ASST COMMUNITY LIVING SPECIALIST
Number of positions: 1 (additional vacancies possible pending budget approval). Starting salary: $57,000. This position is open to the public and all current City employees covered under the City’s collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME – Bargaining Units 1, 3, 4 & 5.
About the role
Under immediate supervision, the Assistant Community Living Specialist provides information and social service assistance to older adults and people with disabilities at various Department of Family & Support Services locations.
Responsibilities
- Provides short-term options counseling, information, referral, and assistance to adults with disabilities, older adults, and their families regarding available social service resources and services (e.g., homemaker services, adult day care, respite services, medical transportation, housing and legal services, home-delivered meals).
- Receives and responds to inquiries from a variety of sources (e.g., email, walk-in, phone, mail).
- Meets with and interviews older adults and adults with disabilities to assess and identify needed services and to gather information required to complete client intake forms.
- Determines program and benefit eligibility and provides information to clients about available programs and services.
- Assists clients in completing applications for available services and benefits (e.g., RTA reduced fare passes, homemaker services).
- Conducts individual health insurance counseling sessions for older adults.
- Provides excellent customer service to clients and ensures customer service goals are met and maintained.
- Makes referrals to appropriate social service agencies to ensure clients receive needed services.
- Follows up with clients, family members, and service providers to ensure client concerns have been addressed.
- Acts as an advocate for clients by working on their behalf to secure needed services and benefits.
- Maintains confidentiality of client information as required by state, federal, and local laws and regulations and professional practice standards.
- Contacts agencies to obtain information about programs and services and to identify resources for clients.
- Maintains a resource directory of individuals and organizations that provide services to older adults and individuals with disabilities.
- Gathers and compiles information on daily work activities and prepares statistical reports on call volume, program activities, and related work operations.
- Operates a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) and telephone equipment to receive and transfer incoming calls and to process hearing-impaired calls.
- Accesses a language bank to obtain translator services to communicate with non-English speaking clients.
- Attends community meetings, churches, and city-sponsored events to distribute information, conduct presentations, and relay information about departmental programs and services, as required.
Qualifications
Minimum qualifications:
- Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree or higher in Gerontology, Psychology, Social Sciences, Public Health, or a directly related field.
- Alternatively, four (4) years of work experience in the planning, implementation, and administration of social service programs.
- Alternatively, graduation from an accredited college with an Associate’s degree in Gerontology, Psychology, Social Services, Public Health, or a directly related field, plus two (2) years of work experience in the planning, implementation, and administration of social service programs.
Selection Requirements
This position requires applicants to complete an interview. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the interview process, will be selected.
Schedule
- Days: Monday–Friday
- Hours: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Pay
Starting salary: $57,000.
Benefits
For information on employee benefits, visit the City of Chicago Benefits website. For salary and title structure, visit the Classifications website.