Crisis Support Specialist, Living Room

Thresholds•Chicago, IL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Living Room offers an alternative to the emergency department for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. It is a community crisis center providing a welcoming, accepting, and calm environment where Crisis Support Specialists offer advocacy, information, and peer support. Specialists utilize their personal experience with mental health recovery to support and educate guests, engage them in conversation to understand their interests and strengths, and encourage their recovery process. Responsibilities include modeling coping strategies, assisting guests in developing crisis recovery plans, and connecting them with supportive services. A key aspect of the role is creating a welcoming atmosphere by greeting guests and learning their names, empowering them to lead their recovery path. Additionally, Crisis Support Specialists are responsible for preparing food for guests and maintaining the tidiness of the space. The role also involves staying updated on mental health trends and enhancing knowledge through training opportunities, with potential for CRSS certification supervision and fee reimbursement.

Requirements

Lived experience of mental health recovery
Effective communication and relationship-building skills
Good writing skills
Strong time management and organization skills
At least 21 years old
Ability to work assigned schedule: Friday & Saturday 6:45am - 3:15pm, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday 2:45p- 11:15pm
High school diploma or GED certificate required

Nice To Haves

Higher education in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling or related field
Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS)

Responsibilities

Provide advocacy, information, and peer support to guests in a community crisis center.
Use personal experience with mental health recovery to support and educate guests.
Engage guests in conversation to understand their stories, interests, and strengths.
Encourage guests to take steps in their recovery process.
Model coping strategies.
Help guests develop their own crisis recovery plans.
Link guests with supportive services.
Greet guests and learn their names to foster a welcoming environment.
Invite guests to take the lead in determining their recovery path.
Prepare food for guests.
Ensure the space is neat and tidy.
Keep up to date on current trends in the mental health field.
Deepen knowledge of evidence-based practices through training opportunities.
Gain supervision for CRSS certification and reimbursement for testing and application fees.