Residential & Crisis Support Specialist at YWCA Evanston North Shore – Evanston, Illinois

The Residential and Crisis Support Specialist, as a member of a larger domestic violence team, is the primary on-site position that helps maintain a safe and supportive residential environment and offers critical support to callers of the 24-hour crisis line. The position proactively builds supportive relationships with residents, role models appropriate behaviors and boundaries, implements residential policies and procedures, and collaborates with team members and management to identify and proactively communicate areas for improvement. Crisis line tasks include assessing caller needs, conducting safety planning, screening for shelter eligibility, providing emotional support as needed, and referring callers to critical resources.

This position provides coverage for designated shifts, including days, evenings, weekends, holidays, and overnights, to ensure 24/7 coverage. Additionally, the position ensures emergency callback coverage by picking up a minimum of 6 comparable shifts per year. This position is integral to creating a warm, welcoming, and trauma-informed space for all.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Residential Support (40%)

• According to protocol, compassionately welcomes new shelter residents and sensitively guides them through the resident directed in-take process.
• Warmly and proactively engages residents in ways that reinforce our trauma-informed principles and build a supportive space.
• Takes every opportunity to offer supportive comments that recognize residents' successes and strengths.
• Provides information and resource referrals to residents as needed.
• Champions the principles and practices of trauma-informed care in all interactions with residents.
• Responds to resident questions and reinforces critical safety guidelines, resident rights, and responsibilities as needed.
• Distributes needed supplies to residents.
• Assists residents in navigating in-house conflicts, refers residents to client advocates as needed, and role models healthy boundaries, self-awareness, and self-care.
• Overnight and on weekends, independently assesses security needs and calls police when serious safety issues arise.
• Overnight and on weekends, exercises discretion to assess serious safety violations that necessitate the need for emergency discharge and conducts the discharge process in accordance with agency protocol.
• Full-time and part-time employees in this position must accept a minimum of 6 unscheduled, comparable call-back shifts per year as a condition of employment, provided those shifts are available. Back-up positions are required to accept a minimum of 2 shifts a month as a condition of employment, provided there are sufficient shifts offered.

Crisis Line (35%)

• Responds to callers on the 24-hour crisis line providing crisis intervention, safety planning, emotional support, information about legal rights and options, information about domestic violence, and referrals, and appropriately documents all calls in the online case management system.
• Screens for shelter eligibility and makes arrival arrangements with eligible callers.
• Schedules clients seeking walk-in counseling and completes any backup documentation.
• Updates shelter status in Salesforce to ensure accurate occupancy information for team members.
• Maintains accurate notes and reviews them to stay up to date on shelter issues.

Record Keeping and Quality Management (10%)

• Keeps accurate service documentation, including narratives, phone and supplementary intakes, contact book, accident report forms, etc., ensuring timely entry into Salesforce.
• Timely and proactive submission of issues or concerns related to operations, facility, or client needs according to protocol.
• Reviews shelter, departmental, and organizational communication frequently.
• Maintains timely and accurate timesheets and other forms or documents as directed.
• Attends a monthly team meeting to share concerns, build community, acquire information, and discuss case issues.

Facility Support (10%)

• Assists in maintaining a clean, safe, and orderly environment by conducting walk-throughs as scheduled, promptly reporting security or maintenance issues, and carrying out cleaning duties if needed.
• Reports to the Residential Services Coordinator when food and other supplies are running low and in need of restocking.
• Assists in supporting shelter food program by ensuring the kitchen remains in compliance with health and food sanitation regulations by conducting walk-throughs, assisting in cleaning tasks if needed, reporting issues to the Residential Services Coordinator, and conducts meal preparation on a limited basis.
• Conducts relocation room checks per agency protocol and reports issues to the Residential Services Coordinator.
• Ensures compliance with emergency evacuation protocol as needed.
• Maintains a secure facility by adhering to related protocols.
• Supports volunteers providing assistance or services to shelter residents.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES (5%)

• Attends staff trainings and participates in agency committees.
• Pursues professional development
• Understands and adheres to all YWCA Evanston/North Shore procedures and policies as well as YWCA Employee Handbook.
• Performs other duties as assigned by management.

An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: High School diploma or equivalent

Experience and/or Training: At least 1-year experience working with children, youth, adults, and families who are in crisis situations and/or have experienced domestic violence.

Licenses/Certificates:

• Successful completion of the Illinois 40-Hour Domestic Violence Training Certificate within 60 days of employment
• First Aid/CPR within 6 months of employment
• Successful completion of the online Serv Safe Manager Certification within 30 days of hire

Technology/Equipment: Intermediate proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Bachelor’s degree in social work, counseling, psychology or related field.

Experience and/or Training:

• 2-3 years experience working with children, youth, adults, and families on issues related to domestic/intimate partner/family violence and offering support to individuals who have experienced trauma.
• Experience working in residential settings.
• Experience in crisis intervention and conflict resolution.
• Experience submitting reporting documentation and completing intake paperwork.
• Experience administering and evaluating key program metrics.

Licenses/Certificates: Illinois 40-Hour Domestic Violence Training Certificate.

Language: Fluency in Spanish or other languages.

Technology/Equipment: Beginner proficiency with online case management systems

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS

• Weekends required.
• Tolerance of prolonged and continuous stationary periods at a desk/computer
• Occasionally required to stand, walk, climb stairs, reach with hands and arms, and reach above shoulders.
• Occasionally required to push, pull, lift and/or move up to 15 pounds.
• Must be able to move about the facility.
• Must be able to operate controls for computers and other equipment.

The mental and physical requirements described here represent those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

• Employee may be required to share office space
• Employee may be required to work from home
• Employee will frequently have meetings or work in other buildings

The work environment characteristics described here represent those an individual encounters while performing the essential functions of this position.

*Salary: $19.77 - $21.97 / Hourly. A starting hourly rate above $19.77 is based on experience and education that significantly exceed the minimum requirements and is commensurate with the compensation scale.