Peer Specialist

Services for the Underserved•New York, NY

About The Position

The Peer Specialist provides community outreach and engagement on streets and subways and supports participants before and after moving from the street into housing. The role helps participants build daily living skills, navigate and attend appointments, connect with community services, and advocate for themselves when facing discrimination or healthcare inequities. Member choice, harm reduction, non-coercion, flexibility, and person-centered care are central to the SOS program model and to services delivered in this role. The schedule is Tuesday through Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Peer Specialist works with participants, housing providers, hospitals, community providers, the centralized SOR Hub, and SOS colleagues to assess needs, coordinate housing and care, document progress, and support transitions into the community.

Requirements

Minimum high school diploma or equivalent; higher education is acceptable.
New York State Certified Peer Specialist credential is preferred or required, as stated in the posting.
Completion of an internship or comparable training in peer advocacy.
Experience providing advocacy services to people who are mentally ill and/or homeless.
Knowledge of counseling principles and methods related to mental illness and substance use disorders.
Knowledge of treatment, rehabilitation, and community support programs as they relate to recipients or residents, families, and staff.
Ability to develop, evaluate, implement, and modify treatment interventions to meet individual recipients’ needs.
Ability to prepare accurate and timely reports.
Computer proficiency and good documentation skills.

Nice To Haves

Past or current participation in behavioral health, substance services, or homeless services.
Experience working with homeless and/or precariously housed populations.
Knowledge of homeless resources, NYC shelter systems, and MTA transit systems.

Responsibilities

Conduct persistent, assertive, strength-based outreach and engagement at known locations or transit-system hot spots, as well as during inpatient hospital admissions or emergency department visits.
Continuously assess participants’ health and social needs using conversational and observational assessments and formal risk-assessment tools for those at high risk.
Collaborate with the centralized SOR Hub to identify available housing and support participants through the housing process, including completing HRA 2010e, applying for housing, preparing for interviews, following up with housing providers, and assisting with move-in needs and neighborhood orientation.
Participate in hospital discharge-planning meetings to identify appropriate community resources for returning patients.
Collect and report data as required, and work with the team leader, data analyst, and other SOS teams to use data to inform care delivery.
Work with participants and their housing providers to address clinical issues affecting participants’ ability to manage and retain supportive housing.
Build relationships with community providers so participants can connect with appropriate services as they transition back into the community.
Navigate appointments, including accompanying participants, providing travel training, supporting reengagement in community care, and addressing barriers to care.
Review documentation and conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments of participants’ medical, psychiatric, housing, and other social needs.
Obtain historical and collateral information from multiple sources to support participants’ behavioral and physical health needs.
Monitor, evaluate, and record participants’ progress toward care-plan goals.
Attend and participate in team meetings and supervisory sessions.
Perform other related duties as assigned.