Thresholds·Kankakee, Illinois
Respond to mental health crises in the community by conducting safety assessments and providing face-to-face interventions. Use lived recovery experience to build rapport with clients and assist them with the least restrictive interventions possible.
Use your lived experience with mental health recovery to connect with and support people in crisis! Like a physical health crisis, a mental health crisis can be devastating for individuals, families, and communities. Thresholds’ Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) is committed to providing services and supports to best meet the needs of individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. As a Peer Engagement Specialist, you will respond to mental health crises in the Kankakee County community, acting as an alternative to or in conjunction with hospitalization or police response.
Each shift, you will answer calls to our crisis hotline and conduct a quick yet robust safety assessment to determine what response is needed.
You may connect the caller to an appropriate service or provider, or if a face-to-face intervention is necessary, you and a Crisis Worker will meet the caller at home, their workplace, or another location in the community.
As a pair, you will assist the person in crisis with the least restrictive intervention possible.
This can look like anything from walking someone through a panic attack to assisting them with hospitalization.
Your role as the peer professional includes building rapport with the person in crisis, specifically by sharing your personal recovery experiences.
Community interventions occur year-round, in all weather conditions. The team may also distribute basic necessities to individuals in crisis, such as first aid items, water, or warm clothes. After responding to the crisis, you will offer a follow-up to the client based on their needs as well as document the services provided. During downtime between calls, you will have the opportunity to focus on professional development through self-directed projects and community outreach efforts.
The culture at Thresholds is collaborative and supportive, providing you with the tools and resources you need for the best client care. Opportunities for training and professional development, including clinical supervision, will deepen your knowledge and expand your clinical skills in harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and other evidence-based practices. This invaluable experience will set you up for a variety of career paths and growth opportunities within our organization.
Must be able to remain in a stationary position for prolonged periods of time and occasionally traverse long distances and ascend/descend multiple flights of stairs.
• Competitive pay -
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. Click here to learn more. [https://www.thresholds.org/about]
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.
Requires lived experience with mental health recovery, a high school diploma or GED, and a valid driver's license. Candidates must be at least 23 years old and willing to obtain CRSS certification within one year of hire.
Market context
Behavioral health positions in Illinois often draw steady interest because employers look for licensed or graduate-prepared candidates who can work in clinical, community, or care-coordination settings. This role is competitive because the required background is specific—either a master’s degree in a human services field or an active Illinois RN license, with behavioral health experience preferred. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits here to save research time, then confirm your licensure, degree, and setting experience before applying.
