Behavioral Health Counselor-Community Support

Northwestern Medicine; DeKalb (IL); On-site; USD 37,000 - 51,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition Reimbursement

Student Loan Repayment

Professional Development

Wellbeing Fund

401(k) Matching

Medical, Dental, Vision

Life Insurance

Paid Time Off

Holiday Pay

Annual Salary Increase and Incentive

Job summary

Northwestern Medicine is seeking a Behavioral Health Counselor/Case Manager to support adults with mental illness in community settings. The role involves case management, transportation to appointments, linking to benefits, and developing individualized plans within a multidisciplinary team.

Schedule: 40 hours per week, Monday–Friday, daytime hours. The position emphasizes compassionate care, compliance with ethics, and participation in discharge planning and community services.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in Behavioral Health.
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills.
• Illinois driver’s license, auto liability insurance, and annual driving abstract.
• One year of outpatient client interaction experience.

Responsibilities

• Screen and evaluate requests for service.
• Collect and report social history for assigned cases.
• Intervene, stabilize, and manage acute crisis situations.
• Assess and evaluate client needs, strengths, goals, and resources.
• Develop individual plans with clients using assessment tools.
• Work with an interdisciplinary team to review cases and plans.
• Provide case management, outreach, and community support services.
• Refer and link clients to other human services programs.
• Train other providers in areas related to service specialties.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Education

Bachelor’s in Behavioral Health

Job description

The salary range for this position is $27.30 - $37.15 (Hourly Rate)

Placement within the salary range is dependent on several factors such as relevant work experience and internal equity. For positions represented by a labor union, placement within the salary range is guided by the rules outlined in the collective bargaining agreement.

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section located at jobs.nm.org/benefits to learn more.

Northwestern Medicine is powered by a community of colleagues who are purpose-driven and committed to our mission to deliver world‑class care. Here, you'll work alongside some of the best clinical talent in the nation leading the way in medical innovation and breakthrough research with Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

We recognize where you've been, and we support where you're headed. We celebrate diverse perspectives and experiences, which fuel our commitment to equity and culture of service.

Grow your career with comprehensive training and development opportunities, mentorship programs, educational support and student loan repayment.

Create the life you envision for yourself with flexible work options, a Reimbursable Well-Being Fund and a Total Rewards package that support your physical, mental, emotional, and financial well-being.

Make a difference through volunteer opportunities we offer in local communities and drive inclusive change through our workforce-led resource groups.

From discovery to delivery, come help us shape the future of medicine.

Benefits

• $10,000 Tuition Reimbursement per year ($5,700 part-time)
• $10,000 Student Loan Repayment ($5,000 part-time)
• $1,000 Professional Development per year ($500 part-time)
• $250 Wellbeing Fund per year ($125 for part-time)
• Matching 401(k)
• Excellent medical, dental and vision coverage
• Life insurance
• Annual Employee Salary Increase and Incentive Bonus
• Paid time off and Holiday pay

Description

Schedule: 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday, daytime hours.

Behavioral Health Counselor/Case Manager

Reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization's Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

Population

Moderate to severe mental illness and co‑occurring disorders requiring case management, varies from once a week to once a month

Field work

Meeting with clients in the community or in their homes with the intention of providing case management support, transporting to medical/psych appointments, connecting to resources, assisting in food pantry pick‑up, practicing coping skills in the community, assisting in signing up for benefits like Medicaid/SSDI/SSI, etc.

As a member of a multidisciplinary team, the Behavioral Health Counselor assists in providing patient assessments and treatment as directed. Under supervision, this role provides supportive counseling, case management, and community support services. The Counselor assesses patient and family needs, develops treatment plans, provides and evaluates patient care, and assists with discharge planning.

Responsibilities

• Screen and evaluate requests for service
• Collect and report social history for assigned cases
• Intervene, stabilize, and manage acute crisis situations
• Assess and evaluate client needs, strengths, goals, and resources
• Develop individual plans with clients utilizing available assessment tools
• Work with an interdisciplinary team in reviewing cases and developing individual plans
• Implement individual plans through rehabilitation services such as case management, advocacy, outreach, skills training groups, social rehabilitation, community support, and support counseling
• Provide linkage case management, participate in treatment planning, and discharge planning
• Consult with other center staff regarding problem assessment and treatment/intervention planning
• Refer and link clients to other human services programs
• Serve as a liaison to other agencies as needed
• Train other providers and non‑providers in areas relating to service specialties

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

Education

• Bachelor’s in Behavioral Health

Licensure

• All NM, Ben Gordon Center (WR849) employees, at point of hire and annually, are required to have a valid State of Illinois driver's license, current auto liability insurance, and an annual driving abstract

Behavioral Attributes

• Advance verbal and written communication skills

Preferred

• One year of experience interacting with clients in an outpatient setting

Equal Opportunity

Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

Background Check

Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case‑by‑case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events.

NorthwesternMedicine Career Page

https://jobs.nm.org/benefits

Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings.

If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign-on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.