Community Support Specialist

Heritage Behavioral Health Center- HBHC; Decatur (IL); On-site; USD 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Every other Friday off

NHSC loan forgiveness

Paid wellness days

Job summary

Heritage Behavioral Health Center in Macon County, IL is seeking a Community Support Specialist to provide intensive, home- and community-based support to adults with serious mental illness. You will help clients build skills, connections, and stability in real environments, with most work conducted where clients live.

If you believe recovery happens best in the community, this role offers hands-on, client-centered care with regular field visits and teamwork with clinicians and partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, human services, or related field, OR five years of supervised behavioral health experience OR CRSS certification.
• Experience in behavioral health or community-based support preferred.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; able to build trust across diverse backgrounds.
• Comfortable working independently in the field as well as in a team.
• Valid driver's license, reliable vehicle, and current auto insurance.
• Organized and dependable with ability to manage deadlines alongside a full caseload.

Responsibilities

• Carry an assigned caseload of adults with severe mental illness, delivering most services directly in clients' homes.
• Contact new referrals within 24 hours and complete in-person assessments within 72 hours.
• Engage with clients at least twice monthly to monitor progress and maintain momentum.
• Teach practical independent living skills—in the settings where they matter most.
• Support clients in developing coping strategies to manage mental health, substance use, and health-related symptoms.
• Provide medication monitoring and education, and communicate with prescribers about side effects and adherence.
• Help clients apply for and maintain essential benefits including Medicaid, Social Security, Section 8 housing, and food assistance.
• Connect clients to housing, employment, education, and transportation resources.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Independent field work

Education

Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, human services, or related field

Five years of supervised behavioral health experience

CRSS certification

Job description

Positions Available in Housing First and Community Support - Mental Health programs

Heritage Behavioral Health Center is looking for a compassionate, driven Community Support Specialist to join our team in Macon County. In this role, you will provide individualized, community-based support to adults living with serious mental illness—helping them build the skills, connections, and stability they need to thrive in everyday life. Most of your work will take place where clients actually live, giving you the opportunity to make a real difference in real environments.

If you believe recovery happens best in the community, not just the clinic, this role was built for you.

Community Support Specialist

Positions Available in Housing First and Community Support - Mental Health programs

Heritage Behavioral Health Center — Macon County, IL · Full-time · Monday–Friday

Heritage Behavioral Health Center is looking for a compassionate, driven Community Support Specialist to join our team in Macon County. In this role, you will provide individualized, community-based support to adults living with serious mental illness—helping them build the skills, connections, and stability they need to thrive in everyday life. Most of your work will take place where clients actually live, giving you the opportunity to make a real difference in real environments.

If you believe recovery happens best in the community, not just the clinic, this role was built for you.

What you'll do

• Carry an assigned caseload of adults with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI), delivering the majority of services directly in clients' homes
• Contact new referrals within 24 hours and complete in-person assessments within 72 hours
• Engage with at least 90% of clients a minimum of twice monthly to monitor progress and maintain momentum
• Teach practical independent living skills—meal prep, budgeting, hygiene, time management—in the settings where they matter most
• Support clients in developing coping strategies to manage mental health, substance use, and health-related symptoms
• Provide medication monitoring and education, and communicate with prescribers about side effects and adherence
• Help clients apply for and maintain essential benefits including Medicaid, Social Security, Section 8 housing, and food assistance
• Connect clients to housing, employment, education, and transportation resources, and accompany them to appointments as needed
• Collaborate with clinicians, nurses, primary care providers, probation, and community partners to ensure coordinated, whole-person care
• Maintain 80–100 meaningful client contacts per month and document all services in the electronic health record within 24 hours
• Participate in clinical supervision, team meetings, and cross-coverage to ensure clients always have support

What we're looking for

• Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, human services, or a related field OR five years of supervised behavioral health experience OR Certification as a Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS)
• Experience in behavioral health or community-based support is preferred
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust quickly across diverse backgrounds
• Comfortable working independently in the field while also contributing to a team
• Valid driver's license, reliable personal vehicle, and current auto insurance (regular community travel required)
• Organized, dependable, and able to manage documentation deadlines alongside a full caseload

Salary

• High School or GED + 5 years’ experience: $23.00/hour + every other Friday paid off
• Bachelor's Degree: $25.00/hour + every other Friday paid off
• Salary is based on education, experience, and licensure or certification

Why You'll Love Working Here

• Collaborative, mission-driven work environment
• Every other Friday off – paid wellness days
• Competitive salaries aligned with state and national benchmarks
• Loan forgiveness eligibility through NHSC

Schedule and location

This is a full-time, Monday through Friday position based out of our Macon County location. Core hours are 8:00 am–5:00 pm, with a one-hour lunch break. Some flexibility in scheduling may be needed to meet client needs. The majority of your time will be spent in clients' homes and community settings throughout the area, so regular local travel is a core part of the role.

Why Heritage

At Heritage Behavioral Health Center, we believe recovery is possible for everyone. Our Community Support program is built on the conviction that people make the most meaningful progress when they're supported in the places they actually live—not just in an office. You'll join a team that values compassion, collaboration, and meeting people where they are, both literally and figuratively.

Heritage Also Offers

• Generous Time Off: vacation, sick, personal, and holiday leave
• Wellness Benefits: every other Friday paid off, Employee Assistance Program, fitness reimbursement
• Insurance: health, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, and supplemental life insurance
• Retirement: 401(k) and Roth options
• Professional Growth: tuition assistance and continuing education opportunities
• Loan Forgiveness: eligible through the National Health Service Corps (NHSC)

Heritage Behavioral Health Center is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and the clients we serve.