Crisis Support Specialist - Substitute

Thresholds; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 34,000 - 41,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

403(b) retirement plan with 3% match

Employee assistance program (EAP)

Job summary

Thresholds in Illinois offers a community Living Room crisis support role where you will use your lived experience to advocate, inform, and provide peer support to guests in crisis.

You will engage guests, model coping strategies, help create crisis recovery plans, and connect them with services while greeting guests and keeping the space welcoming and tidy. Training and CRSS certification support are provided, with competitive hourly pay.

Qualifications

• Lived experience of mental health recovery is required.
• Effective communication and relationship-building skills are essential.
• Strong time management and organization; at least 21 years old.
• High school diploma or GED is required; higher education in related fields is preferred; CRSS certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Engage guests in conversation to hear their stories, learn about their interests and strengths, and encourage recovery steps.
• Model coping strategies and help guests develop their own crisis recovery plans.
• Link guests with supportive services for after their crisis.
• Greet guests and learn their names, inviting them to determine their recovery path.
• Prepare food for guests and keep the space neat and tidy.
• Take part in ongoing training opportunities and supervision for CRSS certification.

Skills

Lived experience

Effective communication

Relationship-building

Time management

Age 21+

Education

High school diploma or GED

Higher education in Psychology/Social Work/Counseling or related field

CRSS certification preferred

Job description

• Staff
• Part-Time
• Requisition #: CRISI008168

Description

When people experience a mental health crisis, they are faced with the decision to go to the emergency department or to try to manage the crisis themselves. The Living Room offers an alternative: a community crisis center—a welcoming, accepting, and calm environment where Crisis Support Specialists provide advocacy, information, and peer support.

As a Crisis Support Specialist, you will use your personal experience with mental health recovery to support and educate Living Room guests on managing crisis. You will engage guests in conversation to hear their stories, learn about their interests and strengths, and respectfully encourage them to take steps in their recovery process. Over the course of the day, you may model coping strategies, help guests develop their own crisis recovery plans, and/or link guests with supportive services for after their crisis.

A welcoming environment is key to the success of the Living Room, so you will greet guests and learn their names as part of inviting them to take the lead in determining their recovery path. Crisis Support Specialists will also prepare food for guests and ensure that the space is neat and tidy.

Keep up to date on current trends in the mental health field and deepen your knowledge of evidence-based practices through ample training opportunities to enhance Living Room services. You can also gain supervision for CRSS certification and reimbursement for testing and application fees.

To succeed in this role, you need:

• Lived experience of mental health recovery
• Effective communication and relationship-building
• Strong time management and organization
• To be at least 21 years old

Many education and experience paths are eligible for this role:

• High school diploma or GED certificate required
• Higher education in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling or related field preferred
• Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) preferred

What sets Thresholds apart:

• Competitive pay – Salary Range: $25.00 - $30.00 hourly
  • Commensurate with education, experience, and licensure
• Paid time off available
• 403(b) retirement plan with 3% employer match
• Robust employee assistance program (EAP)

Thresholds is a mission-driven agency with a deep commitment to fostering an environment where all feel valued and respected, a place where every employee can be themselves, thrive, and support the agency’s mission.

One of the oldest and largest community mental health organizations in Illinois, we pride ourselves in being a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace and one of Chicago’s 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For several years in a row.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
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