Jonathan P. Edwards, PhD, MPhil, LCSW

Dr. Jonathan P. Edwards is a social scientist, public health professional, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Peer Specialist, Certified Personal Medicine Coach, and serves as adjunct faculty at Columbia University School of Social Work and as a clinical instructor at Yale School of Medicine Program for Recovery and Community Health (PRCH). He led the largest peer support workforce within the New York City Hospital system and significantly contributed to the development of the peer support workforce. Since 2015, Dr. Edwards has been employed by New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention, Care, and Treatment as a Program Consultant. In this position, Jonathan manages a portfolio of substance use prevention, treatment, residential, and vocational support programs. He also reviews applications for existing programs seeking to expand their substance use treatment service scope, as well as programs pursuing initial certification as New York State licensed substance use treatment providers. With more than 30 years of personal substance use recovery, breadth of lived expertise, professional background in peer support workforce development, public health, social work, and substance use treatment and recovery services, and his membership on the Friends of Recovery-New York (FOR-NY) Board, Jonathan is ideally situated and amply suited to provide coaching and consultation to fellow leaders and scholars.

Dr. Edwards has published research on job satisfaction and supervision practices; contributed to the development of National Practice Guidelines for Peer Support Specialists and Supervisors; presented on research and practice nationally and internationally; served on a technical expert panel to develop National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification, as well as a national recovery research agenda. He has received several awards and has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and co-edited the recently published “What It Takes: Wisdom from Peer Support Specialists and Supervisors". Dr. Edwards received his M. Phil and Ph.D. in Social Welfare from CUNY Graduate Center; his MSW from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College; and his bachelor’s degree in industrial/organizational psychology from City College of CUNY. Jonathan has served as an executive member of the New York Peer Specialist Certification Board since 2014 and also serves on the board of Behavioral Health News. He maintains professional memberships with National Association of Social Workers and Society for Social Work and Research.

Website: https://www.jonathanedwardsphd.com/

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jpedwards-phd