PEER SPECIALIST

Peer Specialist for Critical Time Intervention (CTI) Program

Established in 1926, Family Service League is a social services agency transforming lives and communities through mental health, addiction, housing, and essential human services with more than 60 social service programs in over 20 locations.

Family Service League is seeking a full-time Peer Specialist for the Critical Time Intervention (CTI) program in Mastic, NY. The Peer Specialist will work as part of an interdisciplinary team to provide CTI services as a care manager from a lived-experience, non-clinical perspective to adolescents and adults who have behavioral-health needs and who have not been successfully engaged in services during or after critical times in transition. CTI promotes community integration, self-advocacy, and access to ongoing support by helping individuals develop and utilize strong ties to their professional and non-professional support systems during and after transition periods. This is a community-based position with frequent field work, beginning with client engagement in a hospital setting and providing support for approximately 9 months following discharge. Staff will receive expert training and technical assistance.

We offer a generous benefits package including the following:

• Health and Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Retirement Savings Plan with a 5% employer contribution
• Life and AD&D Insurance
• Generous PTO (paid time off)
• Up to 11 paid Holidays
• Paid Sick Leave
• Student Tuition Remission Program
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Company paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• Employee Discounts and more!

Responsibilities:

• The Peer Specialist will utilize lived experience with behavioral health to provide Care Management from a non-clinical perspective to adolescents and adults within the full range of DSM diagnoses.
• Collaborate on referrals, resources, and interventions within a multidisciplinary team that includes master's level clinicians, Care Managers, Peer Specialists, and nurses.
• Facilitate linkages and coordinate care planning with other providers of services/resources to ensure goal directed collaborative care, including care transitions.
• Coordinate with collateral contacts, including family and other providers.
• Assess for Social Determinants of Health and facilitate linkages to community providers and supports.
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others, both internally and externally.
• Complete all clinical documentation in accordance with NYS Office of Mental Health in an electronic medical record.
• The Peer Specialist will assess situations to determine importance, urgency and risks, and make clear decisions which are timely and in the best interests of the organization.
• Set priorities, develop a work schedule, and monitor progress towards goals, and track details, data, information, and activities.
• Provide support to clients in the community with in-person, field-based interaction, as well as in-office settings.
• The Peer Specialist will provide services to clients beginning in hospital settings and spanning approximately 9 months following discharge.
• Coordinate and connect to community resources.
• Attend routine supervision/team meetings.
• Complete training and maintain proficiency with de-escalation skills.
• Abide by FSL's Code of Ethics.
• All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Certified Peer Specialist or Youth Advocate required.
• Relevant life experience required and willingness to draw upon this experience to engage individuals and serve as a role model required.
• Prior experience in a behavioral health setting preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal and verbal and written communication skills required.
• Ability to solve problems, make clear decisions and work independently, as well as part of a team required.
• Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office and Electronic Health Records required.
• Bilingual in Spanish strongly preferred.
• Valid and clean NYS Driver's License required.
• Some evening and weekend hours may be required.

Physical Requirements:

• General computer and keyboarding skills.
• Ability to sit and stand for long periods of time.