Job Description

Project Renewal is a leading non-profit organization with the mission of building supportive communities where people achieve dignity and independence, renewing their lives with health, homes, and jobs. Our comprehensive and integrated 24/7 programs are designed to offer the holistic care our clients need. With a staff of 950+ and an annual budget of $140 million, Project Renewal is one of the larger social service nonprofits in New York City

Title: Certified Peer Recovery Advocate (CRPA or CRPA-P)

Program: Shelter in Reach

Salary Range: $50,000- $55,000

Schedule: Mon-Fri, weekends optional, willingness to travel within the 5 boroughs.

Program Overview:

OASAS has collaborated with PRI and DHS to deliver outreach and engagement services to our shelter residents with an existing 822 clinic. The goal of this project is to provide shelters with additional resources to build their capacity to improve behavioral health outcomes of residents and prevent overdose. Peers will work in our shelters located in the Bronx, Manhattan and Brooklyn providing harm reduction support services to high-risk clients.

Position Overview:

Work exclusively in shelter programs where clients may be experiencing challenges related to substance use, trauma history, or mental health. Provide advocacy, outreach, recovery and crisis intervention. Assist participants in developing communication skills and recovery supports. Assist participants to identify their own individual warning signs of return-to-use and developing coping strategies and crisis prevention tools. Provide supportive peer counseling for mental health, substance use, rehabilitation strategies and mutual aid opportunities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential duties of the Certified Peer Specialist include but are not limited to the following activities:

• Escort clients to appointments and programs as needed
• Meet regularly with participants in the shelter providing peer service
• Provide harm reduction counseling services including teaching coping skills, relapse prevention strategies, wellness management and social skills to help participants become more independent and achieve their goals.
• Connect participants to community resources and on-site support services.
• Communicate/collaborate with participants’ treatment providers.
• Participate in staff meetings, case conferences, shelter high risk meetings, and relevant trainings.
• Conduct NARCAN Trainings for both staff and clients
• Conduct groups on a weekly basis at assigned shelter site
• Collaborate with participants assigned case managers to discuss clients needs/progress
• Collaborate with PRI Healthcare Programs and PRI Harm Reduction Services (The Recovery Center/Residential Services/2nd Chance)

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or Equivalent
• Certified Recovery Peer Advocate or Provisional Through OASAS
• Adequate writing and computer skills for completion of reports, case notes, and other documentation as needed in electronic health reporting system.
• Personal lived experience with mental illness or substance use.
• Willingness to share personal experience with others.

Preferred skills

• Teamwork: Ability to work cooperatively with peers and other staff in order to serve the needs of clients as effectively as possible
• Communication: Ability to effectively communicate with all levels of staff and with clients
• Computer: Proficiency in Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, and Outlook, DHS CARES System,
• Language: Bilingual or multilingual a plus

Project Renewal is an equal opportunity employer. Its long-standing policy has been to embrace the equality of opportunity for all employees and applicants without regard to actual or perceived race, color, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, religion or creed, gender (see separately issued Gender Discrimination policy for more detail), physical or mental disability, age (18 and over), military status, arrest record, marital status, domestic partnership status, genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristic, sexual orientation, status as a victim or witness of domestic violence, sex offenses or stalking, unemployment status or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state and local laws.