Peer Counselor - Level I

New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 44,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

NYC Health + Hospitals – Queens is seeking a dedicated peer counselor to support health consumers across emergency, inpatient, and outpatient settings within the Chemical Dependency department.

Under supervision, you will empower peers to advocate for themselves, lead groups, document in the Electronic Health Record, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to implement a comprehensive plan of care.

Qualifications

• Certification must be maintained for the assignment duration (NYCPS/NYCPS-P or CRPA/CRPA-P or FPA variants).
• Completion of a formal Peer Advocate/Counselor/Specialist Training Program or one year of full-time experience with consumers of peer services as a peer counselor/specialist, peer advocate or in related human services.
• A High school diploma or its educational equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Under supervision, peer counselors provide direct services to health consumers in emergency, inpatient, outpatient, home and specialized settings.
• Empowers peers to advocate for themselves and plan for their futures by serving as a role model.
• Maintains documentation in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) and writes progress notes for review.

Skills

Peer Counselor

Group Facilitation

Care Coordination

EHR Documentation

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Provider Careers at NYC Health + Hospitals

Queens Hospital Center is making good on its promise to the people of southeastern and central Queens to maximize both patient convenience and positive clinical outcomes. Residents of Queens can count on the delivery of quality medical care right in their own borough. In 2002 the hospital opened a state-of-the-art, 261-bed facility that includes the Queens Cancer Center, the first comprehensive cancer treatment center in the borough.

At NYC Health + Hospitals, our mission is to deliver high quality care health services, without exception. Every employee takes a person-centered approach that exemplifies the ICARE values (Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence) through empathic communication and partnerships between all persons.

Work Shifts

9:00 A.M – 5:00 P.M

Monday through Friday

35 hours.

Responsibilities

Assignment Level I
For Assignments in Comprehensive Emergency Psychiatric Programs (CPEPs):
1. Certification, which must be maintained for the assignment’s duration, as a
a. Peer Specialist (NYCPS) or Peer Specialist-Provisional (NYCPS-P) issued by the New York Peer Specialist Certification Board (NYPSCB); or
b. Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA) or Recovery Peer Advocate-Provisional (CRPA-P) issued by the New York Certification Board (ASAP-NYCB); or
c. Credentialed Family Peer Advocate (FPA-C), Credentialed Family Peer Advocate Provisional (FPA-P), Credentialed Youth Peer Advocate (YPA-C), or Credentialed Youth Peer Advocate Provisional (YPA-P) issued by Families Together in New York State; and
2. Satisfactory and documented completion of a formalized Peer Advocate/Counselor/Specialist Training Program or one (1) year of full-time satisfactory experience working with consumers of CPEP services as a peer counselor/specialist, peer advocate or in related human services.
For Substance Use Assignments:
1. Certification, which must be maintained for the assignment’s duration, as a Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA) or Recovery Peer Advocate-Provisional (CRPA-P) issued by the New York Certification Board (ASAP-NYCB); and
2. Satisfactory and documented completion of a formalized Peer Advocate/Counselor/Specialist Training Program or one (1) year of full-time satisfactory experience working with consumers of substance use disorder services as a peer counselor/specialist, peer advocate or in related human services.
For All Other Mental Health Assignments:
3. Certification, which must be maintained for the assignment’s duration, as a Peer Specialist (NYCPS) or Peer Specialist-Provisional (NYCPS-P) issued by the New York Peer Specialist Certification Board (NYPSCB); and
4. Satisfactory and documented completion of a formalized Peer Advocate/Counselor/Specialist Training Program or one (1) year of full-time satisfactory experience working with consumers of mental health services as a peer counselor/specialist, peer advocate or in related human services.
Qualification Requirements (Continued):
For All Other Assignments (Including Breastfeeding Education Assignments):
1. Satisfactory and documented completion of a formalized Peer Advocate/Counselor/Specialist Training Program or one (1) year of full-time satisfactory experience working with consumers of peer services as a peer counselor/specialist, peer advocate or in related human services; and
2. A High school diploma or its educational equivalent.

Duties & Responsibilities

Purpose of Position:

Under supervision, peer counselors provide direct services to health consumers in emergency, inpatient, outpatient, home and specialized settings. Works in close collaboration with staff, consumers and other caregivers in planning and implementing treatment plans. Empowers peers to advocate for themselves, resolve issues or problems and plan for their futures by serving as a role model.
Examples of Typical Tasks:

1. Assists the consumer with activities of daily living (e.g., setting-up household, public transportation, budgeting, shopping, socializing, parenting and other skills relevant to an individual’s rehabilitation goals). May make home visits.
2. Leads or co-leads groups including, but not limited to, dual diagnoses issues, relapse and recovery and socialization.
3. Assists the consumer in identifying their own individual warning signs of relapse and identifying and developing individual coping strategies.
4. Provides supportive peer counseling with respect to mental health, substance abuse, rehabilitation strategies, breast-feeding education and other self-help opportunities.
5. Participates in an interdisciplinary treatment and human services team in determining and implementing a comprehensive plan of care.
6. Clarifies issues for the consumer and assists with the process of referral for treatment, rehabilitation, housing and supportive services. Follows-up to determine whether services were provided and used.
7. Assists the consumer in completing applications and paper work for public entitlements and may accompany consumer on visits to agency offices and treatment programs.
8. Acts as a liaison with community and governmental agencies.
9. Facilitates the establishment of peer support networks, natural and social support systems.
10. Maintains current, complete and appropriate documentation in the consumer record, prepares required forms, and may be required to use computer systems in carrying out these functions. Documents in Electronic Health Record (EHR) and writes progress notes for review.

JOB DETAILS

Salary Range: $43,642 - $47,436

Position type: Full-Time

Department: CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY

Category: Behavioral Health

Posted: Aug 14 2026

LOCATION

NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens
82-68 164th Street
Jamaica, NY 11432

ABOUT NYC Health + Hospitals

NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation, annually serving more than a million New Yorkers in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. Our mission is to care for all, without exception.