Title: Recovery Peer Advocate Trainee

Units: Treatment Services, an OASAS-Licensed Article 32/822 Outpatient Clinic

Reports to: Senior Director, Behavioral Health

Status: Full-Time Regular/; Exempt

Job Code: TBD

Location: Long Island City, NY 11101

Days/Hours: TBD

Date Prepared: October 6, 2021

Position Summary:

This person must be, or be highly motivated to enroll in training to become, a Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (“Peer” or “Trainee”). Trainees will be expected to provide supportive services as described below under supervision while they are in training and are eligible to have their certification expenses paid by a grant. The role shall provide direct support to clients in, or considering entering, Fortune Society’s Medication Assisted Treatment (“MAT”) program within its OASAS-licensed 822 outpatient substance abuse clinic. MAT is the use of Buprenorphine or similar products, such as Suboxone, to treat withdrawal and then long-term cravings experienced by persons who stop using opiates. The Peer shall help locate, enroll and subsequently assist clients in the program.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist (potential) clients to bridge transition from hospital inpatient services and emergency rooms, the criminal justice system, homeless shelters and OASAS residential programs to addiction treatment at OASAS certified outpatient programs in the CASN Network.
• Offer outreach, engagement and motivational services to bridge and retain individuals in treatment.
• Provide navigation supports to access MAT and other treatment modalities.
• Lead or co-lead recovery-based groups.
• Provide outreach/recruitment in community locations where prospective clients congregate to connect them to OASAS-certified outpatient treatment programs.
• Use lived experience to motivate and encourage individuals to access and engage with treatment and recovery services, including modeling coping skills.
• Other duties as assigned.

• The person must identify as living in recovery.
• Person must be enrolled in the training program to become a Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (“CRPA”) or motivated to immediately enter program to begin training to become CRPA.
• Excellent overall interpersonal skills are required.
• Experience with Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is a plus.
• Some prior experience working as a CRPA desired.
• Experience working with persons with criminal justice involvement strongly desired..
• Bilingual English/Spanish a plus.

Travel Requirements: This position requires regular travel around New York City, between Fortune’s main Long Island City facility and its other locations, to other agency facilities, to hospitals, courts, etc.

Physical Demands:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The responsibilities and requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skills, minimum education, training, licensing, experience and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

The Fortune Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of conviction history, race, religion/creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, predisposing genetic characteristics, victim of domestic violence status or marital status.