Peer Specialist-CS531501

JOB SUMMARY
Peer Specialist are former residents who have moved from Transitional Residence for Veterans and who are successfully employed and living in permanent housing. They participate in the coordination of services and model the behaviors needed to move to permanent housing. They provide advocacy and counseling support to the residents.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: List all essential job duties. (To perform this job successfully an individual must be able to perform each essential duty listed satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with a disability to perform the essential duties unless this causes undue hardship to the agency.)
1. Encourage and assist residents to participate in physical social recreational educational and other rehabilitation goals to facilitate the residents recovery/healing and their fuller participation in the life of their family and community.
2. Assist the Recovery Specialist/Social Worker staff and Case Managers in running wellness and community integration groups.
3. Assist residents with applications for services such as: Access-A-Ride HRA Social Security MTA half-fare cards and other benefits and entitlements in collaboration with the Entitlements Counselor.
4. Assist the Recreation Specialist and Unit Counselors in using neighborhoods for recreational-based incentive programs.
5. Provide motivational interviewing to residents as needed.
6. Participate in length-of-stay reviews.
7. Help residents to identify and access community resources both prior to and after moving into non- transitional housing.
8. Encourage resident socialization both in and out of Transitional Residence for Veterans.
9. Facilitate self-help groups.
10. Assist the recovery Specialists/Social Workers in the facilitation of gender-specific groups that address gender- related community reintegration and adaptation issues that include gender role identity socialization skills development family relationship intimacy and sex education issues.
11. Advocate on behalf of residents in the facility and in the community.
12. Escort residents to appointments if they want such support to maintain service continuity.
13. Participate in wellness self-management and other recovery-oriented groups.
14. Interact with residents in assigned neighborhoods.
15. Assist residents in the neighborhood with meeting their daily living needs; assist in developing the spirit values and culture of the neighborhoods.
16. Responsible for all communication with residents.
17. Welcoming new residents introducing them to their neighbors and orienting them to the values rules expectations and tasks of the neighborhood.
18. Assist with assigning tasks including light cleaning maintenance of a neighborhood message board meal service and wake-up call to residents a daily neighborhood meeting.
19. Assist in the orientation of new personnel when requested.
20. Observe residents behavior and specific responses to services and report observations orally and/or in writing including computer entries as instructed and in accordance with applicable standards; maintain up-to-date accurate individual paper and electronic case records on peer-counselor-related activities.
21. Comply with attendance and timekeeping rules and report reliably and regularly to work on an on-going basis.
22. Attend regularly scheduled clinical meetings case conferences staff meetings and supervision as well as in-service training and development activities.
23. Review the staff communications log and make entries concerning essential elements of information designated by program management.
24. Maintain CPR and First Aid certifications.
25. May have on-call responsibilities.
26. Comply and promote compliance with all applicable laws regulations and agency policies helping to strengthen and maintain an ethical organizational culture.
27. Perform other job-related duties that may be assigned.

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Committed to active promotion of ICL values and goals.
Knowledge of how disabilities can adversely affect functioning and ways to cope with or overcome such effects
Ability to read and write at least at a 12th grade level and to follow written and oral instructions
Ability to work with residents families and staff in a caring and respectful manner and with due understanding of and consideration for cultural differences
Ability to complete written forms and reports in an accurate and timely manner manually and by computer.
Ability to communicate effectively with staff consumers/residents families and the public.
Ability to accompany or transport residents.
Ability to be empathetic and supportive to residents instructing demonstrating modeling and encouraging appropriate behavior and skills
Ability to maintain certification for Standard First Aid and CPR.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Must be a veteran
Completion of an internship or comparable training in peer advocacy and/or social services; experience in providing pure advocacy services to people who are homeless and/or who have disabilities
Past or current recipient of mental health substance services or homeless services preferred.

Required Experience:

IC