Housing Peer Support Specialist (Full Time/Mon-Fri Days)

This position is responsible for providing peer support and encouragement for Housing program participants throughout their time in the Housing program. Peer Support Specialists will regularly meet with program participants in order to increase motivation, drive engagement, and assist with continuity of care. In addition, this position will facilitate support services for recovery including medical, vocational services, and housing.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

•  Serves as a support person with lived experience for applicants and program participants.
•  Regularly connects with program applicants and program participants to ensure engagement with intake, admission, and program processes as well as continuity of care with external service providers.
•  Accompanies applicants and program participants to appointments with medical, social service, family, legal, and other entities as a support and advocate.
•  Engages with applicants and program participants to offer lived perspectives, experience, and wisdom of recovery paths and possibilities.
•  Exhibits a firm belief in a capacity for change, and celebrate recovery achievements with program participants
•  Encourages self-advocacy and economic self-sufficiency, demonstrating an ability to navigate through barriers to achieve goals.
•  Helps resolve personal and environmental obstacles to maintaining recovery and stable housing or healthy lifestyle.
•  Provides coaching in regard to maintaining medical linkages, scheduling and appointment follow-up, and medication maintenance.
•  Promotes collaboration between providers and assists program participant in effectively communicating with providers.
•  Accurately documents areas discussed during meetings with applicant or program participant, and identifies their response to peer support services within specified timeframe.
•  Cultivates opportunities to participate in volunteer opportunities and other acts of service to the community.
•  Provides support with program participants’ transition from a professionally directed service plan to a person-developed recovery plan and assists in structuring daily activities around this plan.
•  Accompanies program participants to and links them with sources of outpatient mental health treatment, sober housing, recovery-conducive employment, medical and wellness services, social services, and self-help groups.
•  Provides support to individuals who experience a recurrence of use and discusses concerns with Housing treatment team to identify potential referrals for further care.
•  At times may be asked to assist other Housing staff with participant experiencing a reoccurrence of use.
•  Provides support and coaching to program participants related to building soft skills and enhancing their management of daily living skills.
•  Transports applicants and program participants to support services or other programs as needed, using agency supplied vehicle
•  Adheres to agency confidentiality policies and procedures, maintain professional boundaries and be able to work with and have knowledge of various organizations and agencies.
•  Serves on agency committees as requested.
•  Carries out additional duties essential to the above-stated responsibilities as assigned.
•  Is mindful of and integrates Trauma-Informed Care and its five principles in all duties and interactions with fellow staff, program participants, and external partners.
•  Maintains compliance with all required rules and regulations including Federal Confidentiality (42 CFR, Part 2), HIPAA, Medicaid and/or HUD, and any others.
•  Regular attendance at work location.
•  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
•  Other duties may be assigned.

•  Lived substance use and recovery experience.
•  Minimum High School Diploma or equivalent.
•  Must be certified as a Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA).
•  In addition the qualifications above, a valid New York State driver’s license is required with reliable automobile.