The mission of CASES is to increase public safety through innovative services that reduce crime and incarceration, improve behavioral health, promote recovery and rehabilitation, and create opportunities for success in the community.

• We are committed to helping people—regardless of their past choices, present struggles, or future obstacles—to build the capacity and courage to change their lives.

• We tailor our services to each individual’s unique needs, risks, and strengths and believe the most effective programs are evidence-based, family-focused, and trauma-informed.
• We are committed to engaging the community by leveraging partnerships and resources to maximize our clients’ opportunities for success.

Reports to: Team Leader

Overview: The CASES Brooklyn ACT team provides non-traditional community based mental health treatment to promote the recovery and community integration of 68 adults with serious mental illnesses and co-occurring substance use disorders. The Peer Specialist provides peer support and case management services to promote the engagement and treatment of ACT participants in recovery-oriented services. The peer works with participants in the community, providing direct services including escorts to community services to facilitate access to income support and use of community resources. Using a person-centered approach to engagement, mental illness and recovery, supports consumers to develop wellness plans and supportive healthy community networks to access community resources.

The peer must be a team player with extensive knowledge of psychiatric disability, recovery, peer support and the special treatment needs of consumers with serious mental illness that have not engaged in traditional treatment services to promote their wellness, recovery and reductions in harmful behaviors. Specific responsibilities include:

Responsibilities:

·      Complete the living skills assessment, a component of the ACT comprehensive assessment

·      Identify the treatment services consumers should receive in ACT based on living skills, stage of change and immediate needs and recommend treatment objectives for the consumer’s service plan

·      During the assessment obtains information: a) to establish the degree risk for poor self-care, social relations and associated harmful behaviors, and interventions required to promote progress towards recovery, and b) lead the ACT team in daily meetings and weekly clinical meetings around peer support needs and incorporate findings into service plans

·      Build in review and evaluation points, and modifies service objective in the light of feedback from recipients and relevant others

·      Involve family and significant others in the consumer’s treatment with the ACT team

·      Complete 6-month comprehensive assessment and crisis intervention and relapse prevention plans, progress notes and significant data

·      Provide individual peer support and wellness counseling, harm reduction counseling based on motivational interviewing

·      Work effectively with the consumer’s support system, and self-help groups providing services to ACT consumers. Link consumes to peer support and self-help recovery resources

·      Complete at least 68 face to face treatment contacts in the community each month

·      Act as advocate and liaison for consumers in income support and access to resources to support service plan goals

·      Facilitate Wellness Group and lead WRAP/Crisis Planning activities

·      Involve family, significant others, and housing providers in ACT treatment

·      Provide 24-hour crisis intervention on-call services on rotating basis

·      Provide 80 percent of treatment contacts in the community

·      Provide culturally competent services in accordance with CASES policies and practice

· Graduate of a recognized peer specialist training program such as the Howie the Harp Peer Advocacy and Training Center Peer Specialist Program;

· High school degree with related work experience;

· Must be a mental health consumer. As a peer in recovery from mental illness and/or co-occurring serious mental illness and substance abuse the peer must be willing to utilize recovery experience to engage and support ACT consumers;

· Strong knowledge of wellness, recovery and self-help; 

· Effective communication and written skills are essential;

· Proficiency with computer and databases; 

· Bilingual/Bicultural preferred

Salary: Commensurate with experience

Benefits: Here at CASES we offer benefits that will assist you in making the most of your career and your life. Our programs include health and wellness insurance which is offered through Aetna. A retirement 403(b) plan is held with Principal, education, and training. Additionally, our portable ancillary benefits are offered through Aflac, Legal Shield, and ADP Flexible spending account; which is then deducted through payroll along with commuter benefits, additional short-term disability, cancer, additional income protection, hospitalization coverage, and identity theft protection.

In one document, attach your cover letter and resume in PDF or Word format. No phone calls please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

CASES is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment with CASES is based solely on qualifications and competence for a particular position, without regard to race, color, ethnic or national origin, age, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or marital, military, or citizenship status. We also actively recruit individuals with prior involvement in the criminal justice system.Your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.