Senior Peer Specialist

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation is a community justice organization that centers safety and racial justice. Since our founding in 1996, the Center has partnered with community members, courts, and the people most impacted to create stronger, healthier, more just communities. Our decades of experience in courts and communities, coupled with our field-leading research and practitioner expertise, help us drive justice nationwide in innovative, powerful, and durable ways. For more information on how and where we work, please visit www.innovatingjustice.org.  

The Center is a 900-employee, $100 million nonprofit that accomplishes its vision through three pillars of work: creating and scaling operating programs to test new ideas and solve problems, performing original research to determine what works (and what doesn’t), and providing expert assistance and policy guidance to justice reformers around the world.

Operating Programs

The Center’s operating programs, including the award-winning Red Hook Community Justice Center and Midtown Community Justice Center, test new ideas, solve difficult problems, and attempt to achieve systemic change within the justice system. Our projects include community-based violence prevention programs, alternatives to incarceration, reentry initiatives, and court-based initiatives that reduce the use of unnecessary incarceration and promote positive individual and family change. Through this programming, we have produced tangible results like safer streets, reduced incarceration, and improved neighborhood perceptions of justice.

Research

The Center's research teams are staffed with social scientists, data analysts, and lawyers who are academically-trained or have lived experience and who conduct research in the U.S. and globally on diverse criminal-legal system and justice issues. Their work includes evaluating programs and policies; conducting exploratory, community-based studies; and providing research translation and strategic planning for system actors. The Center has published studies on topics including court and jail reform, intimate partner violence, restorative justice, gun violence, reentry, sixth amendment rights, and progressive prosecution. The research teams strive to make their work meaningful and actionable to the communities they work with, policymakers, and practitioners.

Policy & Expert Assistance

The Center provides hands-on, planning and implementation assistance to a wide range of jurisdictions in areas of reform such as problem-solving courts (e.g., community courts, treatment courts, domestic violence courts), tribal justice, reducing incarceration and the use of fines/fees and reducing crime and violence. Our current expert assistance takes many forms, including help with analyzing data, strategic planning and consultation, policy guidance, and hosting site visits to its operating programs in the New York City area. 

Center Support

A dedicated support team within the Center ensures the smooth functioning of operations across various domains, including finance, legal, technology, human resources, fundraising, real estate, and communications. Comprising 15% of the organization's staff, these teams provide essential infrastructure support and innovative solutions aligned with the Center's mission and values. 

THE OPPORTUNITY

Operating within the centralized criminal courthouse, Bronx Community Solutions provides meaningful early diversion, pre-plea and post-conviction sentencing options to participants, in lieu of traditional outcomes. By participating in one of Bronx Community Solutions programs, participants are connected to an array of onsite staff, including social workers, case managers, and group facilitators, with the goal of addressing underlying social service needs and connecting participants to an array of community-based organizations, using the arrest as a window of opportunity to change the direction of an individual’s life and avoid unnecessary incarceration.  

Bronx Community Solutions is seeking a Senior Peer Specialist to help provide supervision along with other Senior Staff to the Bronx HOPE Peer Specialist Team.   The Senior Peer Specialist will work with a team of 7 Peers to provide support with a harm reduction and recovery focus using shared lived experiences. Reporting to the Senior Program Manager, the Senior Peer Specialist will work as a liaison between the Peer Specialists and Program Manager to ensure timely and responsive participant engagement and outcomes.  

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Support and coach peer specialist team by providing assistance, coaching and consultation;
• Meet with Program supervisor and Senior Case Manager to review monthly dispatches and data entry;
• Regularly meet with Peer Specialists to review peer engagement work, NYPD relationships, and case documentation;
• Collaborate with Bx HOPE supervisor to create a monthly Peer schedule for in office and mobile coverage;
• Monitor peer specialist’s interactions with clients to ensure the peer's and client’s needs are being addressed and provide feedback, guidance and support to peer specialists;
• Provide coaching, support, motivation, team building and corrective action as necessary to Peer Specialists for the end goal of increasing client engagement and enhancing advocacy efforts; and
• Collaborate and communicate with NYPD of all roll call schedules, training and peer attendance at the precinct.

Administrative Responsibilities:

• Learn and uphold and model all policies and procedures pertaining to the HOPE program;
• Collaborate with Program Manager and Bronx HOPE Supervisor regarding critical cases and interventions;
• Work with the Bronx HOPE supervisor to oversee scheduling and shift coverage of all Bronx HOPE tasks;
• Create a community engagement map to engage with community members in identified hot spots areas;
• Consult with Senior Program Manager regarding program strategy and staff dynamics;
• Support the work of the case manager in engaging Bronx HOPE clients;
• Provide peer coverage to specific precincts and meet with potential HOPE clients to engage them in drug treatment services;
• Use lived experience and be comfortable serving as a role model of personal recovery to connect with members and support them in their goals;
• Facilitate and guide weekly outreach to educate the Bronx community on how to avoid overdose and implement preventions strategies;
• Manage accurately and efficiently all client interactions in the mobile office;
• Provide support crisis intervention and support when needed;
• Ability to participate in community outreach including in person outreach to contact individuals who are referred to the HOPE program;
• Operate company vehicle in the community for community outreach and park in front pf precincts for immediate client engagement;
• Drive or manage the driving schedule needed to support participants who are referred to services;
• Supervise all with loading and replenishment of materials needed in the vehicle;
• Manage all complete pre- and post-trip safety and operations checklists and documentation needed within the shift; and
• Other appropriate duties as may be assigned.

Requirements:

• Ability to motivate clients and peers in a courteous, empathic and professional manner;
• Excellent listening and relationship-building skills to establish strong working alliances with clients, staff and stakeholders;
• Superior communication skills to convey information clearly, accurately, and completely;
• Ability to de-escalate and maintain professional standards when handling difficult outreach and case management challenges;
• Must have experience with integrated substance abuse assessment, treatment and motivational interviewing techniques;
• Capacity to work collaboratively with law enforcement and stakeholders to design maps of hotspots areas with high concentration of overdosed and arrests;
• Able to effectively manage and prioritize case load and required outreach to participants, stakeholders and providers; and
• Thrive in a collaborative team setting and attend conferences, seminars, and meetings as needed.

Qualifications: An ideal candidate will have a:

• High School diploma or high school equivalency and two years of experience in peer support services required;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English;
• New York State Certified Peer Specialist OR CRPA Certified Peer preferred;
• Basic computer and data entry skills;
• Bilingual skills (Spanish/English) preferred;
• Driver’s license required;
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of harm reduction.

Position Type:  Full-time. Flexible hours and rotating weekend schedule

Location:  Bronx, NY

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $57,500 - $65,000 and is commensurate with experience. The Center for Justice Innovation offers an excellent benefits package including comprehensive healthcare with a national network, free basic dental coverage, vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts including commuter FSA. We prioritize mental health care for our staff and offer services like Talkspace and Ginger through our healthcare plans. We offer a 403(b) retirement plan with a two-to-one employer contribution up to 5%.

The Center for Justice Innovation is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace, and as such, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, age, military service eligibility, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other category protected by law. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from women, people of color, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, as well as individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system. Our aim is to create a supportive and respectful environment where every individual, irrespective of their background or identity, feels valued and included.

As of February 10, 2023, New York City Executive Order 25 rescinded the requirement of the COVID-19 vaccination for City workers, new hires, and contracted employees. Accordingly, the Center does not require all new hires be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus; however, the Center recommends all staff, interns, and volunteers stay up-to-date on the vaccination.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete an employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. Kindly refer to the job posting for the relevant contact information. If the contact details are not provided, we kindly ask that you refrain from making inquiries via phone or email, as only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.