Peer Support Specialist

Description

The Commission’s Homeless Services Bureau, in existence since 1983, has extensive experience providing integrated primary health, substance abuse, and mental health services to homeless individuals. We offer transitional health and social assistance to homeless Bostonians, including emergency shelter and permanent supportive housing throughout the city and a broad range of rehabilitative. Our programs are part of a continuum of care designed to help homeless individuals achieve independent living in permanent housing in the community.

We are one of the largest providers of emergency shelter in New England—running two emergency shelters, which operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and provide more than 5,000 homeless individuals annually with food, beds, lockers, emergency clothing, health care, case management, and housing service services. Utilizing a Housing First framework, the housing search and placement department provides an array of programs and supports to help guests quickly find and move into permanent housing.

The housing department provides housing search and placement services to homeless individuals looking for housing. These services are essential to help homeless individuals navigate the complexity in obtaining housing. Services include identifying available units, accompanying individuals to view units, negotiating directly with property owners, working with individuals to help them mitigate and address their barriers to accessing housing (e.g. criminal record), assisting individuals with completing all aspects of the lease‑up process, securing rental start‑up funds and making supported referrals to other types of move‑in assistance as needed (e.g. furniture bank).

Peer Support Specialists function as role models to peers, exhibiting competency in personal recovery and use of coping skills to serve as a consumer advocate and provide consumer information and peer support to help clients move out of shelter and into housing.

• Perform a wide range of tasks to help clients regain independence within the community, mastery over their own recovery process, and move out of shelter into permanent housing.
• Outreach to and build relationships and rapport with shelter guests; engage them in housing services.
• Coordinate, plan, and conduct housing education classes and events.
• Assist clients in applying for and obtaining IDs—including social security cards, IDs, and birth certificates.
• Assist clients in completing various housing and housing‑related applications, including BHA applications.
• Bring clients to apartment viewings and lease signings.
• Transport clients to housing‑related appointments, including BHA, RMV, social security office, job fairs, furniture bank, etc.
• Assist clients with documentation for SSI/SSDI applications.
• Work with the Mayor’s Health Line to schedule appointments for clients.
• Assist in locating clients to inform them of key housing events and opportunities.
• Accompany staff on wellness checks and other visits requiring multiple staff for safety reasons.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Previous participation in Mental Health or Substance Abuse service systems as recipient of service and a willingness to convey this experience is highly desirable.
• Must be certified or be eligible for the Massachusetts Peer Specialist training or equivalent and be certified within 6 months of being hired. (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./
• 1 year of experience in related field desirable.
• Valid Mass Driver’s license strongly preferred.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust and rapport with individuals from different backgrounds.