Community Behavioral Health Specialist — Apply Here

Metropolitan Family Services 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. Metropolitan is Illinois’ first comprehensive human services agency and reaches more than 136,000 individuals and families in Chicago, Evanston/Skokie, the southwest suburbs and DuPage County with services promoting education, economic stability, emotional wellness and empowerment.

MFS is spearheading the Communities Partnering 4 Peace, a framework designed to provide a comprehensive, long-term approach to reduce violence and gang activity. This framework brings together community-driven strategies that empower community-based organizations to intervene with individuals at the highest risk of driving violence while working with the overall resident population to transform perceptions and realities of their community.

About the role

We are currently searching for a full-time Community Behavioral Health Specialist to join our Metropolitan Peace Initiative Team.

Responsibilities

• Identify, deescalate, and mediate tense situations related to mental health concerns; build trust with diverse individuals and groups; and provide follow-up support after a crisis to promote stabilization and healing.
• Engage effectively with community members, local businesses, and high-risk individuals while maintaining professionalism and utilizing trauma-informed approaches.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of incidents, interventions, and referrals while respecting confidentiality and ensuring adherence to professional standards.
• Perform comprehensive, in-depth assessments for a variety of clinical services, including psycho-social assessments and intake as assigned.
• Provide a full range of case management, counseling, advocacy, educational, and related services to Community Safety and Transit Operations.
• Lead the coordination of behavioral health services within the community and transit systems by reviewing complex cases, supporting high-risk crisis responses, ensuring compliance with clinical, ethical, and organizational standards, and implementing strategies to enhance service effectiveness and team performance.
• Develop and strengthen partnerships with community stakeholders, behavioral health systems, hospitals, public safety agencies, and leadership to support program expansion, improve continuity of care, and advance collaborative crisis response initiatives across diverse communities.
• Collaborate with CPRU team members to identify, de-escalate, and mediate high-tension situations related to mental health concerns; build trust with diverse individuals and groups; and provide post-crisis follow-up support to promote stabilization and healing.
• Provide support for Metropolitan Peace Academy (MPA), including trainings and facilitation.
• Identify and utilize agency and community resources.
• Assess community conditions affecting clients to identify resource gaps and problems.
• Join or develop groups and coalitions to address community needs.
• Recommend financial assistance for clients.
• Provide group services as indicated by program need.
• Responsible for meeting contractual requirements such as 24-hour crisis coverage.
• Represent and interpret programs of the agency in the community.
• Support and attend "Light in the Night" events.
• May serve on regional or agency-wide committees.
• May provide clinical guidance and shadowing opportunities for students.
• Attend regular meetings: e.g., team, case consultations, individual supervision.
• Provide ongoing support, trainings, facilitation, and curriculum development.
• Establish referral networks/linkages with outside agencies for participants and their families.
• Take a proactive role in the development of social work services and programming that supports trauma-informed care.
• Meet agency expectations for quantity of direct service.
• Comply with agency record-keeping expectations.
• Work effectively with diverse staff and service populations.
• Flexible to travel to different neighborhoods of the city.

Requirements

• Master's Degree in Social Work from an accredited college or university, required.
• Two years related post-Masters experience at an intermediate skill level, required.
• Must be a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or related license, required.
• Requires mobility to work with a community-based caseload.
• Ability to maintain assigned community and home-based services.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse individuals and groups.
• Bilingual Spanish preferred.

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.
• The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Pay

The average starting salary for this position will fall in the range of $75,000–$85,000 annually. Where candidates fall in this range will be based on skill and experience level.

Benefits

• HMO, Traditional PPO, or PPO with health savings contributions.
• Dental and Vision Insurance Options.
• 12 paid Holidays.
• Paid Time Off (PTO).
• Flexible Spending.
• Opportunities for Student Loan Forgiveness.
• 401K Plan.
• Training and Professional Development Plan.
• E-Learning.
• Wellness Initiative Program.
• Employee Assistance Network.