Peer Specialist

Peer Specialist

The CASES Young Adult ACT team provides mobile community based mental health treatment to promote the recovery and community integration of individuals ages 18 to 25 with serious mental illnesses, high rates of co-occurring substance use disorders and histories of criminal legal system involvement. The Employment Specialist is an integral part of a multi-disciplinary team of mental health clinicians delivering services such as supported employment, wellness self-management counseling, integrated co-occurring disorder treatment, daily living skills and general case management.

The Employment Specialist has lead responsibility on the team for integrating vocational goals and services with the tasks of all team members to support consumers to participation in vocational training, adult education, and competitive employment. We are looking for a professional clinician with extensive experience in vocational assessment, job exploration, and skills development in choosing, getting, and maintaining employment. This is a field-based position and requires at least 80% of services to be provided to participants in their homes, shelters, places of employment, vocational and education settings and other community settings.

Shift Hours: This position is full-time Monday - Friday from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.

Salary: The salary range for this role is $51,500 - $54,636.

Location Address: 424 East 147th Street, Bronx, NY 10455. Our office is easily accessible by public transportation.

Workplace Flexibility: Flexible – Staff have the flexibility to complete their workday from home or another suitable space, typically after reporting to the office and/or engaging in field or community-based work.

What You Will Be Doing:

• 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
• Complete Wellness Recovery Action Plans (WRAP), safety, relapse prevention plans
• Identify the treatment services consumers should receive based on stage of change, immediate needs, and psychiatric presentation
• 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 family, significant others, as well as other service providers in the consumer's treatment with the YA ACT team
• Provide individual peer support and wellness counseling, harm reduction counseling based on motivational interviewing
• Act as advocate and liaison for consumers 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.

What We Are Looking For:

• Credentialed Youth Peer Advocate or Certified Peer Specialist, 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
• 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
• Must be able to conduct physical outreach visits in the community at least 80% of the time

Preferred Skills:

• Graduate of a recognized peer specialist training program such as the Howie the Harp Peer Advocacy and Training Center Peer Specialist Program
• Spanish speaking

Employee Benefits:

CASES cares about employee wellbeing, and we offer a comprehensive benefits package to support you and your family, including:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Vacation and Paid Time Off – starting at 25 days-off annually
• 12 Paid Holidays per year
• Retirement 403b Competitive matching up to 6%
• Employee Referral Program
• Visit to learn more about benefits offered by CASES

Although we would love to learn about the skills of every candidate, only selected candidates that are selected will receive a response. We encourage you to apply for any position(s) you feel you are qualified for.

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 legal system.