Peer Specialist I

Job Description

Job Title:Peer Specialist – Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) Team

Locations: New York City

Reports to: Team Leader

Overview:

The purpose of Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) is to deliver comprehensive and effective services to individuals (age 18 and up) who are diagnosed with severe mental illness (SMI) and whose needs have not been well met by more traditional service delivery approaches. These individuals also suffer from co-occurring substance use disorders and have histories of criminal legal system involvement. Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is an evidence-based practice that provides an integrated set of other evidence-based treatment, rehabilitation, case management, and support services delivered by a mobile, multi-disciplinary mental health treatment team to support recipient recovery through a highly individualized approach that provides recipients with the tools to obtain and maintain housing, employment, relationships and relief from symptoms and medication side effects.

The Peer Specialist utilizes their lived experiences to provide support, services and treatment to ACT clients, with the goal of improving overall stability in the community, promoting progress towards their recovery goals, as well as supporting life skills development.

Responsibilities:

• Attend and participate in daily team meetings to discuss clients’ clinical and case management issues and needs;
• Complete documentations required by the NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) and NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s (DOHMH) licensing guidelines, NYS Medicaid billing guidelines as well as per CASES ACT Policy and Procedures;
• Use motivational interviewing, recovery and trauma-informed approaches when delivering peer services to address housing, income support, education and vocational training, social supports, employment, and primary care needs;
• Work effectively and involve ACT clients’ identified support network, as well as other service providers for service coordination;
• Provide individual peer support and wellness counseling, harm reduction counseling using motivational interviewing and a person-centered approach;
• Act as advocate and liaison for clients’ in income support and access to resources to support service plan goals;
• Provide 24-hour crisis intervention on-call services on rotating basis;
• Provide culturally competent services in accordance with CASES policies and practice.

Qualifications:

• Certified Peer Specialist or Certified Recovery Peer Advocate, or eligible to obtain certification within 6 months of hire;
• At least 2 years of work experience providing peer support to individuals with serious mental illness and criminal justice involvement;
• Graduate of a recognized Peer Specialist training program such as the Howie the Harp Peer Advocacy and Training Center Peer Specialist Program a plus
• High school diploma;
• Lived experience using mental health treatment and/or substance use treatment services;
• Individuals with previous criminal justice experience are eligible;
• Proficiency with computer and electronic health records;
• Spanish speaking a plus.

Salary: The salary range for the role is $45,000 - $50,000 per year. 35-hour week with excellent benefits.

CASES is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment with CASES is based solely on qualifications and competence for a particular position, without regard to race, color, ethnic or national origin, age, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or marital, military, or citizenship status. We also actively recruit individuals with prior involvement in the criminal justice system.