CSO is looking for a Peer Specialist to join our CBHC (Community Behavioral Health Clinic) PACT (Program of Assertive Community Treatment) program in Leominster.

Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) is an evidence-based intensive outpatient treatment program designed to assist youth overcome the barriers to their recovery from severe and persistent behavioral health disorders.?

The Peer Specialist provides hope, mutual peer support, advocacy, purposeful sharing of lived experience, and education to individuals receiving services. Peer specialists also model and inform other CSO staff about recovery, taking on program-specific duties as applicable. Peer specialists take on varying duties which support clients but which minimize hierarchical or judgmental relationships. Peer duties typically include phone support, individual or group meetings to support individuals being served, care team participation and outreach to individuals served. Applicants are expected to have or obtain peer specialist certification through Mass DMH after hire.

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

As a PACT Peer Specialist:

You Will:

• Facilitates individuals' access to resources. Clients include individuals with mental illness, substance use disorder (SUD) or co-occurring conditions
• Provide peer recovery support to persons served. This includes willingness to share their 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 providers or the recovery community
• Offer hope, role modeling of recovery, and vision of a full and meaningful life for persons served
• Promote peer values as defined in Certified Peer Specialist Training or Recovery Coach 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
• Assist with the basic needs of individuals including being present when needed, advocating for a safe/private waiting environment, providing food/drink/a place to rest, and assisting with basic comfort needs

Your Background:

• Lived experience as someone served by the mental health/behavioral health service system and a willingness to share knowledge and experience of recovery
• High School Diploma
• One year of sustained recovery
• Computer proficiency
• 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