Peer Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Project FIND’s mission is to provide low- and moderate-income and homeless seniors with the services and support they need to enrich their lives and live independently. Today Project FIND operates three supportive housing residences that are home to about 600 people and four senior centers with over 3,000 members. Our members and residents range from the healthy and active to the frail and homebound to the homeless. For all these men and women, Project FIND is a critical resource, providing housing, meals, and programs that help individuals navigate the challenges of aging by encouraging community engagement and healthy living. Please visit our website at: 

Summary

Under supervision of the Assistant Director of Social Services, the Peer Specialist will be an integral member of Project FIND’s Homeless In-reach program. The In-Reach Peer Specialist will work with street homeless and sheltered individuals helping in determining and prioritizing needs to develop person centered plans. The Peer Specialist will also work with other organizations to obtain necessary documents and supports, such as ID and benefits. The Peer Specialist will conduct homeless outreach and will be familiar with City, State and Federal assistance programs in the NYC area. The Peer Specialist will function as a role model to peers; exhibiting competency in personal recovery and use of coping skills; serve as a consumer advocate, providing consumer information and peer support for clients in outpatient and inpatient settings.

General Responsibilities:

• Conduct intake screenings to assess program eligibility and health, safety, and housing needs, and supports; eligibility for benefits and entitlements; and identify any critical health and/or mental health need or crises.

• Complete intakes for all new clients: including completing AWARDS intake, orientation to program, referring for all appropriate services (including HIR Housing, NYU-Langone Clinic, Janian psychiatric services, etc.).

• Teach and role model the value of every individual’s recovery experience.
• Assist clients in articulating personal goals for recovery using one-to-one and group sessions. During these sessions, the Peer Specialist will support clients in identifying and creating goals and developing recovery plans with the skills, strengths, supports and resources to aid them in achieving those goals.
• Utilize and teach problem solving techniques with individuals and through facilitation of group work; discussions will be utilized where clients will share common problems in daily living and methods they have employed to manage and cope with these problems.

• Assist clients, as necessary, to access and manage governmental or organizational documentation and benefits. Assist clients, as necessary, to access and manage personal communication tools such as mailing address, cell phones or email accounts.
• In collaboration with Janian staff and the HIR+ Housing Specialist, maintain the schedule for HIR+ psychiatric services.
• Conduct regular street outreach to other local service providers, local businesses and to street homeless individuals to educate them about the HIR program and link them to HIR services, including distribution of HIR materials. Maintain relationships with street homeless individuals to assist them in accessing HIR, emergency shelter and/or safe haven services. Complete established reports for outreach activities.
• Provide coverage for HIR office supportive services, such as showers, mail, meals, and distribution of clothing, as needed; Assist in maintaining shower area; Perform other related tasks as requested or assigned.
• Organize and maintain program spaces for the storage and dispersal of donations to HIR clients; Manage donation distribution events.

• Develop and maintain an inventory of office and outreach supplies, in conjunction with the Housing Specialist, and report to the program supervisor when supply orders are necessary.
• Assist with training (after six months to a year) new staff and/ or interns on essential job functions.

• Provide timely documentation and maintenance of client records and progress notes.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma required; Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Peer licensure preferred.
• Knowledge of the recovery process and the ability to facilitate recovery using established standardized mental health processes. 
• Knowledge and skill to teach and engage in basic problem-solving strategies to support individual clients in self-directed recovery.
• Knowledge of the signs and symptoms of mental illness (i.e. auditory and visual hallucinations, aggressive talk and behavior, thoughts of self-harm or harm towards others, isolation) and the ability to assist the client to address symptoms using strategies such as positive self-talk.
• Sufficient knowledge and skill to use the community resources necessary for independent living and ability to teach those skills to other individuals with severe mental illness.
• Knowledge of how to establish and sustain self-help (mutual support) and educational groups by soliciting input from the mental health consumers on their strengths and interests.

• Ability to accurately assist members in gathering documents needed to complete application process for entitlements, benefits, and other needed services.  Ability to make proper referrals and follow up where needed.

• Commitment to Project FIND’s mission.
• Experience working with older adult populations preferred. 
• Bilingual language Spanish fluency preferred.  
• Ability to provide accurate and timely documentation required. 
• Time management skills to coordinate multiple responsibilities and services. 
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, in both a field and office environment. 
• Maintain client and agency confidentiality. 
• Excellent interpersonal, public speaking, and written communication skills. Must be able to communicate effectively and appropriately with other team members, community agencies, and clients with diverse opinions, values, characteristics, and cultures.
• Skilled in conflict mediation/negotiation and have an assertive approach to problem solving.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; Ability to be creative and flexible.
• Ability to utilize various computer programs, including Microsoft Word and Excel.

Schedule:

Monday-Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm; in-person

Two Saturdays per month from 8:00am to 4:00pm; in-person

Project FIND participates in E-Verify, which confirms employment authorization through an electronic database maintained by the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security. The E-Verify process is completed in conjunction with the Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification.  E-Verify is not used as a tool to pre-screen candidates.