Job Fair @ The Bridge Inc. Peer Specialist Positions

Job Title: Peer Specialist

Department: Community Support Programs

Reports To: Program Administrator

Schedule: Monday – Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Location: New York City

Education: GED or High School Diploma with completion and certification from NYS Peer Specialist program

Experience: Lived experience involving incarceration, mental health treatment and/or substance abuse treatment

Responsibilities:

• Provide designated services with participant in home and/ or community-based setting(s).
• Demonstrate excellent time and task management skills, as well as oral and written communication skills.
• Complete Wellness Recovery Action Plans WRAP, safety, crisis intervention and relapse prevention plans.
• Identify the treatment services consumers should receive based on severity of stage of change, immediate needs and recommend treatment objectives for the consumer’s treatment plan.
• Assess and provide services to consumers to address housing, income support, education and vocational training, social supports, employment, and primary care needs.
• Recommend treatment objectives for the consumer’s service plan.
• Use motivational interviewing, recovery and trauma-informed approaches when delivering peer services.
• Involve family and significant others in the consumer’s treatment with the ACT team.
• Complete progress notes collaboratively but no later than 24-hours after delivering a service and ensure progress notes are available to be read in the daily organizational meeting.
• Provide individual peer support and wellness counseling, harm reduction counseling based on motivational interviewing.
• Work effectively with the consumer’s support system, and self-help groups providing services to FACT consumers.
• Link consumes to peer support and self-help recovery resources.
• Achieve the minimum required face to face service contacts in the community each month.
• Act as advocate and liaison for consumers in income support and access to resources to support service plan goals.
• Provide culturally competent services in accordance with The Bridge’s policies and practice.
• Any other duties as assigned.

Preferred Knowledge and Skills:

• Experience working in a home and/ or community-based settings preferred
• Knowledge of harm reduction and person-centered service provision preferred
• Effective use of self-disclosure to inspire hope and support for individuals experiencing mental health and substance use challenges
• Excellent inter-personal communication including the ability to establish empathic, empowering relationships with people who have experienced psychiatric disabilities and trauma
• Must be able to maintain clear and appropriate boundaries with service recipients and their collaterals
• Basic knowledge of the public mental health system, including self-help and empowerment programs that support recovery
• Must be able to climb stairs and utilize all forms of public transportation; must be able to travel independently within the community

THE BRIDGE INC. IS AN AOA/EOE.