$22.60 - 24.18 /Hr.
Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
The Front Door Diversion is an Illinois State grant funded program designed to ‘divert’ individuals back to the community from an inpatient psychiatric or other institutional setting in lieu of a nursing home placement. The program offers an array of services with the diverting agency such as community mental health supports through an integrated healthcare model and long-term housing supports through transitional programs or subsidy services.
The Diversion Specialist is responsible for providing case management supports and linkage to long-term services and housing to clients eligible for the Front Door Diversion program. They will determine eligibility for programming through completion of intakes and assessments, provide treatment planning, and short-term, solution-focused case management and linkage to long-term housing to adults with mental illness. The Diversion Specialist will provide client-centered, strengths-based, and trauma-informed services to clients with severe mental illnesses and co-occurring substance abuse/addiction disorders utilizing a harm reduction approach.
Responsibilities
- Assess client’s personal, medical, emotional, social, and environmental situation through home, community, and office visits.
- Screen Front Door referrals and determine eligibility for services and participation in the program
- Provide intake, assessments, and treatment planning services.
- Recognize and act on opportunities to move clients to appropriate levels of care.
- Provide care coordination that supports an integrated health model and make referrals to additional services as needed.
- Assist clients in identifying signs and symptoms of de-compensation. Work collaboratively with clients to identify coping skills to assist in managing symptoms and stressors experienced.
- Provide medication monitoring services and education around the use and care of medications.
- Assist clients in learning and improving independent living skills; i.e. personal hygiene, housekeeping skills, nutrition, and shopping for food and personal items
- Educate and assist clients with applying for entitlements; i.e. Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and LINK
- Accompany clients to important appointments in the community and provide support with issues related to housing, substance use, budgeting, social support, and medication.
- Advocate on client’s behalf and empower clients to advocate on behalf of themselves when appropriate
- Provide on-call coverage and immediate crisis intervention as needed
- Communicate effectively with the team for purposes of consultation and information sharing
- Complete all documentation in a timely and thorough manner
- Perform other related duties and/or projects as assigned
Qualifications - Must have one of the following requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in counseling and guidance, rehabilitation counseling, social work, education, vocational counseling, psychology, pastoral counseling, family therapy, or related human service field
- Bachelor's degree in any other field with two years of supervised clinical experience in a mental health setting
- Licensed Practical Nurse under the Nurse Practice Act [225 ILCS 65]
- Certificate of Psychiatric Rehabilitation from a DHS-approved program, a high school diploma/GED, and two years’ experience of experience in a mental health setting
- CRSS certification through IAODAPCA
- Family Partnership Professional certificate from and in good standing with IAODAPCA
- Occupational Therapy Assistant licensed under the Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice Act [225 ILCS 75] with one-year experience in a mental health setting;
- High school diploma or GED and five years of supervised clinical experience in a mental health setting
- Master’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, or Counseling highly preferred
- Minimum one year of experience working with people with mental health and/or substance abuse diagnoses
- Licensed Social Worker (LSW) or Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) preferred
- IM+CANS certification preferred
- Valid Illinois driver’s license with daily access to a well-maintained vehicle with $100,000/$300,000 liability insurance
