Peer Engagement Specialist (CRSS) - Chicago Northside

Use your lived experience with mental health recovery to connect with and support people in crisis! Like a physical health crisis, a mental health crisis can be devastating for individuals, families, and communities. Thresholds’ Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) is committed to providing services and supports to best meet the needs of individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. As a Peer Engagement Specialist, you will respond to mental health crises in the Uptown, Lakeview, and North Center communities, acting as an alternative to or in conjunction with hospitalization or police response.

Each shift, you will answer calls to our crisis hotline and conduct a quick yet robust safety assessment to determine what response is needed. You may connect the caller to an appropriate service or provider, or if a face-to-face intervention is necessary, you and a Crisis Worker will meet the caller at home, their workplace, or another location in the community. As a pair, you will assist the person in crisis with the least restrictive intervention possible. This can look like anything from walking someone through a panic attack to assisting them with hospitalization. Your role as the peer professional includes building rapport with the person in crisis, specifically by sharing your personal recovery experiences.

Community interventions occur year-round, in all weather conditions. The team may also distribute basic necessities to individuals in crisis, such as first aid items, water, or warm clothes. After responding to the crisis, you will offer a follow-up to the client based on their needs as well as document the services provided. During downtime between calls, you will have the opportunity to focus on professional development through self-directed projects and community outreach efforts.

The culture at Thresholds is collaborative and supportive, providing you with the tools and resources you need for the best client care. Opportunities for training and professional development, including clinical supervision, will deepen your knowledge and expand your clinical skills in harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and other evidence-based practices. This invaluable experience will set you up for a variety of career paths and growth opportunities within our organization.

Must be able to remain in a stationary position for prolonged periods of time and occasionally traverse long distances and ascend/descend multiple flights of stairs.

To succeed in this role, you need:

• Lived and living experience with personal mental health recovery

• Passion for mental health advocacy

• Effective communication and relationship-building skills

• Ability to problem-solve

• Good writing skills

• Strong time management and organization

• To be at least 23 years old

• A valid driver’s license (having daily access to a vehicle preferred)

• Willingness to obtain CRSS (Certified Recovery Support Specialist) within 1 year of hire

• Availability to work assigned schedule: Tuesday - Saturday: 2:45pm to 11:15pm

Many education and experience paths are eligible for this role:

• High school diploma or GED certificate and willingness to obtain CRSS

• High school diploma or GED certificate and 5 years of supervised clinical experience

• Active CRSS (Certified Recovery Support Specialist) credential

• Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, or related field

• Bachelor’s degree in an unrelated field and 2 years of supervised clinical experience

• Master’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, or related field

What sets Thresholds apart:

• Competitive pay - Pay Range: $25.50 - $30.58 per hour

  • Based on education, experience, and licensure/certifications

• Generous PTO

• Dental insurance, vision insurance, 4 medical insurance plans

• 403(b) retirement plan with 3% employer match

• Robust employee assistance program (EAP)

• Mileage reimbursement

• Public service loan forgiveness

• Cell phone reimbursement (up to $50/month)

• Supervision for clinical licensure at no cost (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC)

• Reimbursement for professional licensure and license renewal

Thresholds is a mission-driven agency with a deep commitment to fostering an environment where all feel valued and respected, a place where every employee can be themselves, thrive, and support the agency’s mission. Click here to learn more.

One of the oldest and largest community mental health organizations in Illinois, we pride ourselves in being a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace and one of Chicago’s 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For, several years in a row.

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