Who We Are:

• An employer who prioritizes your wellness
• An employer who supports your growth
• An employer who sees and acknowledges all of you
• An employer who educates on and advocates for mental health while sharing hope to those on their mental health journey or supporting individuals on their mental health journey.

Who We Are Looking For:

• An empathetic and active listener
• A compassionate and resourceful leader
• Strong knowledge of mental health resources

Responsibilities:

• Supervise the NAMI Chicago Helpline. Supervise and support, provide oversight, guidance, and often immediate direction to a team of Helpline Specialists that, in-turn, provide support, information and referrals to callers on the Helpline
• Answer, provide support, information, and appropriate assistance or intervention for referrals to callers, as well as for crisis/suicide calls on the Helpline in accordance with policies and procedures. Ensure that information provided is aligned with primary needs and resources available. This work centers on listening, supporting each caller’s needs, self-determination, and advocating on their behalf as necessary
• Identify previous callers and provide appropriate action items based on their past calls and profile, and complete follow-up calls in accordance with policies and procedures
• Assist in live coaching in the moment, problem-solving and navigating issues as they arise on the Helpline, as well as reviewing notes during a given shift and providing feedback on such notes
• Assist in problem-solving and navigating issues as they arise on the Helpline
• Share their recovery story as relevant to the caller to assist them in their own recovery, as applicable and appropriate
• Provide temporary social and emotional support
• Teach coping and community adjustment skills
• Provide a source of encouragement and hope
• Assist the caller with navigating and becoming comfortable accessing in and participating with natural community supports
• Contact Coordinators, Director or other on-call supervisors for additional support, as necessary
• Approve emergency support services to Helpline callers, including provision of basic assistance measures i.e. food, transportation and accommodation
• Maintain intake notes, agency resource records, and documentation using NAMI Chicago’s database system. Partner with coordinating systems and providers across Chicago, including Chicago Police Department districts, to support relationship development and ensure that our database has the most up-to-date information
• Assess needs for retraining and referral to training, where appropriate and necessary
• Actively participate in quality improvement activities and supervision to promote the Helpline’s continual growth and improvement in quality of services provided
• Perform other duties as assigned

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated commitment to serving underrepresented and vulnerable populations, including people of diverse social, economic and racial/ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientation and gender identity as well as those living with mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders
• Exhibits sensitivity and empathy regarding human service issues and projects a non-judgmental attitude towards those requiring assistance
• Willing to work in a diverse environment regarding race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation and gender
• Excellent communication and listening skills, critical thinker who will take initiative to work efficiently under pressure in the moment

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in social service field or equivalent experience, Master’s Degree preferred OR Possess a Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) or Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) credential OR will obtain one of these credentials within 18 months of employment at NAMI Chicago.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Prior experience with the mental health system and crisis situations
• Proficiency in Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, Google Suite and database management
• Bilingual in Spanish and English

Available Benefits:

• Compensation Range begins at $30/hour
• Paid Wellness Days
• Company Sponsored Wellness Activities