Peer Specialist

Clear Destination Inc.; City of Rochester (NY); On-site; USD 27,000 - 39,000; Part time

Job summary

Liberty Resources in Rochester, NY is seeking a Part-Time Peer Specialist to provide immediate peer support during initial engagement and throughout the program. The role leverages lived experience with addiction, homelessness or mental health to assist participants in their recovery and connect them with housing and community resources.

The Peer Specialist will be trained in CTI, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Care, Health Literacy and related practices, while upholding the Peer

Qualifications

• HS Diploma required; CPS preferred or willingness to complete CPS process.
• Experience in behavioral health or related setting; personal recovery experience preferred.
• Must have NY driver’s license and reliable transportation.

Responsibilities

• Provide information about recovery support services in the community and support linkage to the participant’s chosen supports.
• Coordinate services and develop relationships in the community to access health care, insurance and housing.
• Provide Peer support, CTI, Motivational Interviewing and trauma-informed care to facilitate access to health services.
• Support guided by the values of the Peer Model.
• Conduct street outreach with the outreach team to produce referrals for the program.
• Regularly check on crisis apartments and clients associated with the program.
• Documentation that is timely and follows best practice guidelines.

Skills

Strength-based approach

Professionalism

Relationship-building

Creative problem solving

De-escalation

Education

HS Diploma

Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) preferred

Job description

We are currently seeking a Part-Time Peer Specialist to join our growing team.

Our employees have passion around the services they provide and our corporate values of excellence and staff support. We pride ourselves on high quality, integrated, community-based services that meet the evolving needs of our communities. We’re committed to building a diverse workforce that values contributions of all team members and work to recognize cultural beliefs, values, traditions, language preferences, and health practices of the communities that we serve and how they apply to provision of positive health outcomes.

Peer Specialist Position Summary:

The Peer Specialist will provide immediate Peer support at the time of initial engagement and throughout the participant’s time in this program. The primary goal of the Peer Specialist is to utilize their own lived experience with addiction, homelessness and/or mental health, their long‑term sustained recovery expertise, and Peer training to serve as a support and resource for the participant’s own recovery. The Peer Specialist will also play an essential role in supporting individuals within the unhoused population by engaging them with compassion, reducing barriers to services, and assisting them in navigating available housing and community resources. The Peer Specialist will be trained in Critical Time Intervention (CTI), Motivational Interviewing, Trauma‑Informed Care, Health Literacy, Narcan, Person‑Centered Practices, Housing First, and Co‑Occurring Disorder Integrated Care.

Peer Specialist Job Responsibilities:

• The Peer Specialist will provide information about recovery support services in the community and support linkage to the participant’s chosen supports.
• The Peer Specialist coordinates services and develops relationships in the community to improve individuals' ability to access and/or maintain health care, insurance and housing.
• By using identified best practices, procedures and methods, the Peer Specialist provides Peer support, Critical Time Intervention, Motivational Interviewing and Trauma informed care as a means to facilitate access to health services and improve the health status of participants.
• The Peer Support Specialist will provide support guided by the values of the Peer Model.
• The Peer Support Specialist will conduct street outreach with the outreach team with the aim of producing referrals for this program.
• The Peer Support Specialist will regularly check on the crisis apartments and clients associated with this program.
• Documentation that is timely and follows best practice guidelines around record keeping.

Peer Specialist Qualifications:

HS Diploma required. Work experience in a behavioral health or related setting, preferably using the recovery model with one to two years of personal recovery experience, is preferred. It is preferred that the individual is certified as a Certified Peer Specialist through the Academy of Peer Services training program and has a respect for, and high level of comfort around people experiencing mental health, medical, or substance related crisis. If the candidate is not certified as a CPS, they agree to complete the process to become a CPS. Candidate must self-identify as a current or former recipient of mental health, substance use, or medical services with a willingness to share personal experience appropriately and respectfully. Must have a valid New York State driver’s license and access to reliable transportation.

Peer Specialist Required Skills and Abilities:

The ability to understand, support and operate from a strength-based approach; display professionalism in all settings; recognize the importance and benefits of relationship-building and collaborating with other service providers. The ability to solve complex problems using creative solutions and act consistently in a manner that demonstrates dignity and respect for participants. The ability to de-escalate participants in times of crisis.

Starting Rate: $24/hour

Liberty Resources is committed to creating a diverse inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Liberty Resources offers equal employment opportunities to all persons without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, parental status, housing status, source of income or military status, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local EEO laws.