IMT Peer Specialist Intern

Core Principles

• The job responsibilities of all staff extend to understanding and incorporating certain principles into their work and into their relationships with program participants. These principles are:
• Program participants’ right to self-determination;
• Respectful communication;
• Services that support recovery and healing consistent with and nurturing each participant’s cultural background, experience, identity, and values.
• Clear professional boundaries to support the limits and possibilities of services.

Internship Learning Opportunities and Areas of Instruction

• Through the course of your internship, you will have practice and learned the following skills:
• Understand and implement person-centered treatment planning interventions
• Identify participant treatment and support service needs and associated service plan objectives based on participant goals.
• Utilize strategies for collaborating with collateral contacts including shelters, hospitals, outpatient services and criminal justice systems.
• Provide or connect participants with employment counseling, vocational rehabilitation, completion of housing applications and placement, and provision of life skills training.
• Assist participants with navigating service systems, including behavioral and medical health, criminal justice, shelter system, entitlements and transportation.
• Educate participants about self-help techniques, processes and community options, including education regarding coping strategies via WRAP plans or other supports.
• Provide harm reduction services, integrated substance use treatment and relapse prevention.
• Completion of documentation that meets medical-necessity standards.

Comprehensive IMT service activities

• Assess and provide services to participants to address health and wellness, housing, income support, education, vocational training, employment and social supports.
• Complete assessments and evaluations as required based on a rotating schedule
• Provide
• IMT treatment services including: service planning and coordination; problem solving; support with obtaining housing; developing social connections; strengthening family and other relationships; developing independent living skills and obtaining necessary resources; accessing and accessing education and training; employment supports (job search, placement and support); entitlement and financial management; empowerment and self-help; wellness self-management with a focus on the development of coping skills; support with medications; and weekly groups.
• Use motivational interviewing, recovery and trauma-informed approaches when delivering services.
• Complete crisis intervention and relapse prevention plans.
• Collaboration with participants, families and natural supports, shelter, jail and community partners to promote attainment of treatment and recovery goals.
• Coordinate discharge in collaboration with inpatient and ER staff when participants have involvement.
• Complete thorough, timely and accurate documentation of all contacts.
• Utilize public transportation for travel throughout boroughs.

This job description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions; it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

• Internship Qualifications
• Have an understanding, appreciation, and commitment to the philosophy and mission of Community Access.
• Commitment to person-centered treatment strategies, upholding participants’ rights, and self-determination in service provision.
• New York Certified Peer Specialist (NYCPS), or Provisional Certification in progress.
• Lived experience of a mental health condition required, and a history of homelessness, involvement with the criminal justice system, and/or experience with substance use services, preferred.
• Available to work a flexible schedule, mornings, evenings and weekends in response to participant needs.
• Must be able to work in the community, including use of public transportation
• Computer proficiency in Windows operating systems and programs, such as MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, as well as comfort with learning new electronic systems.
• Bilingual Spanish-speaking, preferred
• Must be fingerprinted and cleared by the New York State Justice Center.

Community Access is dedicated to hiring a workforce that is representative of the populations we serve. BIPOC individuals and persons who identify as having lived experience are strongly encouraged to apply.