HEARING & SPEECH SPECIALIST

Hearing & Speech Specialist

The Division of Developmental Disabilities is seeking to hire a Hearing & Speech Specialist for the Shapiro Center located in Kankakee, Illinois to provide professional clinical services to individuals regarding testing, evaluation and development of a regimen of treatment and therapy for the resolution of communication, swallowing and/or hearing disorders on an assigned unit. Provides direct speech, language and swallowing therapy; administers tests and interprets test results. Evaluates the nature and extent of impairments. Provides specialized instruction to develop and improve individual's functional communication, hearing and/or swallowing skills. Counsels individuals in adjusting to the hearing and/or speech/language impairment.

Essential Functions:

• On an assigned unit, provides professional clinical services to individuals regarding testing, evaluation and development of a regimen of treatment and therapy for the resolution of communication, swallowing and/or hearing disorders.
• Provides clinical supervision and guidance to mental health technicians and other staff.
• Participates as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Conducts standardized speech and language assessments to determine individual's level of functioning in the areas of syntactic, semantic and pragmatic language ability, articulation, voice, fluency and need for alternative and augmentative communication devices upon admission of the individual.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Requires possession of a master's degree in speech-language pathology or audiology from an approved program.
• Requires a license to practice speech-language pathology or audiology from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (DFPR).
• Requires a valid, current Professional Educator License (PEL) with endorsement as a speech-language pathologist (either teaching or non-teaching) issued by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

Conditions of Employment:

• Requires the ability to work after business hours, weekends and holidays.
• Requires the ability to physically restrain individuals as necessary to prevent injury to individual or others.
• Requires the ability to utilize office equipment, including personal computers.
• Requires the ability to travel in the performance of job duties.
• Requires ability to pass the IDHS background check.
• Requires ability to pass a drug screen for drugs prohibited from recreational use under Illinois Law.

About the Agency:

The Illinois Department of Human Services uplifts individuals and communities across Illinois. Our mission is to respond to the needs of all people in Illinois so they can lead healthy, safe, and enriched lives. Our values are the principles that guide us as we work to remove systemic barriers and create lasting opportunities with Compassion, Accessibility, Responsibility, and Equity.

As a State of Illinois employee, you will receive a robust benefit package that includes the following:

• A Pension Program
• Competitive Group Insurance Benefits including Health, Life, Dental and Vision Insurance
• 3 Paid Personal Business Days annually
• 12 Paid Sick days annually (Sick days carry over from year to year)
• 10-25 days of Paid Vacation time annually - (10 days in year one of employment)
• 13 Paid Holidays annually, 14 on even numbered years
• Flexible Work Schedules (when available dependent upon position)
• 12 Weeks Paid Parental Leave
• Deferred Compensation Program - A supplemental retirement plan
• Optional Pre-Tax Programs such as Medical Care Assistance Plan (MCAP), Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP)
• Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program eligibility
• GI Bill Training/Apprenticeship Benefits eligibility for qualifying Veterans
• 5% Salary Differential for Bilingual Positions
• Commuter Savings Program (Chicago only)