ACT Community Support Specialist

Responsible for providing individualized, comprehensive, and community-based treatment, support, and rehabilitation services to persons with severe mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders. Provides therapeutic interventions that facilitate illness self-management, psychosocial rehab, skill building, identification of natural supports, and use of community resources. Uses intensive outreach strategies to engage participants in services. Monitors participants’ symptoms and medication regularly. Implements crisis services in consultation with supervisor/psychiatrist and makes sure that participants are safe and obtain timely access to services. Serves as a liaison with other systems of care. Documents all services using program standards.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in psychology, social work, or a related field or CADC certification preferred.  
• AA required or 5 years of experience in behavioral healthcare.  Experience working with persons with psychosocial rehabilitation services, psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, and/or development disorders required.  
• Experience working with diverse ethnic populations required. 
• English/Spanish bilingual preferred.  
• Personal vehicle, current driver’s license and insurance, good driving record acceptable to agency insurance carrier.  
• Carries cellular phone at all times to respond to participant/program needs.  
• Flexibility to work on weekends, evenings, holidays during emergencies.

Founded in 1899 as one of Chicago’s original settlement houses, Association House has a 122-year history of meeting the most pressing needs of those in the communities we serve. Today, we provide comprehensive, collaborative and effective programs with bilingual competency in English and Spanish. With more than 30 programs encompassing Behavioral Health, Child Welfare, Community Health, Workforce Development, and the Association House High School, we promote individual health and wellness and create opportunities for educational and economic advancement. With a strong lens on equity, Association House is firmly committed to our core values of integrity, excellence, respect, leadership, and education.