Peer Specialist

Our Mission:

Since 1967, Odyssey House has been providing innovative services and programs to a broad population of individuals and families struggling with substance use and mental health disorders. Odyssey House helps New Yorkers of all ages—and across all five boroughs—beat drugs and alcohol with highly individualized treatment programs. Odyssey House provides high quality, holistic treatment impacting all major life spheres, including: psychological, physical, social, family, educational and spiritual in order to support personal rehabilitation, renewal and family restoration.

If that sounds different than other treatment programs, you’re right. Because Odyssey is where recovery gets real

In addition to competitive salaries, Odyssey House offers (Full-Time Employees Only):

• A 35-hour work week (as opposed to a 40-hour work week)
• Vacation Plan and Holiday Schedule
• Life Insurance
• Medical Insurance (Two Plans)
• Dental and Vision Insurance
• Additional Insurance Coverages (hospitalization, accidental, critical illness coverage)
• Long-Term & Short-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Account/Health Reimbursement Account
• 403(b) Plan
• Corporate Counseling Associates (CCA) EAP benefit
• Ability Assist Counseling Services (through The Hartford)
• Commuter Benefits
• Educational Assistance Programs
• Special shopping discounts through ADP Marketplace and PlumBenefits
• RUFit?! Fitness Program
• Pet Insurance
• Legal Assistance 
• Optum Financial Service through ConnectYourCare
• Benefit Advocacy Center through Gallagher

 Hourly Compensation Rate: $20.80

MARJOR FUNCTIONS:

The Peer Specialist is a fully integrated outreach team member who provides linkage and referrals services to recipients with mental health and co-occurring disorders.  Because of their personal life experiences with mental health wellness and co-occurring recovery, which demonstrates self-sufficiency, the Peer Specialist provides expertise that other professional training cannot replicate.   

The Peer Specialist will advocate, counsel, educate and find specific resources to refer/link the enrolled recipient(s) to reach their individual goals. The enrollment into the program for referrals/linkages will remain in place for six weeks.  Once that timeframe has been reached the individual recipient case will be closed out, however there could be exceptions if the recipient(s) needs further assistance in reaching their individual goal.   

SPECIFIC DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide outreach to the community at large in an effort to locate, intake and refer/link recipients to mental health and other services; as outlined in the Recovery/Action Plan (10 recipients a month).   
• Keep charts updated weekly.  Weekly contact with the recipient needs to be documented in the chart in regard to progress, lack there-of or change in objectives, interventions and goals.   
• Support the recipient(s) in maintaining focus and accomplishment of their identified goals.
• Organize and facilitate focus topic wellness group.   In these groups’ attendance will be taken and only unduplicated recipients will be counted as a contact monthly.    
• Assist the Outreach Coordinator or be able to provide presentation of the program at potential or existing sites.
• Provide street outreach (tabling) and individual contact in regard to our services as offend as necessary (evenings & weekends).   
• Promote/develop the recipient’s self-advocacy skills.
• Meet monthly with Outreach Coordinator for supervision.
• Other duties as required.

REQUIREMENTS: EDUCATION/TRAINING, EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

1. High School Diploma or G.E.D.
2. Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA-P/CRPA/CRPA-A) certificate highly preferred but not required.
3. Must be able to work a flexible work schedule.
4. Must be proficient in Microsoft products (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, etc.)
5. Drivers license 

Odyssey House is an equal opportunity employer maintaining a non-discriminatory policy on hiring of its personnel. Odyssey House, and its operational divisions, will not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or citizen status in all employment decisions including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, training, rate of pay or other forms of compensation, layoff, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment.