Adult Certified Peer Specialist

About the role

The Adult Certified Peer Specialist (NYCPS) uses lived experience of mental health recovery to provide non-clinical, recovery-oriented support to adult clients at HSVS’s OMH-licensed MHOTRS clinic. The Peer Specialist offers one-to-one support, co-facilitates groups, assists with navigation and self-advocacy, and partners with the multidisciplinary team to strengthen engagement, hope, and self-management. This role is supervised by licensed clinical staff and complements, but does not duplicate, clinical services.

Primary Responsibilities And Essential Functions Of The Position

• Provide individual peer support (in-person, telehealth, and community-based) focused on recovery goals, wellness planning, coping skills, and system navigation.
• Facilitate or co-facilitate peer-led groups (e.g., recovery, wellness, social connection, skills practice).
• Use intentional, appropriate self-disclosure to promote hope and model recovery; maintain professional boundaries.
• Conduct outreach and engagement, including pre-admission contacts to help prospective clients enter care.
• Cool down and hand off to clinicians; participate in treatment planning, case conferences, and team meetings.
• Support linkage to community resources (benefits, housing, employment/education, social supports).
• Promote person-first, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed care.

Qualifications

• Lived experience of mental health recovery and willingness to share recovery story in service to others.
• NY State Certified Peer Specialist (NYCPS) or Provisional NYCPS required; provisional hires must obtain full certification within 12 months.
• Experience working in behavioral health, peer-run, or human services settings preferred.
• Strong communication, empathy, boundary-setting, and teamwork skills; comfort with basic technology/EHR.
• Bilingual capability (Spanish/English or other community languages) strongly preferred.
• Completion of agency orientation (documentation, telehealth, crisis escalation, safety) and ongoing CE.
• Ability to travel locally within Brooklyn/NYC as needed (no client transport in personal vehicle).

Benefits

• Rewarding work in a team environment.
• Paid vacation, sick, personal days, and holidays.
• 403(B) retirement plans with employer contribution.
• Health, dental, vision and life insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Flexible spending account (Dependent Care, Medical, Parking, and Transit).
• Employee appreciation programs and events.
• Tuition assistance program.
• Professional development opportunities.
• Wellhub discount
• Verizon Wireless discount
• BJs membership discount.
• Discounts on Broadway tickets, movie tickets, theme parks, sporting events, gift certificates & more.

About Heartshare

For over 150 years, Heartshare has been dedicated to championing and empowering New Yorkers society has too often overlooked and underestimated. To learn more about HeartShare, please visit our website at www.heartshare.org or Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

HeartShare Human Services of New York | Homepage

HeartShare Human Services of New York nurtures and empowers children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

HeartShare is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).