Young Adult Peer Advocate, Safe Options Support (SOS) – South Team

ACMH INC•New York, NY

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Young Adult Peer Advocate will be part of the Safe Options Support (SOS) – South Team, focusing on community outreach on the streets and in places frequented by unhoused young adults. This role involves coordinating participant needs before and after transitioning from street to home, enhancing daily living skills, accompanying participants to appointments, and advocating on their behalf against discrimination or healthcare inequities. The position requires lived experience as a consumer of mental health, substance use, and/or homeless services.

Requirements

Lived experience as a consumer of mental health, substance use, and/or homeless services is required
Experience working with homeless and/or precariously housed populations preferred but not required.
Knowledge of treatment, rehabilitation, trauma responsive services and community support programs as they relate to recipient/residents, families, and staff.
Recognize indicators of human trafficking and resources available to assist individuals who have been exploited
Ability to develop, evaluate, implement, and modify treatment interventions to meet the needs of individual recipients.
Ability to prepare accurate and timely reports.
Computer proficiency in Health Information Technology and Microsoft applications such as MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
Knowledge of homeless resources, NYC shelter systems, and MTA transit systems a plus
Knowledge of best practices in the fields of mental illness and substance use disorders
Knowledge of techniques for identifying, assessing, and preventing potentially violent behavior, including crisis management and de-escalation techniques
Methods to support individuals in developing real-world skills and identifying educational/vocational goals preferred
Methods to support community inclusion and strengthening of support networks preferred
Experience in implementing positive youth development strategies preferred
Familiarity with existing homeless outreach teams/programs and temporary housing options preferred
Minimum High School Diploma or equivalent or higher.
New York State Certified Youth Peer Advocate (YPA) preferred or required Completion of an internship or comparable training in peer advocacy; experience in providing advocacy services to people who are mentally ill and/or homeless.
Past or current participant of behavioral health, substance services or homeless services preferred.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with homeless and/or precariously housed populations
Knowledge of homeless resources, NYC shelter systems, and MTA transit systems
Methods to support individuals in developing real-world skills and identifying educational/vocational goals
Methods to support community inclusion and strengthening of support networks
Experience in implementing positive youth development strategies
Familiarity with existing homeless outreach teams/programs and temporary housing options
New York State Certified Youth Peer Advocate (YPA) preferred
Completion of an internship or comparable training in peer advocacy
Experience in providing advocacy services to people who are mentally ill and/or homeless.
Past or current participant of behavioral health, substance services or homeless services

Responsibilities

Sustained outreach and engagement attempt for all individuals who are referred, even if they initially decline services
Develop meaningful and lasting partnerships with key community stakeholders and providers including, Youth Adult Peer Programs, Safe Horizon, LGBTQIA+ community programs, local hospitals, NYPD, Department of Youth and Community Development, Shelter operators and housing providers, to identify those in most need of outreach and care.
Conduct outreach to areas where unsheltered young adults are known to frequent
Provide elements of Positive Youth Development to include an increased focus on youth involvement, skill building, leadership and community engagement.
Use their shared personal lived experiences to promote client’s recovery, offering support, advocacy, and skill development opportunities.
Assist young adults with developing a stigma-free approach to wellness, recovery and/or treatment
Assist young adults to identify needs, strengths, challenges and goals to develop individualized care plans (ICP).
Hold individual one-on-one peer support sessions focusing on engagement, bridging and transition support to help increase participant’s strengths to navigate systems
Continuous assessment of the health and social needs of participants through SOS’s conversational and observational assessments and formalized risk assessment tools for those identified as being at high risk;
Work in collaboration with the centralized SOS Hub to identify available housing and to support participants through the process. Tasks may include completing HRA 2010e, applying for housing, prepping for interviews, follow up with housing providers, and assistance with move-in (day of move) with obtaining housing supplies and learning the neighborhood;
Participate in hospital discharge planning meetings to identify the best community resources for returning patients;
Collect and report data, as required and work with team leader, data analyst and other SOS teams to use data to inform future care delivery;
Foster relationships with community provides to ensure that recipients are connected with appropriate services as they transition back into the community;
Escort to appointments when necessary, travel training to assist in community care, and to address barriers to care;
Facilitate crisis interventions, referrals and hospitalizations as appropriate
Attend and participate in team meetings and supervisory sessions;
Perform other related duties as assigned.