Mobile Crisis Response Counselor
Kenneth Young Center Mobile Crisis Response Counselor
Mobile Crisis Response Counselor
Kenneth Young Center is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit dedicated to providing comprehensive outpatient behavioral health services to individuals of all walks of life. Located in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, we offer a wide range of services including outpatient therapeutic care, recovery-oriented support, community prevention, LGBTQ+ outreach, older adult services, and crisis intervention. Our team welcomes and celebrates unique perspectives and represents the diversity and vitality of our local communities. Join our team to grow in your career while building stronger, healthier communities.
Kenneth Young Center offers a robust benefit package that is highly competitive to the market and offers all full-time employees the following:
- 403(b) plan with organizational matching
- Medical Insurance (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois - BCBS)
- Dental (BCBS), and Vision Insurance (BCBS) with low employee premiums
- Long Term and Short Term Disability (BCBS), no cost to employee
- Flexible Spending Account (with annual rollover)
- Basic life insurance (50k) paid for by the organization and option for additional voluntary coverage for self, spouse, or dependents (BCBS)
- Incentive program with potential for quarterly bonuses
- Opportunity for annual bonus and salary increase (discretionary based on annual KYC financial audit)
- Eligibility to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
To further promote an active and healthy work/ life balance, KYC also offers a generous amount of paid time off and staff holidays.
- 4 weeks of Paid Time Off (With increases based on seniority)
- 8 Paid Organization-Wide Holidays
- 3 Personal Floating Holidays annually
Job Scope:
A Mobile Response Crisis Counselor is a mental health professional who provides immediate, on-site and community-based support for behavioral health emergencies, responding to homes, schools, or public places to de-escalate crises, conduct assessments, offer counseling, create safety plans, and connect individuals with ongoing care, acting as a compassionate alternative to law enforcement for psychiatric needs.
Crisis calls will be received through the 988 Crisis Response Line and/or directly through the KYC crisis line as part of the Crisis Care System (CCS). Crisis Line is 24 hours including evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday hours. The Mobile response area is primarily Schaumburg and Elk Grove Townships.
Clinical Responsibilities
- Provide a full range of crisis screening, assessment, and support services to clients and their families experiencing a mental health crisis. These services will include the following:
- In-person crisis screenings completed in a two-person team to assess current needs and determine level of risk.
- Telephone crisis screenings to assess current needs and determine level of risk.
- Promote opportunities for clients to develop a personal safety plan to stabilize a client without the use of hospitalization, if hospitalization is not warranted
- Coordinate with Supervisor on Call for any escalated situation that may require hospitalization or EMS response
- Short-term case management services to reduce likelihood of future crisis
- Linkage with established care providers
- Linkage to community resources
- Support to help a client bridge access to services
- Participate as a responsible crisis team member to maintain continuous on-call coverage (24/7) and to accomplish other team tasks, goals and responsibilities
- Provide short-term follow-up that reflects the CCS MCR program demands
- Provide timely and accurate assessments of incoming crisis calls with clinically appropriate dispositions utilizing available QMHP
- Determine the need for additional services based on the assessment and facilitate linkage
- Participate in consultation, as needed, with other KYC programs and outside agencies, including professionals, PD, EMS or with paid agency consultants
Administrative and Performance Requirements
- Interpret and communicate, at the service delivery level, Kenneth Young Center policies and procedures
- Meet agency quality and compliance standards by accurately completing clinical documentation and service reporting in a timely manner
- Participate in program evaluation and development of service options that best address client needs
- Participate in Department, Team, and other agency meetings and training as directed by supervisor.
- Work cooperatively with other Kenneth Young Center teams and programs to maintain smooth continuity of care when cases are shared across teams
- Become familiar with and utilize outside resources as needed to provide comprehensive services to clients
- Participate in supervision and regular performance evaluations as directed
Education and Experience
- Bachelors Degree from an Accredited College or University in Social Work, Psychology, or closely related discipline
- Preferred 2-3 of years experience working with individuals recovering from serious and persistent mental illness providing case management and community support.
- Basic computer proficiency, knowledge of Word and Internet skills
- Applicant must have a valid IL Driver’s License, valid auto insurance, and access to a well maintained/insured vehicle
Work Environment
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in an office setting
- Roughly two thirds of the employee’s time will be spent in the community, driving to and from hospitals, schools, family homes, and other community sites to perform crisis screenings
- While in transit, the employee may experience changing road and whether conditions
- In conducting, screenings and follow ups with the family, an employee may be exposed to varied residential environments based on assigned caseload
Travel Requirements
- While performing the duties of this position, the employee travels by automobile and is exposed to changing weather conditions.
- The employee is required to drive the KYC owned passenger van to and from client homes and to various sites in the community and surrounding areas.
- Employee may also be required to attend occasional meetings/trainings in and around KYC’s catchment area.
- While traveling, the employee may be exposed to fumes or airborne particles as well as changing road conditions.
Schedule/Time Keeping
- Exempt, Full-Time, 37.5 hour/week
- Must work a flexible schedule in response to the needs of the target population served, including additional rotating, stipend reimbursed, on-call shifts, which include evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday hours
Kenneth Young Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer