Thresholds

Crisis Support Specialist

Posted 2 Days Ago

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Chicago, IL, USA

In-Office

25-50 Hourly

Entry level

Other

Thresholds provides services for persons with serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders in Illinois.

The Role

Support individuals in mental health crises through advocacy and peer support, while educating them on recovery strategies in a community crisis center.

Summary Generated by Built In

When people experience a mental health crisis, they are faced with the decision to go to the emergency department or to try to manage the crisis themselves. The Living Room offers an alternative: a community crisis center—a welcoming, accepting, and calm environment where Crisis Support Specialists provide advocacy, information, and peer support.

As a Crisis Support Specialist, you will use your personal experience with mental health recovery to support and educate Living Room guests on managing crisis. You will engage guests in conversation to hear their stories, learn about their interests and strengths, and respectfully encourage them to take steps in their recovery process. Over the course of the day, you may model coping strategies, help guests develop their own crisis recovery plans, and/or link guests with supportive services for after their crisis.

A welcoming environment is key to the success of the Living Room, so you will greet guests and learn their names as part of inviting them to take the lead in determining their recovery path. Crisis Support Specialists will also prepare food for guests and ensure that the space is neat and tidy.

Keep up to date on current trends in the mental health field and deepen your knowledge of evidence-based practices through ample training opportunities to enhance Living Room services. You can also gain supervision for CRSS certification and reimbursement for testing and application fees.

To succeed in this role, you need:

Lived experience of mental health recovery
Effective communication and relationship-building
Good writing skills
Strong time management and organization
To be at least 21 years old
Ability to work assigned schedule: Monday-Friday 11:00pm-7:30am

Many education and experience paths are eligible for this role:

High school diploma or GED certificate required
Higher education in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling or related field preferred
Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) preferred

What sets Thresholds apart: 

Competitive pay – Pay Range: $25.00 - $30.00/hour
- Based on education, experience, and licensure/certifications
Generous PTO
Dental insurance, vision insurance, 3 medical insurance plans
403(b) retirement plan with 3% employer match 
Robust employee assistance program (EAP)
Cell phone reimbursement (up to $50/month)
Public service loan forgiveness 
Supervision for clinical licensure at no cost (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC, CADC, CRSS) 
Reimbursement for professional licensure and license renewal

Thresholds is a mission-driven agency with a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We foster an environment where all feel valued and respected, a place where every employee can be themselves, thrive, and support the agency’s mission. Click here to learn more.

One of the oldest and largest community mental health organizations in Illinois, we pride ourselves in being a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace and one of Chicago’s 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For several years in a row.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

Skills Required

Lived experience of mental health recovery
Effective communication and relationship-building
Good writing skills
Strong time management and organization
High school diploma or GED certificate
Higher education in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling or related field
Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS)

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The Company

HQ: Chicago, IL

1,200 Employees

Year Founded: 1959

What We Do

Established in 1959, Thresholds provides healthcare, housing, and hope for thousands of persons with mental illnesses and substance use disorders in Illinois each year. Through care, employment, advocacy, and housing, Thresholds assists and inspires people with mental illnesses to reclaim their lives. Thresholds is one of the oldest and largest providers of recovery services for persons with mental illnesses and substance use disorders in Illinois. We offer 30 innovative programs at more than 75 locations throughout Chicago, the adjacent suburbs, and four surrounding counties. Services include assertive outreach, case management, housing, employment, education, psychiatry, primary care, substance use treatment, and research. Thresholds’ staff meets people where they are – out in the community. Offering services in a community-based setting makes them more accessible and effective and lessens the social exclusion that is often present in the lives of persons living with mental illnesses and substance use conditions. This allows our staff and clients to work on skills, clinical interventions, and recovery that allows them to live independent lives in their own neighborhoods Our clients are all unique – coming from vastly different backgrounds and arriving with different needs, talents, and hopes. Each client works with our staff to set their own specific short-term goals and objectives, based on their needs, desires, and level of self-sufficiency. Recovery from mental illnesses and substance use is possible. Recovery is a process of finding and living a satisfying and meaningful life, as one defines it for oneself. We assist our clients as they work to reclaim a positive sense of self, and discover their own potential, gifts, and skills.

Why Work With Us

Thresholds employees are real-life super-heroes. Each staff member contributes to providing life-saving mental health services with heart and an unparalleled focus on recovery through innovative, evidence-based practices.