Mental Health Professional - Chicago, IL

Job Title: Mental Health Professional (MHP)  · 80% Mobile Crisis Response – Engagement Specialist · Department: Mental Health · Reports to: The Mental Health Program Director / 590 Program  · Job Type: Full Time, Salary, Exempt   · Job Location: Chicagoland area  · Salary Range: ...

Job description

Job Title: Mental Health Professional (MHP) 

80% Mobile Crisis Response – Engagement Specialist

Department: Mental Health

Reports to: The Mental Health Program Director / 590 Program 

Job Type: Full Time, Salary, Exempt  

Job Location: Chicagoland area 

Salary Range: $50,000 – $57,000

Rincon - Building Spaces, Restoring Communities - Who we are:

What began as a small clinic established by young community leaders on the West Side of Chicago in 1972 has grown into one of the largest providers of high-quality and culturally competent services focusing on counseling and crisis intervention services, substance use prevention and treatment, violence prevention, education, case management, community and family services. We are dedicated to rendering compassionate and effective programs to promote the quality of life by catalyzing advocate, educate and empower individuals and their families. 

Position Description – What the Role Entails:

The Engagement Specialist works as a member of a multi-disciplinary team providing primarily mobile crisis response services. Their team works to assess the immediate crisis, literally meeting our clients where they are (within our catchment areas), determine stabilization options and provide support as someone who has experienced and considers themselves in recovery from, their own mental health and/or substance use issue. This position will also provide 80% of their time and effort to participate with our mobile crisis response team, which is a 24/7 mental health crisis call line, with a focused effort on evening and weekends, including outreach and engagement activities, with the additional 20% working as a Mental Health Professional within our overall mental health program. 

Company Culture - Do Our Values Speak to You?

At Rincon, our commitment to mutual respect, inclusivity, and diversity is woven into the structure of all that we do. We value: 

• Dedication- Embodying effective and transparent leadership and quality client care. 
• Education – Preventative programming and clinical services based on industry standards, competence and outreach.
• Accountability – Consistent service delivery, measurable success, and sensible financial management.
• Advocacy – Empowerment, reduction of treatment stigma, and relationship building with partners.
• Compassion – Embracing culturally diverse communities and equality through sensitivity to individual needs.

With these values in mind, we promote a culture that fosters professional development and agency success. Many of our employees span an extended tenure, and we pride ourselves on developing dedicated and supported team members.

Areas of Accountability - What you will be doing:

Crisis Response

• Assists in de-escalation of clients experiencing a mental health crisis through engagement with client and coordination with team members providing clinical intervention.
• Establish rapport, share experiences, and strengthen engagement with the individual experiencing the crisis throughout all Crisis Programs.
• Willingness to self-disclose personal lived experience in mental health or substance use recovery (or both) for the benefit of supporting the individuals' receiving services. 
• Role model positive recovery behaviors with clients in Crisis Programs. 
• Provides skill building and case management to clients with identified need.
• Participates in team meetings to assess clients' progress.
• Taking shifts responding to referrals on our 24/7 mental health crisis line, this staff, with immediate access to a QMHP, will prioritize responding to the callers where they are, within our designated service areas within 90 minutes of receiving a mobile crisis response call. 
• Provide Mobile Crisis Response services, including assisting with the IMCAT, Crisis Safety Plan and referral, per the grant and licensure obligations.
• Follow up appropriately, with, crisis stabilization, case management or providing the warm handoff to another referral. 

Community Engagement

• Participate in outreach activities necessary to offer services, engage participation in a non-coercive manner and increase opportunities for professional development.  
• Develop, maintain and establish linkages and relationships with community-based organizations to serve our clients and provide information on Mobile Crisis Response services. 
• Advocate for the clients and agency within the broader health and social service systems. 
• Plan and document community engagement efforts in required formats.
• Some services may be in the community and pursuant to specific grant requirements. 

Assessment, Evaluations & Treatment Planning

• Conduct and document a holistic, trauma informed, relevant and compliant Integrated Assessment (e.g. IM+CANS –certification required), which may include a mental status exam, LOCUS and supporting assessment tools/metrics that lead to a recommended diagnosis, to be confirmed by an appropriately licensed individual. 
• Evaluate clients for risk of harm and respond appropriately, including through development of safety plans. 
• Utilize and/or assist clients in completing other metric based evaluations to assess symptomology. 
• In collaboration with the client and their identified support network, develop and document an integrated, individualized treatment plan based on the assessment to recommend appropriate services to move the client toward their identified goals. 
• Based on client need or in compliance with regulations, review client's Integrated Assessment and Treatment Plan (IATP).
  

Service Delivery

• Focus on the case management and community support recovery needs of each client.
• Provide appropriate behavioral health services (including for co-occurring substance use disorders) using evidence-based skills, conflict resolution and crisis intervention, in different formats, (individual, family, group) as indicated on each client's Integrated Assessment & Treatment Plan (IATP), referring out as needed.
• Services and support are to be provided in ways that respect each client's dignity and are compliant with payer, licensing or accreditation billing procedures, or any other requirements.  
• Coordinate care with other service providers, both internal and external to the agency, as appropriate and based on their IATP. 
• Monitor to ensure that the health and safety needs of our clients are met. 

Supervision and Oversight

• Participate in regular supervision from an RFS LPHA, seeking additional supervision whenever necessary. The minimum requirement is an hour of documented supervision a month.  
• Ensure services are delivered in accordance with the, Crisis Safety Plan, IATP and all regulatory standards.

Documentation and Compliance

• Services are to be documented in the clients' files within 48hrs of service delivery. 
• Maintain client records that meet documentation standards of the agency and all regulatory standards. 
• Participate in quality assurance and quality improvement activities as directed. 
• Adhere to all state and federal privacy regulations, including HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2, and to Corporate Compliance policies and agreements regarding confidentiality, privacy, and security. Support compliance with all privacy and security requirements pursuant to community partners' and outside providers' patient confidentiality agreements, including privacy and security requirements for EHR access. This includes immediate reporting of any PHI breach of Corporate Compliance or outside provider's health records to the Corporate Compliance Legal and Quality departments, as well as to the program administrator.
  

Professional Development

• Complete all agency and other regulatory body required trainings, including topics like state administrative rules, sexual harassment, fraud waste and abuse, mandated reporter, clinical courses, diagnosis and other requirements. 
• Complete all training required to keep any licenses or certifications relevant to your position and/or any grant.
• All other duties as assigned. 

Rincon Rewards & Benefits- How we value you:

• Health insurance 
• Dental & Vision insurance
• Life insurance 
• Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance 
• 403(b) Retirement Plan
• Generous PTO (Paid time off)- Accrue up to 21 days in Year 1, some PTO carryover allowable. 
• Employee Assistance Program 
• Professional Development Opportunities 
• Employment may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
• Certain employees may qualify for City of Chicago commuter transit benefits

Rincon's Work Environment – What to expect:
Physical Demands: The MHP must be able to travel. This work is primarily in the community, either in responding to a crisis or in outreach and engagement activities. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Employees are responsible for informing supervisor of any invisible disability or medical restriction that limits physical capability.

Work environment: The work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. There may be occasions that call for an employee to carry out duties at other agency offices or within the community. Staff must demonstrate flexibility and independence in coordinating travel arrangements, including the use of public transit, rideshare services, or other accommodations to ensure timely and effective mobility. 

Schedule:

• This position is primarily part of a 24/7 on-call program, where we are emphasizing the need to be available on evening and weekends. 

Language:

• Fluency in Spanish, bicultural applicants strongly preferred.

RINCON FAMILY SERVICES IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYEE

Requirements

The Knowledge and Expertise that Matters Most - What you bring to the Role:

• Ability to handle crisis service and easily, comfortably utilize de-escalation skills.
• Good listening, communication, and case management skills. Able to tailor communication styles to make all clients and support structures feel safe and respected.
• Understand of the basic behavioral health needs common to the community areas being served, including co-occurring disorders, and how to serve their recovery. 
• Understand internal and external community, medical and supportive services within the community.
• Ability to adapt, connect and collaborate across differences. 
• Ability to work effectively with peers, individual clients and groups. 
• Desire to learn new skills. 
• Ability to maintain accurate records and necessary paperwork, efficiently and effectively. 

Position Qualifications – What is required to Perform the Role:

• Self-identified and willingness to appropriately disclose lived experience and recovery from a mental health or substance use disorder. 
• CRSS/CPRS certified or obtain one within one year of accepting the position. 
• IM+CANS & IM+CAT certified preferred.
• As evidenced by previous work experience, academic background, and in-service or other training, the staff shall demonstrate a strong understanding of how to:
• Identify precipitating events.
• Gather histories of mental, emotional and physical disabilities, alcohol and drug use, past mental health services and criminal justice contacts.
• Assess family, social and work relationships.
• Conduct and document an integrated mental health assessment.
• Utilize appropriate additional diagnostic tools (e.g. LOCUS, ASAM criteria...).
• Under supervision, recommend a DSM diagnosis.
• Under supervision, write and implement an integrated treatment plan.
• Under supervision, and within the scope of one's practice, provide mental health services and crisis response services. 
• Must pass pre-employment background checks. This includes clearance by the DHS Background Check Unit.
• Full time use of a properly licensed and insured automobile with a valid driver's license and ability to drive, or independence in travel arrangements.
• Must adhere to the agency's non-discrimination policies.

Salary Description
$50,000 – $57,000