Full-Time

Peer Specialist

Posted on 12/15/2025

Deadline 12/15/26
S:US

S:US

1,001-5,000 employees

Provides services for homelessness, mental health

Compensation Overview

$45k - $50k/yr

Brooklyn, NY, USA

In Person

Category
Customer Experience & Support (2)
,
Requirements
  • Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA) Provisional or Certified.
  • The Peer Specialist should understand the community in which the team is based with an awareness of available community resources.
  • The Peer Specialist should also be someone who has made positive and productive progress toward his or her own recovery.
  • Demonstrate good interpersonal communications skills and the ability to empathize with, relate to and effectively work with participants of mental health services.
  • Must possess the ability or willingness to disclose their recovery story (where appropriate) for the purposes of empowerment.
  • Excellent judgment and the ability to understand boundaries when working with participants of mental health services is required.
  • Adhere to on call cell phone system to facilitate crisis intervention, emergencies and other situations that require immediate action.
  • Field work hours in the community are required, i.e., visiting clients in their home, meeting clients in the community; 50%.
  • Driving is not required.
  • CRPA Provisional or Certified.
Responsibilities
  • Provide peer services on site to people living in the shelter that are at risk of harm from drugs and alcohol.
  • Provide recovery support services to individuals identified as at risk.
  • Provide coordination of treatment and transitional planning as needed.
  • Provide harm reduction education and awareness to shelter staff and clients on a regular basis: presentations, office hours, signage, etc.
  • Work collaboratively to encourage and support individuals identified as at risk.
  • Work collaboratively to meet project deliverables and achieve overall project goals.
  • Assist with making referrals to harm reduction, substance use, primary care, mental health care, pain management or other as needed.
  • Support linkage to care, return to care, retention in care.
  • Accompaniment to appointments and supporting access to tele-health services.
  • Treatment adherence support (reminders, check-ins etc).
  • Support discharge and transition planning.
  • Documentation and reporting of services delivered (in CARES).
  • Participate in Community of Practice and Learning of others in this role citywide (facilitated by DHS and OASAS).
  • Embracing Creative Narratives: Peer Specialists need to be able to understand, share and discuss multiple frameworks for understanding life experiences such as psychosis with participants and the rest of the S:US team.
  • Advocacy: Peer Specialists advocate with and for program participants both in the larger community and on the team.
  • Co-Creating Support and Wellness Tools: Collaborate with participants to clarify their personal visions and develop their wellness toolkit. Along with other team members, Peer Specialists support participants in strengthening their self-awareness, building life skills, and connecting to resources and community outside of the S:US team.
  • Team Communication: Peer Specialists maintain open and frequent communication with the team. This includes reporting safety and other concerns to the team. Peer Specialists will also keep notes on visits with program participants as required by the provider agency. In the spirit of peer support, co-collaborating on reporting with the program participant is encouraged.
Desired Qualifications
  • Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.

S:US provides services and advocacy for New Yorkers facing homelessness, intellectual/developmental disabilities, behavioral health and addiction challenges, poverty, criminal justice involvement, and trauma. It supports tens of thousands of individuals and families in New York City and Long Island with about 1,800 staff. The organization offers tailored direct services such as housing assistance, health and behavioral supports, case management, and community programs to help clients achieve stability and long-term well-being. Its goal is to empower underserved New Yorkers to lead lives of purpose, improve neighborhoods, and break the cycle of poverty for current and future generations.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

New York City, New York

Founded

1978

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Perry Perlmutter's 2023 CEO appointment strengthens financial leadership from prior CFO role.
  • Margaret-Ann Cole's 2024 Chief People Officer hire enhances talent management capabilities.
  • NYC government partnerships ensure steady contract revenue for social services expansion.

What critics are saying

  • Nonprofit model limits scalability without massive grant funding increases.
  • Heavy reliance on NYC contracts exposes S:US to municipal budget cuts.
  • Perry Perlmutter's recent CEO transition disrupts strategic execution in 2026.

What makes S:US unique

  • S:US delivers $315 million in services annually to 35,000 New Yorkers facing homelessness.
  • Founded in 1978, S:US provides housing, employment, and recovery services across NYC.
  • 1,800 staff execute eviction prevention and food security programs for vulnerable populations.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

Short-and-Long-Term Disability

Paid Vacation

Paid Holidays

Flexible Work Hours

Company News

NYC Health Department
Oct 19th, 2023
NYC Hep C Task Force Meeting Highlights | 09-27-2023

In partnership with Services for the Underserved, NYC Health Dept launched the city's first Public Health Vending Machine located at 1676 Broadway, Brooklyn (corner of Decatur and Broadway).

INACTIVE