Recovery Support Specialist (South Chicago)

Metropolitan Family Services empowers families to learn, to earn, to heal, to thrive. Part mentor, part motivator, part advocate, since 1857, Metropolitan Family Services has been the engine of change that empowers families to reach their greatest potential and positively impact their communities. Metropolitan is Illinois’ first comprehensive human services agency and reaches more than 117,000 individuals and families in Chicago, Evanston/Skokie, the southwest suburbs and DuPage County with services promoting education, economic stability, emotional wellness and empowerment.
We are now hiring for a full-time Recovery Support Specialist to join our South Chicago Team!
SALARY: Compensation is commensurate with years of related experience, position requirements, and candidate qualifications. The average salary for the position is $40,000
$2,500 Signing Bonus ($500 on or around the 2nd paycheck, $1,000 after completing six months of employment, and final payment of $1,000 after 1 year of employment)
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Provide information to clients and family members on mental illness, recovery and wellness, treatment options, and resources.
• Assist MFS clients and people the client/family identifies as their supports (with appropriate consent) e.g., significant others, parents, family, caregiver in their understanding the impact of mental health issues/symptoms and achieving the best possible outcomes for themselves/family member.
• Works collaboratively within a team to provide a full range of services including:
• Mental health case management and other related behavioral health and social determinants of health support
• Community support interventions to facilitate illness self-management, skill building, identification and use of natural supports, and use of community resources.
• Reviewing results of client assessments/screenings and symptom checklists and supporting clients when needed to complete symptom checklists.
• Conducting outreach and engagement for clients who may not be engaged in care or consistently miss appointments.
• Provide medication monitoring and/or training to clients.
• Services may be provided at an MFS site, virtually, or in the community.
• Participates in team meetings, huddles, and drop-in service time available to the team’s clients.
• Co-facilitate groups as requested.
• Assists team in identifying strengths and needs of clients.
• Support clients when transitioning to another level of care.
• Maintains awareness of community resources and works to ensure service delivery maximizes available resources and services available within MFS and the community, as appropriate.
• Prioritize activities in collaboration with the supervisor to optimize client service delivery and achieve performance expectations.
• Recognize when to ask for help to maintain his/her own wellness plan.
• Maximizes opportunities to expand knowledge and skills, and utilize techniques learned.
• Provides consultation to agency staff and the community, as needed. Utilizing expert skills provides training, conducts seminars, and works on special projects, as requested.
• May serve on agency-wide committees and work groups or on community committees, as approved by supervisor and agency leadership.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must have a high school diploma or equivalent, required.
• Bachelor's Degree in related field, preferred.
• Must be an individual who is in recovery and has successfully navigated the MH and/or Substance Abuse system/s for his/herself and/or family member, required.
• Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) preferred or attained within two (2) years of hire.
• Must have access to a vehicle, proof of insurance and valid driver’s license, required.
• Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse individuals and groups.
• Positive attitude and self-motivation, effective interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrate good judgment in maintaining responsibilities of the position in advocating for the best interest of consumers served.
• Must have basic computer skills.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is required to sit and stand for sustained periods of time, frequently talk, hear, use hands and fingers to feel, handle and operate objects or controls, and occasionally stand, bend, stretch, stoop, kneel and crouch.
• The employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing data and figures, transcribing and viewing a computer terminal.
• The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Metropolitan Family Services offers a very generous benefits packet to our professionals:

• Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medical Coverage: HMO, Traditional PPO, or PPO w/ HSA contributions.
• Dental and Vision Insurance Options
• 12 paid Holidays
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Bereavement Leave
• Parental Leave
• 401K Plan
• Life Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• Training and Professional Development Plan with E- Learning
• Wellness Initiative Program
• Employee Assistance Network

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)