Peer Coordinator

NYC Criminal Justice Agency•New York, NY

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Criminal Justice Agency (CJA), a non-profit organization under contract with the City of New York to provide pre-trial and research services to the courts, operates a Supervised Release Program in Queens Criminal Court. The program, which operates during the day and night court in Queens screens defendants charged with non-violent felony and misdemeanor offenses that present a substantial likelihood of detention. CJA screens targeted defendants for release at criminal court arraignment, subject to specific conditions including maintaining face-to-face and telephone contact with the program, participating in an assessment process to identify needs such as substance abuse and mental health, and agreeing to program monitoring of court appearances and re-arrests. This is a great opportunity for a dynamic, resourceful, service-oriented individual with lived experience and a background in providing support to high needs populations with criminal court involvement, and a commitment to helping participants avoid harmful behaviors leading to re-arrest and disconnection from community support systems. Position Summary The Peer Coordinator reports directly to the Peer Supervisor and supports all peer team coordination tasks and administrative duties. The Peer Coordinator is also responsible for providing holistic, person-centered support and mentorship to a team of Peer Specialists. The Peer Coordinator also facilitates internal and external wellness and recovery groups for staff and program participants. They will also serve as the direct liaison between external organizations and the peer staff when helping clients understand the benefits of referrals being made.

Requirements

HS Diploma is required. Some college preferred.
OASAS/OMH Peer Specialist Certification (both NYS Certified Peer Specialist and NYS Certified Recovery Coach or Certified Recovery Peer Advocate) required.
3 years of professional experience as a Peer Specialist, Peer Advocate, or Peer Counselor in a Behavioral Health or Criminal Justice setting required. Experience providing community-based Peer support to underserved communities and populations required.
History of lived experience in recovery and/or the criminal justice system required. As an individual who actively participates in their own recovery from mental illness and/or substance use, must be willing to appropriately and effectively utilize their recovery experience to engage and support others
Strong knowledge of and demonstrated ability to apply person-centered, recovery-oriented practices and principles
Strong proficiency in using computer software applications such as Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), email, web browser and database/file management systems required
Experience with online communication tools such as video conferencing (Teams, Zoom, etc.), chat, and collaboration software required
Ability to maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality in compliance with agency and state guidelines
Ability to work independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team
Proficiency in exercising sound and quick judgment
Excellent communication, written documentation, and interpersonal skills
Effective group facilitation skills
Demonstrated professionalism and reliability with excellent time and self-management skills
Computer literate with a willingness to learn and adapt to modern technologies and software applications as needed for the position
Must be willing to work evening and weekend hours, as operations expand
Willingness to travel via public transportation to conduct community visits with participants
Willingness to accompany to and support participants in court
Internal applicants must be 1 year in their current roles and in current good standing (no disciplinary action within the last 90 days) to apply

Nice To Haves

Certification in Wellness and Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) and Intentional Peer Support (IPS) preferred
Knowledge of NYC Court Operations, preferred
Bilingual skills preferred (Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, French-Creole, a plus). Those with other language skills are also encouraged to apply
Familiarity with Pretrial/Supervised Release, Alternative to Detention (ATD), Alternative to Incarceration (ATI) or other advocacy program models
Working knowledge of community-based treatment programs (substance use, mental health, etc.) and other support services and resources (housing, education, employment, vocational, etc.)

Responsibilities

Provide support and mentorship to a team of Certified Peer Specialist.
Support the Peer Supervisor with all team coordination and administrative duties, including review and assignment of Peer referrals and re-arrest/mandatory programming/weapons charges cases. The Peer Coordinator will serve as acting Peer Supervisor in the Supervisor’s absence.
Conduct internal program chart reviews on a quarterly basis, as well as capturing data and tracking outcomes of referrals and assignments.
Support the Peer Supervisor in the development and facilitation of evidence-based groups, training, and team-building activities to increase team engagement and development. Will also assist with the onboarding of new Peer staff.
Assist in ensuring the team is adhering to all QSRP and agency policies and procedures
Will be responsible for managing a small caseload of participants with complex needs requiring experienced Peer support on a case-by-case basis. Provide advocacy, outreach and engagement, referral assistance, self-help tools, recovery support, transitional support, and pre-crisis/crisis support in office, community, or virtual settings (i.e., telephonic support, video calls/chats, etc.)

Benefits

CJA offers a very generous benefit plan including health, dental and vision insurance, a comprehensive mental health, and wellness (EAP) plan, four weeks’ vacation, paid holidays, and a retirement plan with employer matching contributions.
CJA is also strongly committed to professional learning and development for its staff members and offers staff varied opportunities for learning and development through partnerships and vendor services for web based, in-person professional development training, as well as in-house job training and development.

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