MPI Community Behavioral Health Specialist

Metropolitan Family Services•Chicago, IL

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Metropolitan Family Services (MFS) is seeking a full-time Community Behavioral Health Specialist to join their Metropolitan Peace Initiative Team. MFS is leading the Communities Partnering 4 Peace initiative, a framework aimed at reducing violence and gang activity through community-driven strategies. This role involves intervening with high-risk individuals, transforming community perceptions, and empowering community-based organizations. The position requires engaging effectively with community members, local businesses, and high-risk individuals, while maintaining professionalism and utilizing trauma-informed approaches. Responsibilities include identifying, de-escalating, and mediating tense situations, building trust, and providing follow-up support for stabilization and healing. The role also involves comprehensive assessments, case management, counseling, advocacy, and leading the coordination of behavioral health services within community and transit systems. Developing partnerships with stakeholders, collaborating with team members, and representing the agency in the community are key aspects of this position. The role also includes providing support for MPA, trainings, facilitation, and curriculum development, as well as identifying and utilizing agency and community resources, assessing community conditions, and recommending financial assistance for clients. Meeting contractual requirements like 24-hour crisis coverage and supporting agency events are also part of the job. The position may involve serving on committees, providing clinical guidance, attending regular meetings, and establishing referral networks. A proactive role in developing social work services and programming that supports trauma-informed care is expected, along with meeting agency expectations for direct service and record-keeping, and working effectively with diverse populations. Flexibility to travel to different neighborhoods is also required.

Requirements

Master's Degree in Social Work from an accredited college or university, required.
Two years related post-Masters experience at an intermediate skill level, required.
Must be a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or related license, required.
Requires mobility to work with a community-based caseload.
Ability to maintain assigned community and home-based services.
Ability to work effectively with diverse individuals and groups.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual Spanish preferred

Responsibilities

Identify, deescalate, and mediate tense situations related to mental health concerns; build trust with diverse individuals and groups; and provide follow up support after a crisis to promote stabilization and healing.
Engage effectively with community members, local businesses, and high-risk individuals while maintaining professionalism and utilizing trauma informed approaches.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation of incidents, interventions, and referrals while respecting confidentiality and ensuring adherence to professional standards.
Performs comprehensive, in-depth assessments for a variety of clinical services.
Performs psycho-social assessments and intake as assigned.
Provides a full range of case management, counseling, advocacy, educational, and related services to Community Safety and Transit Operations.
Lead the coordination of behavioral health services within the community and transit systems by reviewing complex cases, supporting high-risk crisis responses, ensuring compliance with clinical, ethical, and organizational standards, and implementing strategies to enhance service effectiveness and team performance.
Develop and strengthen partnerships with community stakeholders, behavioral health systems, hospitals, public safety agencies, and leadership to support program expansion, improve continuity of care, and advance collaborative crisis response initiatives across diverse communities.
Collaborate with CPRU team members to identify, de-escalate, and mediate high-tension situations related to mental health concerns; build trust with diverse individuals and groups; and provide post-crisis follow-up support to promote stabilization and healing.
Provide support for MPA
Provide trainings and facilitation
Identifies and utilizes agency and community resources.
Assesses community conditions affecting clients to identify resource gaps and problems.
Joins or develops groups and coalitions to address community needs.
Recommends financial assistance for clients.
Provides group services as indicated by program need.
Responsible for meeting contractual requirements such as 24-hour crisis coverage.
Represents and interprets programs of agency in community.
Support and attend "Light in the Night" events
May serve on regional or agency-wide committees.
May provide clinical guidance and shadowing opportunities for students
Attend regular meetings: e.g. team, case consultations, individual supervision
Provide ongoing support, trainings, facilitation and curriculum development
Establishes referral network/linkages with outside agencies for participants and their families.
Takes a proactive role in the development of social work services and programming that supports trauma informed care.
Meets agency expectation for quantity of direct service.
Complies with agency record-keeping expectations.
Works effectively with diverse staff and service population.
Flexible to travel to different neighborhoods of the city