Community Engagement Specialist

2021-10543

Day

Springfield, Illinois

Provide outreach, engagement and educational services to individuals in marginalized communities, related to mental well-being, mental health crisis, how to access assistance during a mental health crisis. Serve as consultant/liaison to others with linkages to treatment, referrals, advocacy, support and educational resources/materials. Ability to discuss mental health crisis issues and treatment options. Organize/participate in community health fairs, community awareness raising activities.

Assisting the Mental Health Crisis System of Care team with suggestions for how to develop messages, services that will be more likely to be understood and utilized by marginalized individuals, families and communities.
Train MBH Crisis Response colleagues in approaches that are more likely to be received as helpful and beneficial to persons (and their natural supports) in crisis.

Be part of team that provides training/education to community groups/volunteers in helping others with mental health concerns and using information gleamed to inform system improvement.
Employee will adhere to the Memorial Health System (MHS) Code of Conduct, the MHS Ethics and Corporate Compliance Plan, MHCCI policies and procedures, as well as performance standards established by the governing board/administration and accrediting bodies.

Direct Community Outreach and Education Services

1. Develops rapport with individuals and communities who are often reluctant to seek out mental health services.
2. Upon referral, contact clients who are not well engaged in services to offer support and encouragement for accessing necessary mental health care services.
3. Provides outreach and prevention services targeting barriers to mental health treatment.
4. Offering a collaborative, community-wide approach that de-stigmatizes mental health
treatment, reinforces healthy lifestyles and other protective factors.
5. Advocate for cultural change and stigma reduction of mental health in the community.
6. Equip the community to identify mental health crises, how to intervene or call for help.
7. Assist in the educational process with individuals through comfort, willingness and ability to share personal story of recovery from psychiatric disabilities and/or medical conditions with staff and clients.
8. Coordinates regular community advisory forums; solicit feedback; suggest and implement ideas and suggestions.
9. Refers to, and works closely with, appropriate community resources to assure linkage to appropriate coordination resources and delivery of appropriate services.
10. Assist with community education around the implementation of the 988 mental health crisis response system.
11. Interact with the Mobile Crisis Response Team Members, including Peer Recovery Specialists to improve both community awareness as well as providing “stories” for marketing and communication purposes.
12. Gives suggestions for promotion materials and assists to distribute.

Training Activities/Professional Growth
1. Identify with supervisor professional goals to enhance job skills.
2. Completes all mandatory education requirements by specified deadlines.
3. Participates in required staff meetings and in-service meetings to keep abreast of agency policy and administrative procedures, meet requirements for continuing education, and upgrade professional knowledge.
4. Ability to function on a team.
5. Obtains and maintains CPR and First Aid certification.
6. Obtain CRSS (Certified Recovery Support Specialist) if not already obtained.
7. Participate in professional training in the fields of mental health, health coaching, disease management and wellness in order to achieve/maintain professional development and upgrade knowledge/skills. Specific focus on increasing knowledge of developments and improvements in the counseling and medical treatment of depression or other behavioral health disease states.

Consultation/Networking
1. Develop cooperative relationships outside the agency with community organizations, stakeholders or interested agencies to provide for the development of mental health wellness services in the community.
2. Assisting with community advocacy for mental health needs
3. Assists with data collection and data entry.

Job Relationships
1. In absence of immediate supervisor, access assigned Administrator for supervision.
2. Communicates directly to designated supervisor for clarification of administrative policy, program evaluation to promote a professional working environment and effective service delivery system.

Other Job Responsibilities
1. Assist with special projects and other duties as assigned that are compatible with training and experience such as additional clinical services, crisis response, or trainings.
2. Performs other duties as required by agency needs.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. Incumbents may be requested to perform tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in social services or relevant experience in lieu of a college degree related to mental health recovery, stress management, community organizing, grass roots community work, general health promotion

Licensure/Certification/Registry:

• CRSS certification preferred. Willing to pursue CRSS if not already certified.

Other Qualifications

• Must have valid Driver’s License, reliable transportation, proof of automobile insurance, and a clean driving record. Travel related to grant/training will be required.
• Must be able to pass a fingerprint background check and drug screening.