Respite Specialist

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

7d•$45,000 - $50,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Crisis Respite Center (CRC), part of Parachute NYC, provides an innovative and unique “hospital diversion” model whereby persons seeking temporary residential/respite care can stay in a warm, friendly, safe, and supportive home-like environment where they are taught to use new recovery and relapse preventions skills. This is achieved through 24-hour peer support, self-advocacy education, self-help training, and mutual understanding. The CRC offers people experiencing a psychosis-related crisis with a short-term (one day to two weeks) residential alternative that will allow individuals to maintain daily activities and connect with community-based services and supports, including primary care. The program will provide recovery oriented services incorporating Need Adapted Treatment and Intentional Peer Support. Parachute NYC is an innovative CMS funded pilot project designed to support a continuum of community based services for individuals experiencing a psychosis related crisis, including specially trained mobile crisis teams and Crisis Respite Centers.

Requirements

Certification or Provisional certification as a Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) OASAS and orOMH /CRPA certification
Active participation in self-help activities, peer support or peer advocacy programs, or participant run organizations or similar experiences or programs required.
Must have lived experience with the Mental Health and/or Substance Use Treatment system and willingness to share personal experience appropriately and respectfully.
Understanding of the community in which the team is based with an awareness of available community resources.
Experience working with adults impacted by mental health disorders
The Peer Specialist should also be someone who has made positive and productive progress toward his or her own recovery.
Demonstrate good interpersonal communications skills and the ability to empathize with, relate to and effectively work with participants.
Must possess the ability/ willingness to disclose their recovery story (where appropriate) for the purposes of empowerment.
Excellent judgment/ ability to understand boundaries when working with participants is required.
Have a clear understanding of community diversity and needs
A Minimum of High School Diploma or equivalent or higher required

Nice To Haves

Bilingual a plus

Responsibilities

24-hour peer support
self-advocacy education
self-help training
mutual understanding
connect with community-based services and supports, including primary care
provide recovery oriented services incorporating Need Adapted Treatment and Intentional Peer Support
document and translate member needs with a trauma informed, and culturally competent lens
utilize critical thinking, problem-solving and de-escalation skills to assist with creating and maintaining an environment that promotes recovery
utilize various computer programs, specifically Microsoft Word and Excel