Crisis Support Specialist, Living Room McHenry

Thresholds • Mchenry, IL

15h • Onsite

About The Position

The Living Room McHenry offers an alternative to emergency departments for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. It is a community crisis center providing a welcoming, calm environment where Crisis Support Specialists offer advocacy, information, and peer support. Specialists utilize their personal experiences with mental health recovery to support and educate guests, encouraging them to take steps in their recovery process. This involves engaging guests in conversation to understand their strengths, modeling coping strategies, assisting in the development of crisis recovery plans, and connecting guests 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 to improve services. Supervision for CRSS certification and reimbursement for associated fees are available.

Requirements

• Effective communication and relationship-building skills.
• Good writing skills.
• Strong time management and organization skills.
• Must be at least 21 years old.
• High school diploma or GED certificate required.

Nice To Haves

• Lived experience of mental health recovery preferred but not required.
• Higher education in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling or related field preferred.
• Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Use personal experience with mental health recovery to support and educate guests on managing crisis.
• Engage guests in conversation to hear their stories, learn about their interests and strengths, and encourage them to take steps in their recovery process.
• Model coping strategies.
• Help guests develop their own crisis recovery plans.
• Link guests with supportive services for after their crisis.
• Greet guests and learn their names to foster a welcoming environment.
• 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.
• Seek reimbursement for CRSS testing and application fees.

Benefits

• Competitive pay - Base Rate: $25.50- $29.13 per hour (Based on education, experience, and licensure)
• Generous PTO
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 3 medical insurance plans
• 403(b) retirement plan with 3% employer match
• Robust employee assistance program (EAP)
• Mileage reimbursement
• Public service loan forgiveness
• Supervision for clinical licensure at no cost (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED