Peer Specialist

Volunteers of America-Greater New York; New York (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a compassionate Peer Specialist to support homeless individuals facing substance use disorders. This role involves outreach, engagement, and personalized assistance to help clients access treatment and housing. The Peer Specialist will utilize evidence-based approaches to assess client needs and provide advocacy and support during appointments. Join a mission-driven organization dedicated to ending homelessness and improving lives through comprehensive services. If you are passionate about making a difference and have relevant experience, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Benefits

Medical

Dental

Vision

Prescription coverage

Life insurance

Retirement plan

Educational Reimbursement Program

Paid Time Off

Paid Birthday Holiday

Qualifications

• Direct experience with substance use and/or mental health conditions.
• Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA) preferred.
• 2+ years of work experience with target population.

Responsibilities

• Engage homeless individuals at various locations for outreach.
• Conduct screenings and assessments using evidence-based methods.
• Assist clients with documentation and goal-related tasks.

Skills

Engagement Skills

Verbal Communication

Written Communication

Boundary Setting

Fluency in Spanish

Education

High School or GED

Tools

Basic Computer Skills

Job description

Peer Specialist

New York, NY 10035, USA Req #3626

Friday, February 21, 2025

Volunteers of America-Greater New York (VOA-Greater New York) is an anti-poverty organization working to end homelessness in the New York area by 2050. We operate over 60 programs across New York City, Northern New Jersey and Westchester County including emergency, transitional and permanent housing. Our services extend to families experiencing homelessness, survivors of domestic violence, people living with HIV / AIDS, veterans, youth aging out of foster care, adults with behavioral health or substance use needs, and others in need, including a special education preschool program.

We are in search of new talent in the following position...

Position: Peer Specialist

The OMNIA Peer Specialist is part of an initiative to assist homeless individuals with substance use disorder gain access to treatment, benefits, and housing. The Peer Specialist will conduct outreach, engagement and screening to identify and enroll eligible clients, and will use evidence-based approaches to assess and assist clients on their caseload to address substance use disorder and chronic homelessness.

Locations: Wards Island, NY 10035, NY, NY 10020

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School or GED.
• An individual who has direct experience with and knowledge of the challenges pertaining to substance use and/or mental health conditions. Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA).
• Minimum of 2 years of work experience and familiarity with the service systems utilized by the target population.
• Knowledge of medication assisted treatment, opiate overdose prevention and substance use disorders treatment and recovery services required.
• Excellent engagement skills, boundary setting, and follow-up. The position also requires a demonstrated ability in verbal and written communication, including basic computer skills.
• Fluency in Spanish or other second language a plus.

Peer Specialist Principal Responsibilities:

• Engage chronic homeless individuals at homeless welcome centers, safe havens, shelters, licensed treatment facilities, hospitals and other locations identified by project team and stakeholders.
• Complete screening, assessment and service planning using evidence-based approaches.
• Assist clients with completion of necessary documentation, application forms and tasks in services of their individualized goals.
• Accompany clients to appointments related to housing, health/behavioral health and income goals to provide advocacy, coaching and support.
• Deliver services with fidelity to program protocols and evidence-based models.
• Conduct outreach to reengage enrolled clients who have been lost to follow-up.
• Complete required program documentation including, but not limited to case notes, release of information forms, client tracking forms, assessments, and other related documents.
• Co-facilitate outreach and engagement groups on the benefits of the program including presenting on a variety of topics of substance use treatment, mental health treatment, and harm reduction interventions.
• Participate in case conferences, scheduled appointments and follow up appointments.

Employees receive an exceptional benefits package including:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Prescription coverage
• Life insurance
• Retirement plan
• Educational Reimbursement Program (includes tuition and license/certification)
• Paid Time Off which is accrued monthly and rolls over from year to year. In addition:
• Paid Birthday Holiday

And much more ...

To learn more about VOA-Greater New York, copy and paste this link into a browser: https://www.voa-gny.org/about

VOA-Greater New York is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Vets / Disabled / Other Protected Categories. Apply today!

Other details

• Job Family: CASE MANAGEMENT
• Job Function: Counseling
• Pay Type: Hourly
• Min Hiring Rate: $20.00
• Max Hiring Rate: $20.00
• Required Education: High School

Apply Now