating a workplace where peer support principles, recovery, equity, inclusion, and social justice are more than values—they guide everything we do.

You will join a passionate team dedicated to transforming healthcare experiences and improving outcomes for individuals affected by substance use health challenges.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, ACCESSIBILITY AND RECONCILIATION

Krasman Centre is committed to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive, accessible, and anti-oppressive workplace where all people are treated with dignity and respect.

As a peer-led organization, we recognize that systemic barriers continue to impact access to employment, health care, housing, education, and social services. These barriers disproportionately affect many individuals, including people with lived and living experience of substance use and mental health challenges, Indigenous Peoples, Black communities, racialized individuals, persons with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, newcomers, and others who have experienced marginalization.

We believe that lived experience is expertise and that diverse perspectives strengthen our organization, our partnerships, and the services we provide. We are committed to creating a workplace culture that values authenticity, belonging, and meaningful participation.

We strongly encourage applications from individuals who identify as:

• People with lived and/or living experience of substance use, mental health, and recovery
• First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples
• Black individuals and members of other racialized communities
• Persons with disabilities
• Members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community
• Francophones and multilingual individuals
• Newcomers to Canada
• Individuals from diverse cultural, spiritual, and faith communities

Krasman Centre is committed to providing accessible employment practices in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. Accommodations are available upon request throughout the recruitment, selection, and onboarding process.

We are dedicated to fostering a workplace where every employee feels welcomed, respected, valued, and empowered to contribute their authentic self.

HOW TO APPLY

Please email hiring@krasmancentre.com:

• Resume
• Cover Letter

Your cover letter should describe:

• Your lived and/or living experience and how it informs your approach to peer support.
• Your understanding of recovery-oriented and harm reduction practices.
• Why you are interested in working within a hospital-based Substance Use Disorder Integrated Care Pathway.
• The skills and experiences you would bring to the role.

Please quote:

"Substance Use Peer Supporter – RVH" in the subject line of your application.

Applications will remain open until the position is filled.

Krasman Centre is an equal opportunity employer committed to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Reconciliation. We value the unique perspectives that come from lived and living experience and are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. Accommodations are available upon request throughout all stages of the hiring process in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).