Position Information

NY HELPNo

AgencyMental Health, Office of

TitleAdvocacy Specialist 2, Central Office;

Occupational CategoryHealth Care, Human/Social Services

Salary Grade18

Bargaining UnitPS&T - Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PEF)

Salary RangeFrom $60069 to $76387 Annually

Employment Type Full-Time

Appointment Type Permanent

Jurisdictional Class Non-competitive Class

Travel Percentage 30%

Schedule

Workweek Mon-Fri

Hours Per Week 37.5

Workday

From 8 AM

To 5 PM

Flextime allowed? No

Mandatory overtime? No

Compressed workweek allowed? No

Telecommuting allowed? No

Location

County New York

Street Address NYS Office of Mental Health, New York City Field Office

330 Fifth Avenue

City New York

StateNY

Zip Code10001

Job Specifics

Minimum Qualifications Qualified candidates must possess:

A Bachelor’s degree AND two years’ experience as a professional advocate or service provider in the field of rehabilitation, developmental disabilities, or mental health.

OR

A Master’s degree in a human services field AND one year of experience as a professional advocate or service provider in the field of rehabilitation, developmental disabilities, or mental health.

OR

Four years of experience as a professional advocate or service provider in the field of rehabilitation, developmental disabilities, or mental health.

OR

One year of experience as an Advocacy Specialist 1, Grade 14.

Candidates who have lived experience as a recipient of services within and demonstrated leadership within the advocacy/peer support movement or are Certified Peer Specialists are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please note: This position requires visitation to hospitals and/or other health care settings and direct interaction with patients and patient care staff. Upon appointment, the candidate must be fully vaccinated or willing to become fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Candidates who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 may not start working until two weeks after their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Duties Description The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) is recruiting to fill one Advocacy Specialist 2 position in the Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) to function as a Peer Coordinator assigned to the New York City Field Office. OCA works to ensure the inclusion of recipient perspectives into OMH policy making, planning, program development, and evaluation. Specifically, the incumbent will work to support the successful growth and professional development of Peer Specialists within the organization through mentorship, technical assistance, training and support to agency programs utilizing peer specialist staff as part of the treatment team. The incumbent serves at a Regional level and functions as a Peer Coordinator, interacting and collaborating with the Field Office staff of both the NYC and Long Island offices, The Office of Consumer Affairs, and state operated programs in the New York City and Long Island area to deliver technical assistance, oversight, and training to State and local mental health programs Statewide.

Specific duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Work with the psychiatric centers, central office and field office staff as needed to continue to incorporate peer values and the recognition of the peer specialist discipline into OMH State Operated Programs.
• Provide support and technical assistance to peer specialists working within OMH programs, including facilities, outpatient, housing, etc. around peer values, peer best practices, advocacy practices, and other modalities utilized by certified peer specialist statewide and nation-wide.
• Provide feedback and recommendations to supervisors of peer specialists concerning the fidelity practices of peer support, peer specialists core values and code of ethics, and support of the professional development of the peer specialist discipline.
• Assist the OCA with facilitation of the overall shift in perspective needed agency wide in the role and value of peer specialists in accordance with the promoted peer values and best practices supported by the NYS Credentialing Board.
• Participate in OMH workgroups composed of peer specialists, clinical and supervisory staff, the Office of Consumer Affairs and other related stakeholders in Statewide and regional initiatives to ensure that peer specialists engage in peer related work in accordance with best practices and peer values.
• Provide a regional perspective, as well as technical assistance, in support of the networking, training and professional development of peer specialists.
• Consult and collaborate with content experts from both the youth and family advocate disciplines when needed to support the ongoing, often parallel needs of the respective professions.
• Provide technical guidance and training on the co-supervision of peer specialists following accepted practices on co-supervision from peer models.
• Create and facilitate networking infrastructure for Peer Specialists and Supervisors.
• Provide expert advice, assistance, and training to ensure peer specialist services are trauma informed and responsive, recovery oriented, and culturally relevant.
• Promote awareness of recovery, self-help, and empowerment and the role of peer specialists within this framework to peer specialists and other agency wide staff.
• Provide expert advice, assistance, and training to ensure peer specialist services are trauma informed and responsive, recovery oriented, and culturally relevant.
• Assist in the recruitment and retention of peer specialists within state facilities and programs within the region in fulfillment of the direction provided by the Deputy Director of OCA, The Director and Special Assistant to the Commissioner, and the Commissioner.
• Work to promote awareness and fidelity of peer values, code of ethics, and best practices of the peer specialist discipline through support of peer specialists within the region, unit teams, supervisors, and other leadership within OMH state programs. Support when needed the values, ethics and best practices of the Youth Peer Advocates and Family Peer Advocates.
• Work collaboratively with the facilities around this initiative, with an initial assignment at Kingsboro PC, and an anticipated inclusion of Manhattan, Kirby, Bronx, South Beach, Creedmoor, and Pilgrim, Sagamore and the New York Chilldren’s Centers.

Additional Comments Please note: This position requires visitation to hospitals and/or other health care settings and direct interaction with patients and patient care staff. Upon appointment, the candidate must be fully vaccinated or willing to become fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Candidates who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 may not start working until two weeks after their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The Mission of the New York State Office of Mental Health is to promote the mental health of all New Yorkers, with a focus on providing hope and supporting recovery for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances. Applicants with lived mental health experience are encouraged to apply. The New York State Office of Mental Health is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.

Contact Information

Name Cheryl Prochera

Telephone

Fax 518-486-3897

Email Address OMHHRM@OMH.NY.GOV

Address

Street NYS Office of Mental Health, Central Office

44 Holland Avenue

City Albany

State NY

Zip Code 12229

 

Notes on ApplyingTo be considered for this position, interested candidates should email a cover letter and resume in Microsoft Word or PDF format as an attachment to omhhrm@omh.ny.gov. Please include the title of the position and Vacancy ID # in the subject line of your email when applying.

You are advised that, should you accept a job offer with the Office of Mental Health, you may be required to be fingerprinted and pay a fingerprint fee.