Youth Peer Specialist - Full-time; 4161-202-A

Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens•Queens, NY

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Youth Peer Specialist operates within the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics and delivers services to consumers of behavioral health services in clinics, community, hospital, schools, and other public venues. The Youth Peer Specialist will specialize in providing support to youth (primarily between the ages of 12-26), who are experiencing social, medical, emotional, developmental, substance use, and/or behavioral challenges. The purpose is to ensure engagement and active participation of the young person in their treatment and decisions that affect their lives. Youth Peer services are provided by a trained and credentialed Youth Peer Advocate who has personal lived experience as a young person with a social, medical, social, developmental, substance use, and/or behavioral challenge, or has received services in any one of the children serving systems (juvenile justice, foster care, special education, or addiction recovery). These services can be provided in both individual and group settings.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED.
Provisional or Standard New York State Peer Specialist Certification in one of the following: A Credentialed Youth Peer Advocate (YPA): An individual who is credentialed as a youth peer support worker in New York State from a certifying authority recognized by the Offices.
Must have lived experience as a youth receiving mental health or related youth services.
History of mental illness/substance use/addiction and to be well-established in a lived experience of recovery.
Excellent oral and written communication skills to include the ability to coordinate with a multi-disciplinary team in order to support whole person care.
Ability to read and write.
Knowledge of computer programs (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, & Outlook).
Able to work flexible hours and days -including weekends/evenings/holidays when requested, according to needs of a 24/7 programs.
Frequently lifts and/or moves up to 10 pounds.
Should be able to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, & office equipment.
Ability to read printed materials and computer screens.
Ability to travel extensively in the community and use public transportation throughout the five boroughs to provide home visits, hospital visits, and meet in the community at various venues.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of CCBHC, NYSOMH, and/or OASAS regulations/requirements preferred.
Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred.

Responsibilities

Utilize experience and knowledge to support consumers/clients with their own crisis.
Provide on hand technical assistance for various systems and provider organizations in New York City.
Escort consumer/clients who may have anxiety or other issues around attending doctor's appointments, hospital visits, entitlement offices, or other health and wellbeing activities.
Participate and or lead support groups and informational groups around pertinent consumer/client/family member topics.
Provide one on one assistance through discussion and encouragement for consumers/ clients in crisis.
Reach out to providers to assist consumer/clients in crisis as needed.
Participate in Quality Improvement projects and assist in the collection of data, particularly data that identifies risk such as hospitalization data.
Collaborate with family members/caregivers, when clinically appropriate, to help establish an effective support system for the consumer/client.