PEER SPECIALIST at The Institute for Family Health

POSITION SUMMARY

The OnTrackNY Program, an innovative treatment initiative at Walton Family Health Center and Center for Counseling, serves adolescents and young adults within two years of experiencing the onset of non-affective psychosis. The Peer Specialist plays a vital and unique role within the multidisciplinary OnTrackNY team, working alongside program participants, their families, and other team members. By drawing on their own lived and living experiences of overcoming mental illness challenges, the Peer Specialist instills hope and serves as an ally, mentor, and advocate for young people navigating early psychosis.

This non-clinical role leverages principles of mutuality, reciprocity, and self-determination to support participants in achieving their personal goals. Through case management the Peer Specialist aids participants in their efforts to return to school or work, helps individuals understand psychosis, and develops skills for illness management both individually and in groups. 

The Peer Specialist contributes to treatment planning with a focus on “youth-friendliness” and fosters a culture of respect within the team. They provide direct support services in various settings, including team meetings, the program site, community, or hospital, under the supervision of the OnTrackNY Team Leader. By emphasizing community support, social justice, and systems change, the Peer Specialist highlights each client's potential for a successful recovery trajectory, supporting and assisting program participants in overcoming the difficulties and uncertainties of early psychosis.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES
 
1.    Outreach & Engagement: Engage with participants and families in OnTrackNY or those considering OnTrackNY. Promote community awareness of OnTrackNY services, and facilitating enrollment and ongoing participation. 

2.    Relationship Building: Develop reciprocal, supportive relationships with participants, utilizing mutual disclosure, empathy, and reflective listening to minimize power imbalances and increase trust. Selective self-disclosure about your lived experience with mental health problems, substance use, and other aspects of your lives. Your personal recovery story will instill hope and demonstrate goal attainment.

3.    Embracing Creative Narratives: Support participants in exploring and defining their own experiences with mental health, offering alternative understandings of mental health and sensory experiences beyond the bio-medical model. 

4.    Co-Creating Tools for Success: Collaborate with participants to develop and utilize wellness tools, supporting their personal goals and self-awareness.

5.    Supporting & Partnering with Families: Work with participants to identify and involve their chosen support systems, providing education and support to families to help participants and their families stay connected to the program. 

6.    Making OnTrackNY Better: Elicit stakeholder feedback from participants, families, and the community. Their experiences and perspectives about the program will lead to the improvement of the quality of the program.  

7.    Bridge Building: Serve as a liaison between participants, the OnTrackNY team, and community resources, facilitating connections and supporting self-advocacy.

8.    Group Facilitation: Organize and lead groups for participants and families, promoting peer support and community engagement.

9.    Community Mapping: Identify and engage with local resources, supporting participants in accessing community-based programs that integrate their interests into the world outside of mental health treatment programs. Understand the culture of the community in which the team is based. 

10.    Influencing Team Culture: Positively influence the team culture by emphasizing the perspectives and experiences that emerge from your own, and the participants lived and living experiences.  Promote a recovery-oriented, inclusive, and youth-friendly culture within the team, advocating for the participant's perspectives. 

11.    Team Communication & Collaboration: Maintain open communication with team members, participating in collaborative documentation and ensuring integrated services.

12.    Ongoing Professional Development: Pursue professional development opportunities and actively participate in supervision meetings with the OnTrackNY team lead.  

13.    Other duties as assigned.