Impact Behavioral Health Partners, a community mental-health agency, seeks three Employment Specialists to assist individuals living with mental illness obtain and maintain competitive employment that will be rewarding and satisfying to them.
As an Employment Specialist, you will help individuals living with mental illness determine their interests and skills, help them develop a resume, and identify job opportunities. You will coach them on how to interview for a job, connect them to resources for professional clothing, and encourage them to follow up with prospective employers. Once they are employed, you will continue to support them and reach out to employers on their behalf.
We are looking for highly organized professionals with demonstrated track records of success. This job is suited for people seeking meaningful and fulfilling work, looking to build a career in human services, and are passionate about serving others and making a difference. Those who are comfortable working independently, prefer in-person work in community settings, and are motivated to exceed goals are likely to do well.
Salary: $45,000 per year, plus bonus incentives.
Benefits:
o Paid Time Off
- 25 days of Paid Time Off (PTO), 13 paid holidays, and 2 paid floating holidays each year.
o Parental Leave
- Gestational and non-gestational parents on staff are entitled to 4 weeks of fully paid parental leave to bond with a newborn or newly adopted child of theirs.
o Childbirth-Related Medical Leave
- Staff who give birth to a child are entitled to 2 weeks of fully paid leave to help recover from medical issues related to giving birth.
o Health Insurance
- HMO or PPO health insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield is provided at no monthly premium cost to the employee, for plans that do not include a spouse or children.
o Dental and Vision Insurance
- Dental and/or vision insurance is available at affordable monthly costs.
o 401(k)
- Impact will match 401(k) contributions, up to 2% of an employee's salary.
o Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- The EAP provides each employee with up to 5 free counseling sessions per problem, per year, at no cost to the employee.
o Mileage Reimbursement
- Employees are reimbursed 67 cents per mile driven for work-related purposes, not including commuting to and from our administrative office in Evanston.
Location: All Employment Specialists must spend at least 65% of their time working face-to-face in community settings. Remote work may be available at times but cannot be guaranteed. In-person work may take place in Chicago, north suburban Cook County, and/or Lake County. In-person location assignments will vary depending on caseload availability.
One of the positions we’re hiring for will be affiliated with The Living Room, which is a walk-in center that helps adults experiencing a mental health crisis. The Living Room is located in Evanston. The person in this role be required to work on-site at The Living Room almost exclusively during the beginning of their employment and may be required to work on-site in Evanston every workday.
Schedule: All three are full-time positions, 37.5 hours per week. Flexible scheduling to accommodate employee needs outside of work may be available but cannot be guaranteed.
The Living Room operates from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Monday through Saturday. The person in this position will be required to work 37.5 hours each week, within The Living Room’s hours of operation. Therefore, this position will require some availability during evening hours and on Saturdays.
Primary Job Responsibilities:
- Achieve successful employment outcomes for a caseload of 20 individuals.
- Bill at least 16.5 hours of service to Medicaid each week.
- Assess vocational functioning of individuals living with mental illness, assist them with their job searches.
- Provide individualized, time-unlimited services.
- Develop 6 job leads per week, while educating prospective employers about our program.
- Manage relationships with partner agencies, attend monthly treatment team meetings.
Qualifications:
- Organizational skills are the most important attribute for an Employment Specialist. The ideal candidate must be able to demonstrate an exceptional ability to be organized.
- Bachelor’s degree in human services or a related field is required.
- Bilingual, Spanish-speaking ability is preferred.
- Experience working with people with mental illness is preferred.
- Knowledge of the work world is preferred.
- Must be an effective communicator, problem solver, and collaborator.
- Must be able to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Experience writing progress notes for billing services is preferred.
- Must be able to meet or exceed billing requirements.
- Must be able to cold call employers.
- Must have “service first” mindset.
- Must have a valid Illinois driver’s license and have access to reliable car.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace a plus.
About Impact Behavioral Health Partners
Impact’s employment program adheres to the principles of a research-based approach developed by Dartmouth College. Our job placement rate is 26% higher than the national average for similar employment programs. Impact is recognized nationally as an industry leader in innovative practice because of our focus on strong outcomes. Our efforts to reach underserved communities with our needed services has driven this innovation.
The primary mantra for Impact employees is to work hard but have fun doing it. Work/life balance, self-care, wellness, safety, and a culture of inclusion where everyone feels respected are among Impact’s core values for its staff. Impact’s leadership team is constantly seeking and adapting to employee feedback; they will create opportunities for employees to gain new skills, credentialing, and education by offering flexible scheduling, trainings, and professional development funds whenever possible. Supervisors prioritize developing trust, transparency, and clear communication with staff.
Impact Behavioral Health Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was founded in 1988. We are a CARF-accredited community behavioral health agency that offers affordable housing and support from Social Workers, Counselors, Case Managers, and Employment Specialists to adults recovering from chronic mental illnesses. We serve individuals through our Clinical, Supportive Housing, and Individual Placement & Support (IPS) Programs. All of our programs and services are integrated through a unique wraparound approach to ensure our participants receive the support they need to reclaim their life in the community.
NOTE: Impact Behavioral Health Partners provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals with regard to recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, retention, and discipline. Impact Behavioral Health Partners will not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, age, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, unfavorable discharge from the military, or disability, provided that an individual is qualified and meets the requirements established by the agency for the job. Persons with lived experience are encouraged to apply.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $45,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Mileage reimbursement
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Professional development assistance
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Day shift
- Evening shift
- Monday to Friday
- Weekends as needed
Work Location: In person