Mental Wellness Therapist

Nourishing Hope•Chicago, IL

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Nourishing Hope is a dynamic Chicago nonprofit agency that provides food, social services (job and housing assistance), and free mental wellness counseling. Founded in 1970, the organization serves the whole person with respect and dignity. Their services include monthly food distribution, home delivery for homebound neighbors, case management, mental health counseling, job search support, domestic violence intervention, referrals, and public benefits assistance. Nourishing Hope serves tens of thousands of people annually, providing millions of meals and social services to low-income neighbors. The Mental Wellness Therapist primarily supports the effective delivery of Nourishing Hope’s mental wellness programming, including clinical outpatient services (individual and group), client outreach, stakeholder engagement, data tracking and reporting, and quality assurance. This role acts as a liaison to all neighbors, volunteers, staff, and other stakeholders to ensure a dignified and respectful experience in alignment with Nourishing Hope’s Core Values.

Requirements

Master’s degree in social work or counseling
Individuals are required to receive clinical supervision while completing the supervised hours needed to qualify for clinical licensure testing.
1+ year experience working in a human services setting and engaged in direct client work
Strong technology skills including: Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite
Ability to use and maintain Salesforce customer relationship management (CRM) data quality
Commitment to Nourishing Hope’s mission and an understanding of and belief in the importance of food security for all
Familiarity with the interconnected barriers experienced by neighbors experiencing food insecurity, including but not limited to homelessness, mental and physical health, disability, substance use, and aging-related barriers
Strong interpersonal and communication skills (in person, over the phone, remotely, and in writing) and the ability to navigate challenging situations with patience and professionalism
Proven ability to work independently and as a member of a team, including willingness to provide staff coverage, depending on programmatic need
Ability to prioritize workload and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions
A high level of professionalism, attention to detail, and a high degree of accuracy

Nice To Haves

LSW or LPC with unrestricted Illinois license
Experience planning and conducting individual and group therapy and counseling sessions
Bilingual (Spanish)
Previous experience in the hunger relief sectors, with familiarity with Chicago human services ecosystem
Experience in Non-violent Crisis Intervention techniques

Responsibilities

Managing a caseload of 20 clients, support the execution of all relevant Mental Wellness standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure a high level of programming and mental wellness services that adhere to organizational, state, and federal policy/standards, and technology utilization and data quality.
Ensure evidence-based and up to date Mental Wellness programming (individual and group), in alignment with SOPs, through outreach via phone, email, and scheduled appointments remotely and in person.
Providing individual and group services that are human-centered and trauma-informed, and providing external referrals as appropriate.
Maintaining accurate case records that include assessments, interventions, service plans, and case note in Azzly (EHR) and Salesforce and administer IM CANS assessments with Medicaid clients, as appropriate.
Actively participates as a member of the Mental Wellness & Social Services team and to ensure cross-team and cross-departmental alignment with organizational priorities to achieve organizational goals.
Participates in external meetings and trainings, as required.
Collaboratively works with all Nourishing Hope food distribution programs to ensure alignment and programmatic optimization across Program Department.