We are growing and adding to our amazing team!Join us in partnering with young people to build a foundation that promotes safety, opportunities, and well-being in their lives.Project Oz is looking for a full-time case manager to provide day-to-day case management, life skills training, street outreach, counseling, and crisis intervention to individuals between the ages of 10 and 24, who are in Livingston and McLean counties. Our staff use a trauma-informed approach to ensure proper screening of runaway, locked-out, homeless, and street youth to assess at-risk status and provide prevention services and life skill education, intervention, and placement information. Our staff love working with young people and appreciate the following benefits:
- Flexible work schedule, with possibility of some remote hours
- Health insurance
- No cost dental & vision insurance
- Mileage reimbursement or use of agency vehicles
- Generous vacation and sick time and 13 paid holidays
- Cell phone reimbursement or agency issued cell phone
- Generous retirement plan
- Professional development and advancement opportunities
- Employee Assistance Program
- Salary starting at $44,000, plus additional on-call pay
- Eligible for federal student loan debt forgiveness program
- Flexible spending plan
Duties and ResponsibilitiesRole Specific:
- Assist youth in crisis or who are runaways, locked-out, homeless, or living on the street.
- Complete initial assessment and uses a defined screening tool to determine program eligibility and risk level of youth.
- Provide regular supervision to youth housed in the emergency hotel and assist them in obtaining more stable housing.
- Troubleshoot client concerns and ensure youth safety.
- Function as a neutral advocate to address youth, school, or parent concerns.
- Educate youth in life skills with the intent to stabilize behavior and promote self-sufficiency.
- Conduct street outreach activities to educate homeless youth regarding shelter and placement options, etc. This involves frequenting areas where youth are known to socialize or congregate.
- Act as liaison and network with juvenile officers, schools, and other stakeholders to the youth's service planning.
- Assist Project Oz staff in developing action plans to expand agency outreach capabilities and methods.
- Is available, as scheduled, to provide 24-hour crisis intervention services.
Youth Services Specific:
- Assume rapid response duties to crisis calls at all Safe Place locations by carrying a pager and cell phone on designated weekdays and weekends. The rotation schedule varies.
- Communicate with clients, co-workers, supervisors, and others, understanding that someone may have been exposed to trauma.
- Provide referrals and linkage to appropriate agencies as needed.
- Debrief appropriate staff on cases opened, interventions utilized, case status, case plan, and case documentation at the completion of on call duties.
- Provide appropriate documentation of care contact through case notes and monthly data entry and service reports.
- Complete all required forms and progress notes and submit agency reports, forms, and logs by agreed upon dates.
- Participate in community outreach, panels, and other committee meetings as directed by leadership.
- Act as a representative of Project Oz and as a community resource person.
- Attend all required staff meetings and weekly Youth Services meetings.
- Perform other duties as assigned by Supervisor, Program Director or executive team.
- Act as a Mandated Reporter as outlined by DCFS rules and regulations.
QualificationsRequired:
- Bachelor's degree in social work or related field.
- Reliable personal transportation, valid Illinois driver's license, and satisfactory driving history along with documentation verifying current automobile insurance. May transport clients in own vehicle.
- Must be flexible, able to respond to crisis calls within designated time frames, and able to travel and work weekend and evening hours as needed.
Preferred:
- Related professional experience working in a human services program and with people of diverse backgrounds.
- Ability to recognize trauma symptoms and support healing and recovery for youth exposed to trauma.
- Knowledge of childhood trauma and/or experience working with youth that have been exposed to trauma.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Strong negotiation and mediation skills.
- Ability to solve practical mathematical problems.
- Knowledge of Microsoft Teams software and/or Outlook, Excel, and Word.
Additional Details
- Background checks - Must pass required criminal and character background checks. Must possess valid Illinois driver's license and have a satisfactory driving history along with documentation verifying current automobile insurance. May transport clients in own vehicle.
- Mandated Reporter - Act as a Mandated Reporter as outlined by DCFS rules and regulations.
- Training - Job involves CPR and other crisis-intervention related training.
- Travel - Job may require travel via commercial transportation and/or driving motor vehicles. Must occasionally drive in heavy traffic and/or inclement weather conditions.
- Physical Requirements - Must be able to stand, walk, and sit. May occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
- Hours - Job may require irregular work hours and travel outside of normal business hours. Must be flexible and able to respond to crisis calls within designated time frames.