LaGuardia Community College Mental Health Peer Specialist Training Program-Peer Technology/APS Support Instructor

LaGuardia Community College

Mental Health Peer Specialist Training Program

Job Title

APS Peer Support Educator

General Description

The Mental Health Peer Specialist Training Program at LaGuardia Community College operates through a Health Resources and Services Administration grant to train peer specialists to work with New York City communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, with an emphasis on young adults.

The Mental Health Peer Specialist uses the Academy of Peer Services (APS), an online training, testing, and tracking platform developed for the peer support workforce in New York State. The APS Support Educator serves as a guide for participants preparing for certification as a New York Certified Peer Specialist (NY-CPS). Participants will learn the basis of the core courses which provide foundational knowledge about peer services for mental health care in New York State. Over the course of 4 weeks participants will aim to successfully complete all core courses plus additional requirements as defined in the application to become a New York Certified Peer Specialist (NY-CPS) and complete and submit an application for provisional certification.

Primary Duties:

• Provide up to 24 hours of classroom instruction in a hybrid (in-person/remote) format

• Employ and build on the “APS Support curriculum” complete with material on topics such as The Goal is Recovery, Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Historical Roots of Peer Support Services
• Support participants who are not progressing or those who fail one or more modules by providing one on one or small group assistance as needed
• Discuss and review the requirements for Provisional Certification and Standard Certification

• Support participants with the application process including identifying appropriate reference authors, obtaining reference letters and writing recovery stories that help them share their lived experience, gathering documents, completing and submitting the application timely
• Assist participants preparing and submitting the New York Peer Specialist Certification Board (NYPSCB) application electronically
• Be available to participants after class and via email for up to one hour per week for additional support

Other Duties

• Facilitate collaboration between participants with low vs. high skills 

Qualifications

• High School Diploma, Associates or Bachelor’s Degree preferred
• Proof of lived experience with mental health challenges and recovery
• Familiarity with the Academy of Peer Services courses and certification requirements
• Experience working as teacher/trainer, especially with diverse groups
• Ability to interact comfortably with classes remotely and in-person
• Ability to work with participants of different ages and backgrounds

This is a grant-funded position and is contingent upon the availability of funding.

Department
Division of Adult and Continuing Education

Status
Part-Time/Temporary

Pay Range
$54.00/hr.

Hours
Must be available Tuesday and Thursday: 9 AM-2 PM

Total Hours

30-including meeting and prep

Date Range

September 1 – December 31, 2024

January 5 – May 31, 2025

Closing Date
January 15, 2024

To Apply

Please contact [email protected]