Description of Duties and Responsibilities: The Peer Specialist provides community / home-based recovery support services to individuals impacted by mental illness and/or substance use disorder, while supporting a trauma informed care environment. The Peer Specialist works in collaboration with the program clinician/case manager to provide high quality coordinated services. The Peer Specialist will act as a positive role model for individuals being served, show a recovery and healthful lifestyle orientation, and share their own recovery story with individuals being served when appropriate.

Responsibilities:

• Provide services to consumers utilizing trauma-informed, strength-based person-centered recovery, motivational interviewing, and harm reduction concepts to assist with building trust, forming relationships with providers, and fostering hope.
• Advocate and provide emotional and practical support to consumers throughout the working relationship within their mental health recovery.
• Provide hands on assistance in collaboration with the team and the consumer household to secure housing.
• Provide advocacy services for consumers including securing benefits, mental health services, addictions treatment, medical services, insurance coverage, emergency services, and housing.
• Assist consumers with community re-integration following inpatient hospitalization, inpatient substance use treatment, and incarceration.
• Assist consumers in the development of Wellness Recovery Action Plans.
• Coordinate with providers to address goals or objectives as part of the treatment plan to provide short-term assistance to address a targeted need.
• Form cooperative relationships with outside providers in securing benefits, advocating for consumers, and connecting to acute care providers.
• Work with consumers throughout participation in the program services to develop and strengthen community and natural supports to support and build self-sufficiency.
• Assist consumers with navigating the Academy of Peer Services including enrollment, navigation of the website and modules, and emotional support.
• Assist consumers in learning how to use public transportation systems.
• Assist consumers with identifying appropriate and beneficial social activities within the community and with building social skills that will foster stability and inclusion.
• Provide skills training and support to help consumers gain the skills they need to budget and support self-advocacy and financial services with payees.
• Provide skills training to consumers to help them as needed to create menu/meal and shopping plans and go over meal ideas and basic recipes. Includes accompanying them to grocery stores to learn and practice skills.
• Provide coaching and skills training to consumers to support successful tenancy and compliance with lease agreements by reviewing of the lease, coaching on lease expectations, and gaining knowledge of the rights and responsibilities of tenants. Coach in communicating with property managers, submitting repair requests, and support in creating and maintaining a clean and safe apartment.
• Provide coaching and emotional support to consumers related to neighbor relationships to reduce risks of conflict and lease violations.
• Share own personal recovery journey when appropriate.
• Role model empowerment and self-determination.

Documentation:

• Document and maintain clinical records in a manner that assures compliance with all agency policy and procedures and local, state and federal regulations.
• Maintains accurate and up-to-date documentation associated with assessment, treatment, consumer progress, and other activities, as required.
• Respect, and honor consumer rights and responsibilities and demonstrate professional boundaries and ethics.
• Adhere to mandatory abuse reporting laws and HIPAA requirements.
• Participate in all scheduled staff meetings, supervision sessions, and other departmental and agency meetings. Seeks additional supervision as needed.
• Programming:
• Participate in outreach activities with the Street Outreach Coordinator to engage and connect with individuals in the community.
• Assist with referrals and connect individuals to community resources.
• Distribute harm reduction supplies.
• Connect with programs in the community to develop an arsenal of resources for individuals approached by street outreach.
• Align schedule with the Street Outreach Coordinator to provide outreach in different communities throughout the week Participate in events with the Street Outreach Coordinator to distribute materials and education on harm reduction.
• Lead the Bridges to Belonging Program weekly.
• Develop activities for Bridges to Belonging including but not limited to programming, outings, and social connectivity.
• Connect participants from Bridges to Belonging with community resources as needed.
• Create and distribute fliers, brochures, and monthly calendars of activities at Bridges to Belonging.
• Network with community agencies to provide interactive educational activities at Bridges.
• Partner with AA and NA to coordinate the development of a meeting for community members to attend.

• OMH New York Certified Peer Specialists (NYCPS) who:
• Identify as being actively in recovery from a behavioral health condition and intentionally self-disclose one’s mental health recovery journey
• Possess a certification from, or are provisionally certified as, a New York Certified Peer Specialist by an OMH-approved Certified Peer Specialist certification program; and
• Are supervised by an LPHA as defined in 599.4.
• A Peer certification from the Office of Addiction Services is preferred but not required.
• Some work experience working with adults with severe and persistent mental health challenges is preferred.
• Understanding of person-centered and strength-based recovery model, harm reduction, motivational interviewing, and illness management and recovery.
• Well-developed communication, coping skills, and problem-solving strategies to deal with known and unknown circumstances.
• Ability to learn and adapt thinking when new information is provided.
• Critical thinking skills and creative problem solving.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams and ability to become proficient; ability to become proficient user of electronic medical record Foothold Awards.
• Possess a valid driver’s license, three years driving history; clean driving record, ability to pass Driver Motor Vehicle (DMV) check.

Supervision:

· Attend weekly supervision with the peer supervisor and program director.

· Attend community meetings as assigned by the supervisor.

Amount of Travel: May require travel each day to consumer homes and service locations throughout Allegany County.

Hours per day or week: Full-time, non-exempt job, Monday through Friday, 40 hours. Specific hours may vary dependent on consumer need and the schedule at Bridges to Belonging.

This is not an exhaustive list of job duties, and the position may require additional clinical or administrative duties as assigned.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $20.40 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Loan forgiveness
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Ability to Commute:

• Wellsville, NY 14895 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Wellsville, NY 14895: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person