The Recovery Support Specialist provides peer mentoring and advocacy to help clients navigate mental health and substance use recovery. They facilitate community outreach, assist with treatment planning, and provide trauma-informed support within a collaborative clinical team.
Requirements summary
Candidates must have personal experience with mental health or substance use recovery and possess a high school diploma or GED. Applicants are required to hold or be eligible to obtain a Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) or Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) credential within 12 months of hire.
high schoolprofessional certificateInterpersonal SkillsCase ManagementCommunicationHIPAA ComplianceElectronic Health RecordsCommunity OutreachCrisis De-escalationPeer MentoringClient AdvocacySelf-motivationMental Health SupportSubstance Use SupportMedication MonitoringAssessment ReviewWellness Recovery Action PlanningTrauma-informed Support
Job description
If asked to describe the culture at Metropolitan Family Services, we could do that in one word. COMMUNITY! Reflected in both our internal culture as well as through the services we provide, community is at the heart of all we do.
Metropolitan Family Services (MFS) empowers families to learn, to earn, to heal, to thrive. Part mentor, part motivator, part advocate, since 1857, Metropolitan Family Services has been the engine of change that empowers families to reach their greatest potential and positively impact their communities. Are you looking to have an impact on more than just a company’s bottom line? Then we’d love to hear from you!
We are currently looking to fill a Community Support Team (CST) Recovery Support Specialist role at our Merrionette Park Office.
SALARY
The average starting salary for this position will fall in the range of $43,000 and $48,000 annually.
Final salary will be determined based on years of experience, licensure level, and relevant credentials
$2,500 Sign-on Bonus for first-time employees with MFS! ($1,250 on the first paycheck and $1,250 after 6 months of employment).
Essential job functions
Peer
Mentoring &
Engagement: Build trusting, mutual relationships with clients through appropriate self-disclosure of your own recovery journey.
Assist clients in accessing services within the CCBHC and externally.
Help clients develop Wellness Recovery Action Plans (WRAP) and identify personal strengths to drive their treatment.
Provides information to clients and family members on mental illness, recovery and wellness, treatment options, and resources.
Serve as a bridge between the client and the clinical team, ensuring the client's choices define their care process.
Partners with local community-based organizations to educate the community on CCBHC services and facilitate "warm hand-offs" into care.
Utilize de-escalation techniques and trauma-informed support with clients during mental health crises.
Maintain accurate, HIPAA-compliant records of peer interactions in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system.
Assists CCBHC clients and people the client/family identifies as their supports (with appropriate consent) e.g., significant others, parents, family, caregiver in their understanding the impact of mental health issues/symptoms and achieving the best possible outcomes for themselves/family member.
Benefits
401k Plan
Medical Coverage
Dental Coverage
Vision Coverage
Employer Match
Teladoc Services
HSA Account Contributions
Works collaboratively within a team to provide a full range of services including mental health, substance use/abuse, physical health, case management and other social determinants of health support. Co-facilitates groups as requested. Provides medication monitoring and/or training to clients.
Spearheads community support interventions to facilitate illness self-management, skill building, identification and use of natural supports, and use of community resources.
Reviews results of client assessments/screenings and symptom checklists and supports clients when needed to complete symptom checklist.
Conducts outreach and engagement for clients who may not be engaged in care.
Participates in team meetings, and huddles.
Supports clients when transitioning to another level of care.
Maintains awareness of community resources and works to ensure service delivery maximizes available resources and services available within MFS and the community, as appropriate.
Prioritizes activities in collaboration with the supervisor to optimize client service delivery and achieve performance expectations.
Recognizes when to ask for help to maintain their own wellness plan.
Maximizes opportunities to expand knowledge and skills, and utilizes techniques learned.
Provides consultation to agency staff and the community, as needed, utilizing expert skills in training, conducting seminars, and working on special projects, as requested.
May serve on agency-wide committees and work groups or on community committees, as approved by supervisor and agency leadership.
Other duties as assigned.
Knowledge, skills, and abilities
Peer/RSS must be an individual who is in recovery and has successfully navigated the MH and/or Substance Abuse system/s for his/herself and/or family member.
Peer/RSS must have access to and is comfortable utilizing public transportation OR a valid driver’s license, access to a fully insured motor vehicle, proof of insurance and meet MFS driving record criteria.
Peer/RSS must pass a State of Illinois background check, as required by MFS policy.
Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form.
Ability to work effectively with diverse individuals and groups.
Positive attitude and self-motivation.
Effective interpersonal skills.
Demonstrated good judgment in maintaining responsibilities of the position in advocating for the best interest of consumers served.
Must have basic computer skills.
Qualifications
High school diploma, GED, required.
Personal experience with mental health and/or substance use recovery, required.
Must hold or be eligible to obtain the Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) or Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) credential from the Illinois Certification Board (ICB) within 12 months of hire, required.
Final salary will be determined based on years of experience, licensure level, and relevant credentials.
Additional requirements
• Satisfactorily pass all relevant screening and criminal background checks.
Transportation/Travel requirements
• Driving for work required with transportation of clients preferred in a personally owned vehicle . No travel between sites
Physical demands
While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is required to sit and stand for sustained periods of time, frequently talk, hear, use hands and fingers to feel, handle, and operate objects or controls, and occasionally stand, bend, stretch, stoop, kneel and crouch. The employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing data and figures, transcribing, and viewing a computer terminal.
Some of the above benefits are available for part-time and temporary workers, but not all. Be sure to inquire upon your hire as to which benefits apply to you.
More about us
Metropolitan is Illinois' first comprehensive human services agency and reaches more than 122,970 individuals and families in Chicago, Evanston/Skokie, the southwest suburbs, and DuPage County with services promoting education, economic stability, emotional wellness, and empowerment.
