Engagement Specialist
Family Service Association of Greater Elgin Area, Elgin, Illinois, us, 60122
Engagement Specialist (ES)
Job Description
Classification: Non-Exempt. Reports to: Manager of SASS Crisis Services. Type: Full-Time, 37.5 weeks per week. Location: Community-Based.
Summary The Engagement Specialist (ES) shall provide recovery‑oriented, person‑centered, and trauma‑informed crisis services; serve as an advocate; provide information and support for individuals in an emergency setting. The ES will possess the skills to maintain a high level of professionalism, ethics, and positive interactions. The ES will work in tandem with the Crisis Specialists in responding to crisis situations in the community, provide case management, and make appropriate referrals and linkage to clients within 90 days of initial assessment. Obtain ES certification or begin classes within one year of employment.
Schedule Must work a minimum of 4 eight‑hour shifts, including two weekend or overnight (12‑8 am) shifts. Engagement Specialists shifts can include weekdays, weekends, overnight, and holiday shifts. A minimum of 1 walk‑in shift a month. The other 5.5 hours include meetings, case management, walk‑ins, additional SASS shifts and other miscellaneous tasks as needed.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Respond to crisis calls for designated areas and at scheduled times in tandem with a Crisis Specialist for the purpose of providing peer support, information, and advocacy as appropriate.
Provide case management and linkage to services for clients engaged in Crisis Services. Work collaboratively as a team member that includes individuals, families, children, agency staff, and other providers in the community.
Provide education, support, and mentoring to individuals and families receiving services through both the MCRT and SASS program.
Assist and empower clients to make informed decisions about all aspects of treatment.
Responsible for co‑responding at a minimum 75 % of the time (roughly 28 hours a week), 20 % of time (roughly 7.5 hours a week) towards walk‑in hours, case management and other administrative responsibilities and 5 % (roughly 2 hours a week) of time made up of supervision/meetings.
Consult with Therapist/Crisis Specialists regularly regarding shared clients.
Assist in maintaining resource directory for the geographical area serviced by FSA’s Crisis Services.
Supervision
Must attend a minimum of 9 monthly group supervisions for the year and responsible for discussing cases with supervisor in clinical, individual and/or group supervision as need arises.
Responsible for reporting to supervisor on an on‑going basis potentially problematic situations/cases, and emergency or crisis situations.
Administrative
Responsible for staying up to date on Medicaid Rule 132 and 140.
Responsible for completion of and meeting deadlines for all clinical paperwork necessary or appropriate for maintaining case files for active clients and crisis clients.
Service notes need to be completed within a maximum of 7 days from the service delivery.
Responsible for completion of and meeting deadlines for all agency administrative paperwork, including CIS billing notes, time sheets, expense sheets, training forms and any other administrative or agency requested reports.
Responsible for attending meetings as requested by Supervisor.
Responsible for serving on Agency and/or Program Committees when requested by supervisor.
Responsible for holding a valid, unexpired Illinois driver’s license.
Community Education/Public Relations
Educate community, agency staff, and other providers regarding the needs of parents and families of children with a mental illness.
Responsible for facilitating positive networking relationships with community service providers and/or networks as assigned by supervisor.
Other Duties/Special Assignments/Projects
Responsible for attending agency groups and providing skill‑building support as requested by supervisor.
Be available to help develop materials and participate in special community education projects/presentations as requested by administrative staff.
Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.
Perform incidental business‑related travel as needed.
Participate in agency Risk Management and Continuous Quality Improvement activities.
Perform job responsibilities with a positive attitude.
Responsible for promoting collegiality at the workplace by working collaboratively with others.
Participate in projects or other duties as assigned by supervisor.
Responsible for any equipment assigned to be kept free from damage or loss. Any damage or loss of equipment needs to immediately be reported to supervisor.
Training
Responsible for completion of annual training requirements.
Maintaining IM‑CAT Certification.
Maintaining additional HFS required trainings.
Responsible for ongoing training assigned by supervisor as relevant to community and professional goal needs.
Training on private insurance and unfunded adults.
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Supervisory Responsibility This role has no supervisory responsibilities.
Physical and Environmental Considerations The incumbent will be sitting in car for travel for several minutes every day. The incumbent is frequently expected to walk, sit, stand, bend, and drive. The incumbent may also need to climb stairs on occasion. Must be able to lift up to 35 lbs. on occasion. The work environment is mostly field based and will have varying temperatures and noise level. The incumbent can expect to work in client’s homes, schools, public libraries, community agencies, and some in office time.
Workers may be required to stand for long periods of time such as if at a hospital and they do not have a space for you to sit while you work.
Other physical demands include sitting, walking and carrying your equipment.
Use of computers/surface pros 85% of the time.
During training or other job duties (such as billing, additional training, team meetings), some of those duties can be completed at home with the permission of your supervisor.
If at the office, crisis workers share a common area. Desks and seats are shared among other members of the team. Crisis workers do begin their day in the office for their scheduled day‑time shifts.
If the shared area becomes too loud, workers are allowed to utilize therapy office space (if the space is available) or the crisis services office if available.
The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that should be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work This position is full‑time, 37.5‑hour work week. This position requires day‑time and on‑call availability.
Hourly Pay Rates
In accordance with Illinois state law, we are committed to transparency in compensation. The hourly pay range for this position is $21.09 to $28.77 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications.
In addition to base salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, 401k, generous PTO and short‑term disability, and opportunities for professional development and growth.
Travel This position requires extensive travel throughout the Kane and Dekalb County areas and occasionally to areas outside of that.
Education and Experience
High School Diploma/GED or higher education.
Reliable personal transportation, valid Illinois driver’s license, and satisfactory driving history along with documentation verifying current automobile insurance.
Lived experience as a consumer of mental health.
Related professional experience working in human service program and with people of diverse backgrounds.
Ability to recognize trauma symptoms and support healing and recovery for youth exposed to trauma.
Knowledge of childhood trauma and/or experience working with youth that have been exposed to trauma.
Required Skills/Abilities
Must be flexible, independent, and able to multi‑task effectively.
Able to travel and work weekend and evening hours as needed.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
Spanish preferred.
Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team, and mediation skills.
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Summary The Engagement Specialist (ES) shall provide recovery‑oriented, person‑centered, and trauma‑informed crisis services; serve as an advocate; provide information and support for individuals in an emergency setting. The ES will possess the skills to maintain a high level of professionalism, ethics, and positive interactions. The ES will work in tandem with the Crisis Specialists in responding to crisis situations in the community, provide case management, and make appropriate referrals and linkage to clients within 90 days of initial assessment. Obtain ES certification or begin classes within one year of employment.
Schedule Must work a minimum of 4 eight‑hour shifts, including two weekend or overnight (12‑8 am) shifts. Engagement Specialists shifts can include weekdays, weekends, overnight, and holiday shifts. A minimum of 1 walk‑in shift a month. The other 5.5 hours include meetings, case management, walk‑ins, additional SASS shifts and other miscellaneous tasks as needed.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Respond to crisis calls for designated areas and at scheduled times in tandem with a Crisis Specialist for the purpose of providing peer support, information, and advocacy as appropriate.
Provide case management and linkage to services for clients engaged in Crisis Services. Work collaboratively as a team member that includes individuals, families, children, agency staff, and other providers in the community.
Provide education, support, and mentoring to individuals and families receiving services through both the MCRT and SASS program.
Assist and empower clients to make informed decisions about all aspects of treatment.
Responsible for co‑responding at a minimum 75 % of the time (roughly 28 hours a week), 20 % of time (roughly 7.5 hours a week) towards walk‑in hours, case management and other administrative responsibilities and 5 % (roughly 2 hours a week) of time made up of supervision/meetings.
Consult with Therapist/Crisis Specialists regularly regarding shared clients.
Assist in maintaining resource directory for the geographical area serviced by FSA’s Crisis Services.
Supervision
Must attend a minimum of 9 monthly group supervisions for the year and responsible for discussing cases with supervisor in clinical, individual and/or group supervision as need arises.
Responsible for reporting to supervisor on an on‑going basis potentially problematic situations/cases, and emergency or crisis situations.
Administrative
Responsible for staying up to date on Medicaid Rule 132 and 140.
Responsible for completion of and meeting deadlines for all clinical paperwork necessary or appropriate for maintaining case files for active clients and crisis clients.
Service notes need to be completed within a maximum of 7 days from the service delivery.
Responsible for completion of and meeting deadlines for all agency administrative paperwork, including CIS billing notes, time sheets, expense sheets, training forms and any other administrative or agency requested reports.
Responsible for attending meetings as requested by Supervisor.
Responsible for serving on Agency and/or Program Committees when requested by supervisor.
Responsible for holding a valid, unexpired Illinois driver’s license.
Community Education/Public Relations
Educate community, agency staff, and other providers regarding the needs of parents and families of children with a mental illness.
Responsible for facilitating positive networking relationships with community service providers and/or networks as assigned by supervisor.
Other Duties/Special Assignments/Projects
Responsible for attending agency groups and providing skill‑building support as requested by supervisor.
Be available to help develop materials and participate in special community education projects/presentations as requested by administrative staff.
Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.
Perform incidental business‑related travel as needed.
Participate in agency Risk Management and Continuous Quality Improvement activities.
Perform job responsibilities with a positive attitude.
Responsible for promoting collegiality at the workplace by working collaboratively with others.
Participate in projects or other duties as assigned by supervisor.
Responsible for any equipment assigned to be kept free from damage or loss. Any damage or loss of equipment needs to immediately be reported to supervisor.
Training
Responsible for completion of annual training requirements.
Maintaining IM‑CAT Certification.
Maintaining additional HFS required trainings.
Responsible for ongoing training assigned by supervisor as relevant to community and professional goal needs.
Training on private insurance and unfunded adults.
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Supervisory Responsibility This role has no supervisory responsibilities.
Physical and Environmental Considerations The incumbent will be sitting in car for travel for several minutes every day. The incumbent is frequently expected to walk, sit, stand, bend, and drive. The incumbent may also need to climb stairs on occasion. Must be able to lift up to 35 lbs. on occasion. The work environment is mostly field based and will have varying temperatures and noise level. The incumbent can expect to work in client’s homes, schools, public libraries, community agencies, and some in office time.
Workers may be required to stand for long periods of time such as if at a hospital and they do not have a space for you to sit while you work.
Other physical demands include sitting, walking and carrying your equipment.
Use of computers/surface pros 85% of the time.
During training or other job duties (such as billing, additional training, team meetings), some of those duties can be completed at home with the permission of your supervisor.
If at the office, crisis workers share a common area. Desks and seats are shared among other members of the team. Crisis workers do begin their day in the office for their scheduled day‑time shifts.
If the shared area becomes too loud, workers are allowed to utilize therapy office space (if the space is available) or the crisis services office if available.
The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that should be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work This position is full‑time, 37.5‑hour work week. This position requires day‑time and on‑call availability.
Hourly Pay Rates
In accordance with Illinois state law, we are committed to transparency in compensation. The hourly pay range for this position is $21.09 to $28.77 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications.
In addition to base salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, 401k, generous PTO and short‑term disability, and opportunities for professional development and growth.
Travel This position requires extensive travel throughout the Kane and Dekalb County areas and occasionally to areas outside of that.
Education and Experience
High School Diploma/GED or higher education.
Reliable personal transportation, valid Illinois driver’s license, and satisfactory driving history along with documentation verifying current automobile insurance.
Lived experience as a consumer of mental health.
Related professional experience working in human service program and with people of diverse backgrounds.
Ability to recognize trauma symptoms and support healing and recovery for youth exposed to trauma.
Knowledge of childhood trauma and/or experience working with youth that have been exposed to trauma.
Required Skills/Abilities
Must be flexible, independent, and able to multi‑task effectively.
Able to travel and work weekend and evening hours as needed.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
Spanish preferred.
Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team, and mediation skills.
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