COMMUNITY INTERVENTION SPECIALIST

City of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Chicago seeks a Community Intervention Specialist to deliver crisis intervention and social services to unsheltered individuals. Responsibilities include engaging clients, coordinating case management, and documenting data in HMIS/REDCap.

Work requires collaboration with shelters, healthcare providers, and social service partners to connect clients with essential resources. The role emphasizes field outreach, needs assessments, and follow-up to ensure access to housing, benefits, and

Qualifications

• Six years of community or social service work with unsheltered populations or crisis experience.
• Degrees in social sciences or related field required as applicable.
• Valid Illinois driver’s license may be required.

Responsibilities

• Provide crisis intervention and social services support to unsheltered populations.
• Engage individuals, build relationships, and coordinate case management services.
• Document client information in HMIS, ECM, and RedCap systems.
• Coordinate with hospitals, shelters, and community partners to arrange services.
• Participate in outreach events and annual homeless counts.

Skills

Crisis intervention

Case management

Community outreach

Documentation

Education

Master’s degree in Social Sciences or related field

Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences or related field

Associate’s degree in Social Sciences or related field

Tools

HMIS

ECM

REDCap

Job description

Community Intervention Specialist

Job Number: 421066

Job Description

BID/JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Chicago Department of Public Health

Behavioral Health

Number of Positions: 1

This position is open to the public and all current City employees covered under the City’s collective bargaining agreement with AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY, AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES (AFSCME) – BARGAINING UNIT 1, 3, 4 & 5. Only employees in City job titles in this bargaining unit are eligible to bid.

1. Check the box on your profile titled “Currently employed by the City of Chicago”

2. Enter your employee ID (located on your pay stub labeled ‘payee/employee number’)

3. Select your correct bargaining unit

FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL RESULT IN A REJECTED BID APPLICATION

Under supervision, the class works primarily in the filed canvassing communities providing crisis intervention and social services support to the unsheltered population, those experiencing mental health crisis, and/or substance use overdose, and performs related duties as required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Travels by vehicle or on foot to encampment sites and locations throughout Chicago where the unsheltered population resides and proactively initiates non-judgmental conversations to create and maintain relationships and provide a consistent presence
• Responds to non-emergency calls of individuals experiencing mental health and social wellbeing crisis
• Engages individuals in need of services and consistently works to meet those needs, particularly with those who may not independently seek services
• Provides crisis counseling to vulnerable populations who have unmet mental health and social needs
• Provides in person and telephonic case coordinating and case management functions for clients experiencing substance use overdose and/or those experiencing a mental health crisis
• Coordinates with patients, families, and members of the field team to assist in determining levels of client services and needs
• Conducts needs assessments (e.g., intakes, coordinated entry system assessments, outpatient care and services), obtains pertinent information and establishes short and long-term case management goals for clients
• Stays abreast of eligibility requirements and guidelines for other social service programs and community partners
• Assists individuals in applying for federal and state benefits (e.g., Medicaid, food security applications, and Social Security disability)
• Updates case management system with client information by using designated systems (i.e., HMIS, ECM, Redcap)
• Refers and advocates for clients to delegate agencies, shelters and other social service providers for continued and ongoing social service needs (e.g., housing, medical, mental health services)
• Conducts follow up to ensure clients receive appropriate needed assistance
• Assists in the placement of individuals affected by emergency housing situations (e.g., fires, vacates, evictions, etc.) by developing relocation plans and/or arranging shelter or nursing home placement and transportation
• Develops and maintains strong working relationships with staff at key City departments, health care professionals, homeless/housing service providers, and the community at large to provide intervention and services to high-risk clients who are in need of services
• Coordinates and participates in the cleaning of encampment sites (e.g., proper disposal of food and garbage, and the appropriate handling of unsheltered populations personal items)
• Accompanies and transports clients to appointments
• Provides assistance when emergency shelters or other temporary shelters are activated in a crisis
• Participates in community and outreach events bringing awareness to emergency mental health services offered
• Participates in annual homeless count
• Collaborates with outreach partners to connect client to services

Additional duties may be required for this position.

Location: Chicago Department of Public Health, Behavioral Health

Address: 1920 South Western Avenue

Shift: Mon - Fri, 9:00am - 5:00pm

THIS POSITION IS IN THE CAREER SERVICE

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Six (6) years of community or social service work experience involving the unsheltered population or individuals experiencing behavioral or substance use crisis, OR
• Graduation from an accredited college with an Associate’s degree in the Social Sciences or a directly related field, plus four (4) years of community or social service work experience involving the unsheltered population or individuals experiencing behavioral or substance use crisis OR
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree in the Social Sciences or a directly related field, plus two (2) years of community or social service work experience involving the unsheltered population or individuals experiencing behavioral or substance use crisis OR
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master’s degree in the Social Sciences or a directly related field, plus one (1) year of community or social service work experience involving the unsheltered population or individuals experiencing behavioral or substance use crisis

Licensure, Certification, or Other Qualifications

A valid State of Illinois driver’s license is required. May be required to work various hours, as required

NOTE: To be considered for this position you must provide information about your educational background and your work experience. You must include job titles, dates of employment and specific job duties. (IF you are a current City employee, Acting Up cannot be considered). If you fail to provide this information at the time you submit your application, it will be incomplete, and you will not be considered for this position. There are three ways to provide the information: 1) you may attach a resume; 2) you may paste a resume; or 3) you can complete the online resume fields.

Educational & Employment Verification

Please be advised that if you are selected to be hired you must provide, upon request, adequate information regarding your educational and employment history as it relates to the qualifications of the position for which you are applying. If you received your degree internationally, all international transcripts/diploma must be accompanied by a Foreign Credential Evaluation. If the City of Chicago cannot verify this information, any offer extended to you will be withdrawn and you will not be hired.

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS

This position requires applicants to complete an interview which will include a written exercise and/or a skills assessment test as part of the interview. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the oral and written parts of the interview will be selected

For Information on our employees benefits please visit our benefits website at:

For Information on our salary and title structure visit our classifications website at:

APPLICATION EVALUATION: Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resource staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates.

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.

The City of Chicago in an Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Friendly, and Fair Chance Employer.

City of Chicago