Peer Mentor, Justice Initiatives

Community Health Action of Staten Island • New York, NY

11d • $37,000 - $40,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Peer Mentor works in the Health Care Coordination department within the Heroin Overdose Prevention Education (HOPE) program. HOPE connects people involved with the criminal justice system who have been charged with an offense and exhibit substance use with care and treatment, with the long-term goals of supporting community living and preventing future arrests and incarceration. The role draws on lived experience with substance use, mental health conditions, and/or criminal justice involvement to serve as a role model and show participants that recovery is possible. Services are strength-based and trauma-informed, with outreach, engagement, and accompaniment provided on-site and in the community.

The position is based at 56 Bay Street, 3rd floor, Staten Island, New York. It is full-time and non-exempt, reports to the Senior Director of Justice Initiatives, and pays $37,000–$40,000, commensurate with relevant experience and qualifications and in alignment with internal equity.

Requirements

• Certified Recovery Peer Advocate or graduate of the HTH Peer Training Program.
• High school diploma or high school equivalency.
• Fluent in English.
• Willingness to explore possibilities, be creative, and remain open to new ideas in problem-solving.
• Understanding of community-level work and the importance of collaboration and coordination with other organizations.
• Ability to identify issues, obstacles, and opportunities and implement effective solutions.
• Effective communication skills, including following instructions, listening, and communicating effectively in writing and verbally.

Nice To Haves

• At least one year of experience in a treatment, hospital, community-based organization, or recovery center setting is preferred.
• Candidates representative of the population served; a history of criminal justice involvement is highly preferred.
• Additional experience working with people with histories of homelessness, mental health diagnoses, substance use, or marginalized behaviors.
• Bilingual Spanish is highly desired.

Responsibilities

• Respond rapidly to activations from the Richmond County District Attorney to meet referred individuals at the Richmond County Courthouse or one of Staten Island’s four NYPD precincts.
• Maintain a regular courthouse presence to meet newly referred individuals and act as a liaison between legal parties and the HOPE program.
• Provide program, department, and agency service overviews through orientation activities.
• Accompany participants to provider sites and provide support and navigation assistance.
• Co-facilitate group activities that help clients identify risky thoughts, slow impulsive behavior, and develop prosocial thought patterns.
• Assist with community outreach and promote available agency resources as needed.
• Assist the Recovery Counselor with screening, assessment, and monitoring.
• May participate in weekly conferences with court personnel, the Richmond County District Attorney, and defense attorneys.
• Conduct telephone and office-based follow-up to identify and address barriers to care and treatment.
• Make reminder calls to reinforce retention in care and services.
• Follow up on referrals and engage participants in programming.
• Contact participants who miss appointments to minimize program infractions.
• Conduct after-care calls following program completion to support sustained recovery.
• Attend and participate in required staff development trainings, scheduled supervision, team meetings, and huddles.
• Complete program documentation in a timely manner.
• Align work with CHASI’s mission, vision, core values, and culture.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off: four weeks of vacation plus paid holidays, personal time, and sick time.
• Medical insurance.
• Dental insurance.
• Vision insurance.
• Supplemental benefits, including employer-provided basic life insurance and employee assistance programs.
• Tuition reimbursement after one year of employment.
• Fitness reimbursement after one year of employment.
• Retirement plan with employer matching.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED