Certified Peer Specialist

Access: Supports for Living; City of Kingston (NY); On-site; USD 34,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Access: Supports for Living in Kingston, NY is seeking a Certified Peer Specialist to join an integrated behavioral health team. You will provide hope, support, and guidance to individuals with mental illness, developmental disabilities, or substance use disorders, bridging clinical services and real-life recovery through authentic connection and empowerment.

The role requires lived experience, NY Peer Certification or provisional, and flexibility to work evenings and weekends.

Qualifications

• Personal lived experience with mental health recovery.
• New York State Peer Certification or Provisional Certification.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Willingness to work evenings/weekends as scheduled.

Responsibilities

• Inspire hope and Welcome individuals into care with warmth and compassion.
• Promote recovery goals and empowerment through peer support.
• Build meaningful relationships and trust with clients.
• Provide strength-based support and community integration.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to coordinate care.

Education

New York Peer Certification

Provisional Certification

Job description

Do Work That Matters. In a Culture That Means It.

Be part of a team that values connection, accountability, and real impact.

Why Access?

Because how we work matters just as much as what we do. At Access, our Culture Playbook isn’t a poster on the wall – it’s how we show up for each other and for the people we support.

You’ll Be Part Of a Team That Is

• Clear about expectations


• Supportive and accountable


• Focused on outcomes that matter to people.

And committed to helping people live the healthiest and fullest lives possible – while making sure out staff can do the same.

Location: Kingston, NY

Hours: 40 hours a week M-F 930 am to 6 pm

Rate of Pay: $25 Provisional and $28 Full Certification

Overview Of Primary Responsibilites

As a CCBHC Certified Peer, you will be a vital part of an integrated behavioral health team, providing hope, support, and guidance to individuals with serious mental illness, developmental disabilities, or substance use disorders. Your voice and perspective matter — you will help bridge the gap between clinical services and real-life recovery through authentic connection and empowerment.

Primary Functions

Key Responsibilities:

As a Certified Peer, You Will

• Inspire Hope: Welcome individuals into care with warmth, compassion, and the belief that recovery is possible.


• Promote Empowerment & Self-Determination: Support individuals in setting and achieving their personal recovery goals.


• Model Recovery: Use your own lived experience to foster a recovery mindset and demonstrate what is possible.


• Build Meaningful Relationships: Establish mutual, respectful, and trusting partnerships.


• Provide Strength-Based Support: Help individuals identify and build on their personal strengths and life skills.


• Encourage Community Integration: Support individuals in accessing community resources and building meaningful connections.

Additional Functional / Organizational Support

• Resource Connector: Guide individuals toward community supports and services.


• Ally & Confidant: Offer nonjudgmental listening and shared experiences.


• Mentor & Role Model: Help others envision and navigate their own recovery paths.


• Problem Solver & Planner: Assist with identifying barriers and exploring strategies to overcome them.


• Educator & Tour Guide: Introduce individuals to the principles of recovery, including stages, tools, and culture.

Qualifications And Attributes

• Personal lived experience with mental health and/or substance use recovery.


• Experience overcoming life challenges while coping with a behavioral health condition.


• New York State Peer Certification or Provisional Certification.


• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.


• Willingness to work evenings/weekends as scheduled.


• Ability to work collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team.

Education And Experience

• Peer support experience in a behavioral health or recovery setting.


• Knowledge of local community resources and recovery-oriented supports.


• Familiarity with trauma-informed and person-centered approaches.

Physical Characteristics

These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to perform the job's essential functions successfully. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of the position, which are reviewed in each case.

• Must be capable to access all rooms in a 2-story home


• Able to work in open space floor plan


• Must be capable to move throughout work day


• Occasional lifting of > _25+ pounds

An Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and Veterans