Derrick Brown, CPS, CASAC-T
Derrick Brown is a Senior Peer Specialist with the Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services' (CASES) Brooklyn Intensive Mobile Treatment team. Derrick has been with CASES for almost 6 years. He graduated from Howie the Harp Peer Academy in 2018, completed his internship with Brooklyn IMT 2019, and was hired as a full time Peer Specialist. Derrick loved to do this work from the start, and it showed in his work performance. As a Peer Specialist, Derrick is able to use his lived experience combined with learned training to assist clients in various aspects of their lives. He has been able to assist clients with obtaining supportive and permanent housing, obtaining government benefits as well as medical and mental health services. Derrick obtained his NYS Peer Specialist Certification and also has his CASAC-T; he is in which he is currently studying to take the exam soon. While at CASES, Derrick has demonstrated his passion for social services on many occasions by participating in several speaking panels, as well as attending justice peer conferences. In 2021, Derrick participated in an ad campaign for NYC's First Lady under Mayor deBlasio, entitled Mental Health for All: CASES Intensive Mobile Treatment. Also in 2021, Derrick participated in Faces of CASES 2021, where employees discussed what it was like working with clients during the pandemic. As the Senior Peer Specialist for IMT, Derrick and another peer oversee about 16 other peer specialists and conducts monthly peer trainings where various topics related to peer work are discussed. Derrick also meets with peers once a month for one-to-one peer supervision. Derrick credits his love for peer work to his own lived experience with the many different systems. Derrick has a passion to help the underserved and those who cannot help themselves.
