PEER SPECIALIST

Peer Specialist

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 crisis services which includes a 24/7 intensive crisis stabilization center, DASH- Diagnostic Assessment Stabilization Hub, in Hauppauge and mobile crisis teams which provides tele-crisis and in-community services. The Peer Specialist will utilize their lived experience and training to engage and support individuals, children and adults.

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:

• Provide outreach to clients and/or their families in the field, by phone and in person.
• Facilitate engagement in services and offer linkage to community resources.
• Participate in Crisis Assessments and linkages as part of multidisciplinary team.
• Provide recovery readiness support through linkage to community resources.
• Provide warm hand off to all levels of treatment.
• Provide person centered care and share lived experience to facilitate engagement.
• Coordinate with collateral contacts, including family and other providers.
• Utilize motivational interviewing to assist individuals in readiness for change.
• Provide opioid overdose education and train individuals and families to use Narcan.
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team, partnering with Social Workers, Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners and Peers to work collaboratively on clients needing Assessments and Linkage.
• Coordinate care planning with other providers of services/ resources to ensure goal directed, collaborative care, including care transitions.
• Act as a resource to all team members on community-based recovery supports.
• Complete thorough and timely documentation according to regulations in the Electronic Health Record.
• Complete training and maintain proficiency with de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques.
• Abide by FSL's Code of Ethics.
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others, both internally and externally.
• Foster teamwork, work cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve problems and make decisions.
• 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 field work.
• This position is essential to the safe and continuous operation of the program. Essential employees are expected to report to work during inclement weather and other relevant emergency situations to ensure uninterrupted care and support for clients.
• All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• NYCPS (New York Certified Peer Specialist) or CRPS (Certified Recovery Peer Advocate) certification required. Candidates who do not currently possess a certification must obtain the required certification within six (6) months of employment.
• Relevant life experience required and willingness to draw upon this experience to engage individuals and serve as a role model. Experience as a peer, paid or volunteer preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal and verbal and written communication skills required.
• Ability to work both independently as well as part of a team and must be responsive to deadlines.
• Proficient computer skills and typing, experience with E.H.R. and Microsoft office preferred.
• Evening and Weekend hours required.
• Valid and clean New York State Driver's License and operate a vehicle in a safe manner under all driving conditions required.
• General computing and keyboard skills and the ability to bend, stretch and stand for long periods of time.