Peer Counselor-79531501

Job Description

Job Description

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: 

• Must be a veteran
• High School diploma
• Completion of an internship or comparable training in peer advocacy and/or social services; experience in providing peer advocacy services to people who are homeless and/or who have disabilities

• Past or current recipient of mental health, substance services, or homeless services preferred.

Work Eligibility: Must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Work Location Requirement: Onsite

Schedule: 8:30am-5:00pm Tuesday-Saturday

Compensation: $20.4019 per hour

What We Offer

We provide competitive benefits, including: 

• Comprehensive Health Benefits: Medical (HSA), Dental and Vision plans
• 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan with employer match
• Generous Paid Time Off: Vacation, Personal, Sick, Mental Health Days and 12 paid holidays
• Employee Wellness Programs: Employee Assistance Program and mental health resources
• Learning & Development Opportunities: Educational Leave and Tuition Assistance, Training and Career Development Tracks
• Additional Perks: Commuter Benefits, recognition programs, discount programs, flexible spending plans, voluntary benefits including pet insurance, identity theft insurance, legal plans, and voluntary ancillary benefits.

About the Role

Peer Specialist are former residents who have moved from Transitional Residence for Veterans and who are successfully employed and living in permanent housing. They participate in the coordination of services and model the behaviors needed to move to permanent housing. They provide advocacy and counseling support to the residents.

Primary Responsibilities

• Encourage and assist residents to participate in physical, social, recreational, educational, and other rehabilitation goals to facilitate the residents’ recovery/healing and their fuller participation in the life of their family and community.
• Assist the Recovery Specialist/Social Worker staff and Case Managers in running wellness and community integration groups.
• Assist residents with applications for services such as: Access-A-Ride, HRA, Social Security, MTA half-fare cards and other benefits and entitlements in collaboration with the Entitlements Counselor.
• Assist the Recreation Specialist and Unit Counselors in using neighborhoods for recreational-based incentive programs.
• Provide motivational interviewing to residents as needed.
• Participate in length-of-stay reviews.
• Help residents to identify and access community resources both prior to and after moving into non- transitional housing.
• Encourage resident socialization both in and out of Transitional Residence for Veterans.
• Facilitate self-help groups.
• Assist the recovery Specialists/Social Workers in the facilitation of gender-specific groups that address gender- related community reintegration and adaptation issues that include gender role identity, socialization skills development, family relationship, intimacy, and sex education issues.
• Advocate on behalf of residents in the facility and in the community.
• Escort residents to appointments if they want such support to maintain service continuity.
• Participate in wellness self-management and other recovery-oriented groups.
• Interact with residents in assigned neighborhoods.
• Assist residents in the neighborhood with meeting their daily living needs; assist in developing the spirit, values and culture of the neighborhoods.
• Responsible for all communication with residents.
• Welcoming new residents, introducing them to their neighbors and orienting them to the values, rules, expectations and tasks of the neighborhood.
• Assist with assigning tasks, including light cleaning, maintenance of a neighborhood message board, meal service and wake-up call to residents a daily neighborhood meeting.
• Assist in the orientation of new personnel when requested.
• Observe residents’ behavior and specific responses to services and report observations orally and/or in writing, including computer entries, as instructed and in accordance with applicable standards; maintain up-to-date, accurate individual paper and electronic case records on peer-counselor-related activities.
• Comply with attendance and timekeeping rules and report reliably and regularly to work on an on-going basis.
• Attend regularly scheduled clinical meetings, case conferences, staff meetings and supervision as well as in-service training and development activities.
• Review the staff communications log and make entries concerning essential elements of information designated by program management.
• Maintain CPR and First Aid certifications.
• May have on-call responsibilities.
• Comply and promote compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and agency policies helping to strengthen and maintain an ethical organizational culture.
• Perform other job-related duties that may be assigned.