IPS Counselor

One Hope United • Mount Vernon, IL

7d

About The Position

The IPS Counselor provides counseling, advocacy, case management, and intensive trauma-focused therapeutic interventions to youth and their families during a six-month intervention period in a community-based setting. Working with youth and caregivers in weekly sessions, the counselor supports stronger bonds and communication and improves families’ sense of security and permanency. The role uses strengths-based and trauma-focused approaches, including the Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC) framework and other evidence-based modalities, to develop relationships, assessments, and treatment plans. Services are adapted to family needs and schedules, including sessions outside normal office hours.

The position provides crisis intervention, assessment, follow-up, in-home support, and placement stabilization. The counselor coordinates services and communicates with referring case agencies, caregivers, youth, colleagues, and community partners. The role also involves home visits, documentation and database tracking, court-related documentation as needed, and rotating after-hours on-call coverage. The program operates 24/7, and the counselor must be available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with some later-evening sessions and day or overnight travel.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a social service field, such as Social Work, Psychology, Education, or Criminal Justice.
• Valid driver's license.
• Acceptable driving record.
• Automobile insurance coverage at OHU-required levels.
• Availability Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Availability for sessions outside normal office hours, including later evenings.
• Availability for rotating on-call coverage and day and overnight travel.

Responsibilities

• Provide counseling, advocacy, case management, and support and stability services to referred families for up to six months.
• Provide intensive, trauma-focused therapeutic interventions to youth and caregivers in a community-based setting.
• Conduct weekly sessions with youth and caregivers to strengthen bonds and communication and improve security and permanency.
• Use strengths-based and trauma-focused approaches, including the ARC framework and other evidence-based modalities, to develop relationships, assessments, and treatment plans.
• Provide crisis intervention response, assessment, follow-up, and appropriate in-home services.
• Conduct an initial visit within five days of referral opening.
• Provide active guidance and feedback during family contacts, including sessions, crisis interventions, and other crisis-stability events.
• Complete intake, mental health assessments, treatment planning, and DCFS extension and discharge processes.
• Diagnose and treat mental health disorders.
• Facilitate individual, group, and family sessions.
• Integrate services by serving as a central communication point among service components during a crisis and, when applicable, during follow-up.
• Provide on-site support to prevent placement disruption and facilitate children’s placement needs in collaboration with the referring case agency.
• Conduct home visits.
• Maintain positive relationships with agencies and community members.
• Prepare required client-file documentation, weekly filings, and DCFS database tracking twice monthly.
• Prepare documentation for court proceedings as needed.
• Participate in regional and statewide in-person and virtual team meetings, agency management meetings, and work groups.
• Provide exceptional customer service to parents, foster caregivers, referring case agencies, and team members.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure client data is secure.
• Report to the Child Abuse Hotline as directed by the Mandated Reporter Act and report exposure to communicable diseases.
• Support program information in Microsoft Teams and SharePoint and assist with updating client data in the IPS database.
• Submit expense vouchers, renewed driver's licenses, and automobile insurance coverage by their due dates.
• Provide rotating after-hours on-call support across IPS offices, typically one week per month, for the program’s 24/7 needs.

Benefits

• Tuition assistance up to $2,500 per year.
• Up to four weeks of paid vacation, up to six paid personal days, up to five paid sick days annually, and a mental health day.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• 403(b) retirement plan.
• Flexible spending accounts and health savings account.
• Agency-paid life and accidental death and dismemberment coverage up to $50,000 based on salary.
• Voluntary supplemental plans for employees, spouses, and children.
• Voluntary legal plans and pet insurance.
• Agency-paid long-term and short-term disability.
• Career ladders, professional development, and promotion opportunities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time