Senior Peer Advocate

Senior Peer Advocate

Location: Long Island City & Bronx NY

Position Summary

The Senior Peer Advocate is a behavioral health professional with lived experience who provides leadership, mentorship, and direct support to individuals receiving mental health supports services. This role promotes recovery, wellness, and self-sufficiency while modeling peer support principles. The Senior Peer Advocate also assists with training, program development, and supervision of peer staff and peer interns.

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Key Responsibilities

Peer Support & Engagement

· Provide individual and group peer support services based on lived experience.

· Assist clients in developing recovery goals, wellness plans, and self-advocacy skills.

· Offer emotional support, crisis de-escalation, and encouragement.

· Help individuals navigate behavioral health, social service, and community systems.

Leadership & Mentorship

· Serve as a role model for peer staff, interns, and participants.

· Provide guidance, coaching, and task supervision to Peer Advocates.

· Support onboarding and training new peer staff.

· Promote adherence to peer support values, ethics, and recovery-oriented care.

Advocacy & Coordination

· Advocate for individuals’ needs within treatment teams and service systems.

· Collaborate with clinicians, case managers, and community providers.

· Link individuals to resources such as housing, employment, education, and healthcare.

Program Support, Compliance & Professional Development

· Assist in developing and facilitating peer-led groups, workshops, and activities.

· Maintain accurate and timely documentation in compliance with agency and regulatory standards.

· Ensure services align with agency policies, Medicaid/State guidelines, and peer certification standards.

· Maintain required certifications and participate in ongoing training.

· Uphold confidentiality, boundaries, and ethical standards in all interactions.

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Qualifications

Required

· Lived experience with mental health and/or substance use recovery.

· Certification as a Peer Advocate/Peer Specialist (NYS Certified Peer Specialist- OMH).

· High school diploma or equivalent (associate or bachelor’s degree preferred).

· Minimum of 2–4 years of experience in a peer support role.

· Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.

· Basic computer proficiency (documentation, email, Microsoft Office)

Preferred

· Experience providing coaching, mentoring, or training.

· Knowledge of trauma-informed care and recovery-oriented systems.

· Familiarity with documentation systems (EHR) and service coordination.

· Proficiency in Excel

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Core Competencies

· Recovery-oriented mindset

· Leadership and team collaboration

· Cultural humility and inclusivity

· Crisis management and problem-solving

· Advocacy and system navigation

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Work Environment

· Community-based, and in-program setting

· May include travel within the community

· Ability to engage with clients in various settings (office, community, virtual)

Salary Range

· $42,000 – $45,000

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