Peer Specialist, ACT

Community Access; New York (NY); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Community Access’ Bronx Shelter ACT Team seeks a Peer Specialist to engage participants with lived experience to support housing and recovery goals. You will work within a multi-disciplinary team across Bronx shelters, delivering flexible, person-centered services 24/7 as needed.

Requirements include NY Certified Peer Specialist certification (or provisional) and at least two years’ related experience; bilingual Spanish is a plus.

Qualifications

• Understanding and commitment to the philosophy and mission of Community Access.
• Commitment to person-centered treatment strategies and self-determination.
• Starting April 2024, NYCPS certification or provisional certification.
• Lived experience with the mental health system; history of homelessness is preferred.
• Minimum of two years’ experience with mental health conditions, substance use, or trauma.
• Flexible schedule including mornings, evenings and weekends.
• Ability to prioritize, meet deadlines, and work in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Conflict mediation/negotiation skills and proactive problem solving.
• Work in the community using public transportation across boroughs.
• Computer proficiency with Windows, MS Word/Excel; comfortable with new systems.
• Spanish-speaking preferred; fingerprint clearance by NYS Justice Center.

Responsibilities

• Participate in ACT mobile team to engage individuals with serious mental illness.
• Assist participants in housing, personal goals, and recovery supports.
• Collaborate with shelter staff and multi-disciplinary clinicians across boroughs.
• Complete assessments and service plans; document progress notes timely.

Skills

Lived experience with mental health

Crisis engagement

Strong interpersonal skills

Flexible schedule

Team collaboration

Conflict mediation

Use of public transportation

Bilingual Spanish (preferred)

Fingerprint clearance (NY)

Tools

MS Word

Excel

Job description

Community Access was founded in 1974 to provide housing and support for people being discharged from psychiatric institutions. Today, we are one of the leading providers of supportive and affordable housing in New York City, and the originators of an integrated housing model which has become a best practice nationally: affordable housing where families live alongside people living with mental health concerns. Our staff work daily to support thousands of New Yorkers through supportive and affordable housing, peer-driven residential crisis support programs, training, advocacy, supported education, mobile treatment and other healing-focused services.

Program/Department Description

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is an evidence-based, mobile practice model designed to provide treatment, rehabilitation and support services to individuals living with a serious mental health condition and whose needs have not been effectively met by traditional mental health services.

Community Access’ Bronx Shelter ACT Team will serve individuals with mental health conditions who are experiencing homelessness and are temporarily housed within a Bronx mental health shelter. Team members will work collaboratively with shelter staff in the Bronx and other boroughs and use assertive engagement strategies to proactively engage individuals in services. ACT team members share responsibility for the people they serve, helping individuals attain housing and other personal goals that may be of a health, social, work or education nature.

ACT teams are multi-disciplinary and include psychiatry, nursing, social work, peer specialists and other staff members offering rehabilitation, treatment and recovery support services. The team provides expertise in the areas of housing, substance use and harm reduction, family support, employment, and wellness self-management. Based on their area of expertise, team members collaborate to deliver comprehensive, integrated and flexible services that are responsive to a participant’s choices, needs and goals. With a small staff to participant ratio, services are brought to the participant and offered in natural settings, 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

Overview

The Peer Specialist is an integral part of a multi-disciplinary team of mental health clinicians. The Peer Specialist is a resource to participants and other team members in issues related integrating wellness goals. The Peer Specialist is a person with the lived experience within the mental health system who has a willingness to share personal and practical experience, knowledge, and first-hand insight to benefit IMT program participants; recovery experience related to substance use services or criminal justice system preferred. The Peer Specialist engages and builds trusting relationships with program participants and their networks to support the person’s recovery.

Key Performance Indicators

• Complete assessments and service plans as needed; assigned assessments are completed on time.
• Complete progress notes for all contacts, collaterals, and engagement attempts within 2 business days.

Job Qualifications

• Have an understanding, appreciation, and commitment to the philosophy and mission of Community Access.
• Commitment to person-centered treatment strategies, upholding participants’ rights, and self-determination in service provision.
• Starting April 2024, all new hires must have New York Certified Peer Specialist (NYCPS) certification or hold provisional certification.
• Lived experience with the mental health system required, and a history of homelessness, involvement with the criminal justice system, and experience with substance use services, preferred.
• Minimum of two (2) years’ experience working with individuals with a mental health condition, substance use disorder, and / or history of trauma.
• Available to work a flexible schedule, mornings, evenings and weekends in response to participant needs.
• Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Be creative and flexible.
• Able to show initiative and be responsible for follow-through.
• Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Be skilled in conflict mediation/negotiation and have an assertive approach to problem solving.
• Must be able to work in the community, including use of public transportation across the boroughs
• Computer proficiency in Windows operating systems and programs, such as MS Word and Excel, as well as comfort with learning new electronic systems.
• Bilingual Spanish-speaking, preferred
• Must be fingerprinted and cleared by the New York State Justice Center.

Community Access is an Equal Opportunity Employer. M/F/D/V.

We are dedicated to a workforce where at least 51% of our employees identify as having a personal experience using mental health services. www.communityaccess.org