Caseworker - Access Services

DuPage PADS, Inc.; Wheaton (IL); On-site; USD 34,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

DuPagePads is hiring for several overnight positions at our Wheaton shelter site. The roles are temporary with potential for permanency, running mid-November through April, and include 40-hour and 32-hour weekly schedules.

You’ll help maintain a safe, low-barrier environment and coordinate care for clients with staff and external providers. Responsibilities include triage, client screenings, documentation, and advocacy to access resources.

Qualifications

• Experience working with the homeless population or similar populations.
• Training, certification, or licensure in mental health, substance use, or evidence-based practices is a plus.
• Ability to meaningfully engage clients at all hours.

Responsibilities

• Operates within the DuPagePads Core Values, including providing trauma-informed care.
• Manages the overnight site, ensuring safety for everyone.
• Coordinates care with external providers (hospitals, therapists, jail, substance use disorder clinics).
• Performs documentation with client contact and confidential case files.
• Maintains confidentiality and adheres to privacy laws.
• Addresses employment needs by collaborating with the Employment program.
• Regularly staffed with clients and assesses individual needs.
• Facilitates triage, intake, and outreach for clients.
• Participates in audits and provides data as requested.

Skills

Engagement

Communication

Organization

Leadership

Crisis intervention

Homelessness knowledge

Cultural awareness

Teamwork

MS Word/Excel

Tools

MS Word

Excel

Job description

Description

This position is responsible for creating a warm and welcoming environment for clients at DuPagePads’ overnight site.

This is a temporary position anticipated to run from mid-November through April, with the potential to transition into a permanent position.

We are hiring for six positions across the following schedules:

• Full-Time – 40 hours/week: Sunday–Thursday or Tuesday–Saturday, 4:00 PM–12:00 AM or 12:00 AM–8:00 AM
• 32 hours/week: Friday–Monday, 4:00 PM–12:00 AM or 12:00 AM–8:00 AM

Benefits are available to employees regularly scheduled to work at least 32 hours per week.

These positions have the potential to become permanent based on organizational needs.

Requirements

Responsibilities: (to be performed with or without reasonable accommodation):

1. Operates within the DuPagePads Core Values, including providing trauma-informed care.

2. Client Care

• Manages the overnight site, ensuring safety for everyone.
• Provides feedback and direction to security and volunteers.
• Accepts donations
• Screens walk in clients and all calls that come into the Access line or in person
• Completes assessments in Calls
• Completes background checks
• Addresses higher level client needs including coordination of care with external providers (hospitals, therapists, jail, substance use disorder clinics), crisis intervention, and safety planning.
• Acts as client’s advocate to facilitate access to resources and services.
• Performs documentation expectations with client contact, accurate confidential case files, and contractual paperwork.
• Maintains confidentiality of privileged information and adheres to client privacy laws.
• Address the employment needs of our clients by collaborating with the Employment program.
• Ensures that all clients are regularly staffed including assessing for and addressing each client's individual needs.

3. Administration/Program Management

• Maintain a low-barrier, safe, and supportive environment for clients
• Helps to facilitate the triage, intake, and street outreach inflow and outflow of clients
• Participates in connecting clients to needed resources in/outside the agency
• Assists in conducting / coordinating external and internal audits.
• Collects and provides data and outcomes as requested for shelter program.
• Other duties and special projects as assigned by supervisor.

4. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent engagement and interpersonal skills
• Effective written and oral communication skills
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail
• Effective leadership skills
• Effective crisis intervention skills
• Knowledge of issues related to homelessness, poverty, mental health, and substance use
• Knowledge of cultural differences and equity issues.
• Ability to think conceptually, be creative, plan, and analyze work
• Ability to work independently and work as part of a team
• Ability to maintain accurate records in compliance with applicable regulations and standards
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Word and Excel

Qualifications

1. Experience working with the homeless population or similar populations
2. Training, certification, or licensure in mental health, substance use, evidence-based practices, a plus.
3. Ability to meaningfully engage clients at all hours

Other

Responsibilities

Responsibilities: (to be performed with or without reasonable accommodation):

1. Operates within the DuPagePads Core Values, including providing trauma-informed care.

2. Client Care

• Manages the overnight site, ensuring safety for everyone.
• Provides feedback and direction to security and volunteers.
• Accepts donations
• Screens walk in clients and all calls that come into the Access line or in person
• Completes assessments in Calls
• Completes background checks
• Addresses higher level client needs including coordination of care with external providers (hospitals, therapists, jail, substance use disorder clinics), crisis intervention, and safety planning.
• Acts as client’s advocate to facilitate access to resources and services.
• Performs documentation expectations with client contact, accurate confidential case files, and contractual paperwork.
• Maintains confidentiality of privileged information and adheres to client privacy laws.
• Address the employment needs of our clients by collaborating with the Employment program.
• Ensures that all clients are regularly staffed including assessing for and addressing each client's individual needs.

3. Administration/Program Management

• Maintain a low-barrier, safe, and supportive environment for clients
• Helps to facilitate the triage, intake, and street outreach inflow and outflow of clients
• Participates in connecting clients to needed resources in/outside the agency
• Assists in conducting / coordinating external and internal audits.
• Collects and provides data and outcomes as requested for shelter program.
• Other duties and special projects as assigned by supervisor.

4. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent engagement and interpersonal skills
• Effective written and oral communication skills
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail
• Effective leadership skills
• Effective crisis intervention skills
• Knowledge of issues related to homelessness, poverty, mental health, and substance use
• Knowledge of cultural differences and equity issues.
• Ability to think conceptually, be creative, plan, and analyze work
• Ability to work independently and work as part of a team
• Ability to maintain accurate records in compliance with applicable regulations and standards
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Word and Excel

Qualifications

1. Experience working with the homeless population or similar populations
2. Training, certification, or licensure in mental health, substance use, evidence-based practices, a plus.
3. Ability to meaningfully engage clients at all hours

Other

1. Be able to lift 50 pounds.

We are hiring for six positions across the following schedules:

• Full-Time – 40 hours/week: Sunday–Thursday or Tuesday–Saturday, 4:00 PM–12:00 AM or 12:00 AM–8:00 AM
• 32 hours/week: Friday–Monday, 4:00 PM–12:00 AM or 12:00 AM–8:00 AM

Benefits are available to employees regularly scheduled to work at least 32 hours per week.