Recovery Support Specialist

About Us:
Since 1990, New Reach has been a dedicated leader in providing shelter, housing, stabilization, and support for children, families, and individuals experiencing homelessness or at risk for homelessness in the Greater New Haven and Fairfield County areas. We believe in empowering those affected by homelessness and poverty to achieve lasting independence.

Why Work with Us?
At New Reach, you will be part of a compassionate, innovative, and inclusive team that uses the most progressive approaches to inspire independence. You'll play a key role in a transformative movement to end homelessness and food insecurity through prevention, support, and housing solutions that create long-term stability for those we serve.

*Schedule: Monday - Friday, 35 hours per week, including a 30-minute paid lunch (some exceptions apply).

*Comprehensive benefits package:
•Medical, vision, and dental
•401(k) Retirement plan
•Paid Time Off (PTO)
•Paid Sick Time
•(12) Paid Holidays (1) Floating Holiday
•Life Insurance
•Long-Term Disability

Primary Purpose:

As part of a pilot project, New Reach is seeking a full-time Recovery Support Specialist to provide person-centered
peer-to-peer support services to households affected by housing instability. The Recovery Support Specialist will
lend mentorship, guidance, and coaching care focused on parenting skills, household duties, educational system
navigation, and daily living skills. The person in this role will offer a unique level of expertise and ability to
effectively establish a trusting rapport with a client due to his/her own experience with homelessness, mental health, or substance use.

Primary Purpose:

The Agency partners with the Coordinated Access Network (CAN) to provide ongoing case management, stabilization support, and advocacy for individuals, families and youth experiencing homelessness or housing instability In Greater New Haven. The Recovery Support Specialist delivers client-centered services designed to participants using as little support as necessary and as much support as needed through the teaching of daily living skills and collaboration with the case worker to address barriers to maintaining housing.

Essential Functions:

• Provide direct support, coaching, mentoring, crisis intervention, advocacy, referrals and life skills training to increase self-sufficiency;
• Encourage clients in a client-centered, strengths-based manner to identify and work toward goals that support their long-term permanency in the community, utilizing community partners and programs including but not limited to county workers, courts, professionals, vocational and independent living skills in programs, schools, family members and significant others;
• Embrace foundational underpinnings of Trauma-Informed Care; Positive Youth Development; Motivational Interviewing;
• Work closely with the Supportive Housing team to ensure tasks and follow-up are handed off appropriately through strong coordination and communication to maintain successful program operations;
• Maintain timely (within 48 hours) and accurate client files, including but not limited to care plans, correspondence, needs assessments, HMIS data collection, and progress notes, per agency standards;
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding client information; follow mandated reporting protocol whenever appropriate; adhere to all New Reach Policies and Procedures;
• Provide a commitment to the values of New Reach: Professionalism, Integrity, Compassion and Initiative;
• Attend regularly scheduled supervision, staff meetings, community meetings, or trainings as scheduled;
• Other duties as assigned to enhance program start-up and service delivery.

Expectations:

• Have a solutions-based approach to presented problems.
• Be supportive, engaging and encouraging to peers and staff.
• Be adaptable to change and willing to take on more responsibility.
• Maintain strict confidentiality concerning any client's or employees' personal information, living information, and/or HIV status
• Provides a commitment to the values of New Reach: Professionalism, Integrity, Compassion and Initiative
• Adheres to all New Reach's Policies and Procedures

Qualifications:

• Must have completed the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) Recovery Assistant Training and have received the Certification or intend to complete the certification process within the first 6 months of hire.
• If certified, must be registered with DMHAS as having completed an approved Recovery Assistant training program and will be able to meet any continuing education and/or training requirements set by DMHAS.
• Possess at least a high school diploma or GED as well as a valid Connecticut Driver's License, proof of insurance and access to reliable transportation.
• Lived experience with homelessness as a transition-age youth desired. Bilingual/Bicultural preferred.
• High level of personal accountability for the quality and impact of work on the youth and their community.
• Excellent communication skills, professional demeanor, sound judgement, and strong organizational skills.
• Willingness to work collaboratively, but with the capacity to work independently and prioritize tasks.

Physical Demands:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The associate must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.