Respite Specialist

Services For The Underserved, Inc.•New York, NY

4d•$45,000 - $50,000

About The Position

The Respite Specialist provides temporary residential and respite services through a hospital diversion model. The role helps clients stay in a warm, friendly, safe, and supportive home-like environment while learning recovery and relapse-prevention skills through 24-hour peer support, self-advocacy education, self-help training, and mutual understanding. The specialist partners with guests experiencing crisis using trauma-informed, recovery-oriented intentional peer support. They help create a respectful and trusting environment, support guests’ recovery and personal goals, facilitate educational and wellness activities, assist with daily living and health-care access, and complete required documentation. The position also includes household upkeep and flexible evening, night, weekend, and holiday coverage.

Requirements

At least 1 year of work experience in a behavioral health or related setting, preferably using the recovery model.
Lived experience with the mental health system and willingness to share personal experience appropriately and respectfully.
At least a high school diploma or equivalent (GED).
Ability to use critical thinking, problem-solving, and de-escalation skills to help create and maintain an environment that promotes recovery.

Nice To Haves

Ability to use various computer programs, especially Microsoft Word and Excel.
Graduate of a core peer specialist training program.
Respect for and a high level of comfort around people experiencing psychiatric crisis.
Exceptional written and oral communication skills, including empathic listening and responding.
Bilingual English/Spanish.

Responsibilities

Build partnerships with guests experiencing crisis using trauma-informed, recovery-oriented intentional peer support.
Promote a safe, comfortable, secure, and trusting environment where guests are listened to and respected.
Practice the Need Adapted Treatment Model (NATM) and Intentional Peer Support (IPS) after completing training provided through the Parachute NYC grant.
Draw on knowledge and skills gained from personal experience with the mental health system to support guests’ personal recovery processes.
Create a sense of community through mutual sharing of lived experiences, encouragement, and support for participation in daily activities within the CRC and community.
Assist with pre-registration for people referred by the Need Adapted Mobile Crisis Team (NA-MCT) and people who self-refer for respite-only services.
Assist with new-guest intake and registration, explain services and expectations, provide premises tours, and introduce guests to staff and other guests.
Collaborate with Parachute NYC staff to help guests identify, plan for, and pursue short-term personal goals and priorities while in the CRC.
Facilitate individual and group educational, recovery, wellness, and skill-building opportunities, including wellness self-management, WRAP, peer support, harm reduction, and social or leisure activities.
Follow up with guests to monitor and support progress toward goals.
Advocate for and facilitate access to needed health-care services, addressing barriers such as missed appointments, transportation, fear, stigma, and communication with professional staff.
Assist guests in preparing their own meals, managing their medication, caring for physical needs, and maintaining a clean-living environment.
Complete timely and accurate documentation of guest interactions, services, critical information and events, collateral contacts, and referrals as required by SUS policies and Parachute NYC.
Perform household upkeep as needed.
Serve cold breakfast daily and help guests access snacks when needed.
Encourage guests to participate in relevant aspects of the documentation process.
Participate in data collection and recording related to outcomes, research, and agency or grant-based priorities.
Participate in supervision, team and interagency meetings, case conferences, NA-MCT meetings, and other relevant meetings as required.
Provide flexible evening, night, weekend, and holiday coverage.