Peer Counselor - Level II
: Job Details :

NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi is a 457-bed teaching hospital affiliated with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The facility has earned numerous Center of Excellence designations, accreditation, and recognition for its renowned Level 1 Trauma Center, Burn Center, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, regional Stroke Center, Snakebite Treatment Center, Breast Health Center, Bariatric Surgery Center, and Cancer Service. The facility also offers the region s only multi-person hyperbaric chamber, allowing up to nine patients to dive together at one time. Jacobi s Ambulatory Care Pavilion is a stunning complement to its inpatient acute care, allowing staff to provide patients with high-quality service in a modern, state-of-the-art environment.

At NYC Health + Hospitals, our mission is to deliver high quality care health services, without exception. Every employee takes a person-centered approach that exemplifies the ICARE values (Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence) through empathic communication and partnerships between all persons.

Job Description

Under supervision, peer counselors provide direct services to mental health recipients in emergency, inpatient, outpatient, home and specialized settings. Works in close collaboration with staff, recipients and other caregivers in planning and implementing treatment plans. Empowers peers to advocate for themselves, resolve issues or problems and plan for their futures by serving as a role model. There are three assignment levels in this class of position.

• Comforts patients, reassuring them about recovery and explaining the process of how acute distress is addressed.
• Provides orientation and support to patients and collaterals.
• Uses personal experience as a recipient of behavioral health services in role modeling recovery and providing hope for other recipients.

Minimum Qualifications

For Assignments in Mental Health:

1. Satisfactory and documented completion of a formalized Peer Counselor/Specialist Training Program; and

2. Certification as a Peer Specialist (NYCPS) issued by the Peer Specialist Certification Board.

For Assignments in Substance Use:

1. Certification as a Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA) issued by the New York Certification Board.

For all other Assignments:

1. A High school diploma or its educational equivalent; and

2. Satisfactory and documented completion of a formalized Peer Counselor/Specialist Training Program; or

3. One (1) year of full-time satisfactory experience working with consumers of mental health services as a peer

counselor/specialist, peer advocate or in related human services.

Assignment Level II

In addition to meeting the qualification requirements of Peer Counselor Level I, assignment to Level II requires:

1. One (1) additional year of experience, as described in three (3) above.

Department Preferences

Experience in dealing with mentally ill patients, knowledge of community agencies.