CSO is looking for a Peer Specialist for our FOH Berkshire House program in Pittsfield.

Our FOH Berkshire House is a 24 hour/day, 7 day/week fully supported transitional housing program. FOH Berkshire House provides beds for chronically homeless individuals residing in Berkshire County. This program is peer lead and staffed with Counselors and Case Managers.

This position provides hope, mutual peer support, advocacy, purposeful sharing of lived experience, and education to individuals receiving services.

Starting salary: $38,000-$44,000/year

As an FOH Berkshire House Peer Specialist:

You Will:

• Provide peer recovery support to persons served. This includes willingness to share his/her own recovery story in intentional ways for the purpose of connection building, resource sharing, education, etc.
• Assist with access to treatment and/or supports for achieving sustained recovery. When needed, serve as liaison between person served and the recovery community
• Offer hope, role modeling of recovery, and a vision of a full and meaningful life for all
• Promote peer values as defined in Certified Peer Specialist Training including self- determination, mutuality and reciprocity, individual respect and dignity, easy to understand language, and non-judgmental attitude
• Develop and maintain knowledge of community resources for sharing with individuals and supporting actions for recovery
• Develop and maintain resource manual for program site when directed by manager.
• Assist with the basic needs of individuals including being present with them, advocating for a safe/private waiting environment, providing food/drink/a place to rest, and assisting with basic comfort needs
• Work with supervisor to integrate peer activities and recovery perspective into site programming, team roles, and individual care decisions; obtain/maintain ServSafe, CPR and/or First Aid certification as needed
• Conduct outreach including occasional transportation to individuals when needed and when approved by supervisor
• Represent and advocate a recovery perspective in staff settings including team meetings. Promote and reinforce easy to understand recovery-oriented language

Your Background:

• Experience as consumer of mental health services and willingness to share this experience
• Must have completed (or be willing to complete) the Massachusetts Peer Specialist training and certifications
• At least one year of recovery
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation

Bilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

We also seek applicants who embody CSO's values by being:

• Positive -- maintaining resiliency and focusing on solutions
• Respectful -- collaborating and effectively communicating
• Insightful -- demonstrating self-awareness and effectively priority setting
• Conscientious -- taking accountability and applying feedback

What We Offer

At CSO, we believe our employees are our greatest asset. We are committed to supporting your professional growth, well-being, and success through:

• Competitive salaries
• Health and dental insurance
• Generous paid time off
• 403(b) retirement savings plan
• Free CEUs and ongoing professional development through in-house training
• Employee referral bonuses
• Group-rate supplemental insurance options
• A premier Employee Assistance Program
• A flexible, supportive, and collaborative work environment

Why Join CSO?

For more than 50 years, Clinical & Support Options, Inc. (CSO) has been providing innovative, compassionate behavioral health services throughout Western Massachusetts. With locations across Springfield, Northampton, Greenfield, and surrounding communities, our multidisciplinary teams work together to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and families.

When you join CSO, you become part of a mission-driven organization where collaboration, professional growth, and community partnerships are valued. We encourage our employees to bring their ideas, strengths, and unique perspectives to their work—and provide opportunities to learn, grow, and build a rewarding career along the way.

Come grow with us and make a difference in the communities we serve!

A Great Place to Work

CSO was named a Healthcare Industry Top Workplace, and has been recognized as the fastest-growing behavioral health agency in Western Massachusetts. Our commitment to our employees is reflected in our consistently strong internal employee satisfaction results, with more than 90% of CSO staff reporting that they would recommend CSO as a great place to work.

We invite you to learn more about CSO and discover what makes our organization a great place to build your career.

Professional Development

We are committed to helping our employees continue to learn and grow. CSO offers in-house training and professional development opportunities in areas such as:

Trauma-Informed Care • Motivational Interviewing • Mindfulness Skills • and more

EOE/AA