Peer Specialist

Company: VNS Health

About the Program

The Intensive Mobile Treatment (IMT) program provides comprehensive, community-based psychiatric care for adults living with serious mental illness who have experienced frequent hospitalizations, housing instability, or involvement with the justice system.

About the Role

VNS Health Peer Specialists/Advocates are living examples of the transformative power of behavioral health intervention programs. By sharing personal, practical experience, knowledge, and firsthand insights, they directly help clients live and heal at home. VNS Health provides vital client-centered behavioral health care to New Yorkers.

Key Responsibilities

• Conducts phone and field outreach to locate and enroll clients into programs and services.
• Builds relationships and trust with clients and their family/caregiver and assists with their interactions with professionals.
• Works collaboratively on an interdisciplinary team to discuss care needs and identify solutions.
• Applies mutually shared and lived experiences to build relationships and trust with clients.
• Educates clients about program services, benefits, and self-help techniques. Serves as a role model, advocate, and mentor.
• Escorts clients to appointments as needed.
• Advocates effective recovery-based services on behalf of clients.
• Assists in clarifying rehabilitation and recovery goals.
• Teaches and models symptom management and coping skills for resilience.
• Empowers clients to take a proactive role in their recovery process.
• Reviews service plans with clients and their families or caregivers.
• Provides ongoing education, guidance, support, and encouragement.
• Develops an inventory of resources to meet client needs.
• Provides navigation services to help clients connect with community-based services and supports.
• Documents in EMR in accordance with program policies/procedures, VNS Health standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Assists clients with transition to alternate housing, when appropriate.
• Participates in case conferences, staff meetings, supervision, and training programs.
• Develops a mutual self-disclosure between themselves and clients.
• Serves as a bridge between team members and participants.
• Participates as part of an interdisciplinary team in discussion, planning, and actively participating in treatment goals for clients.
• Practices regularly in the community, including traveling to patients’ homes or schools, to engage frequently with clients.
• Navigates emergency situations.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Computer literacy (electronic health records, word processing, e-mail, internet research, data entry), required.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Minimum of one year experience in a mental health, substance use treatment program, health care, or human services setting, preferred.
• Experience working with a severely mentally ill, psychological trauma, and/or substance using population, preferred.
• Effective oral/written/interpersonal communication and relationship-building skills, required.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively on an interdisciplinary team.
• Bilingual skills in English and Spanish, preferred.

What We Provide

• Referral bonus opportunities.
• Generous paid time off (PTO), starting at 20 days of paid time off and 9 company holidays.
• Health insurance plan for you and your loved ones, Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, and Disability.
• Employer-matched retirement saving funds.
• Personal and financial wellness programs.
• Pre-tax flexible spending accounts (FSAs) for healthcare and dependent care and commuter transit program.
• Generous tuition reimbursement for qualifying degrees.
• Opportunities for professional growth and career advancement.
• Internal mobility, CEU credits, and advancement opportunities.
• Interdisciplinary network of colleagues through the VNS Health Social Services Community of Professionals.

Pay Range

USD $20.98 - USD $26.23 / Hr.