Lead Client Support & Service Coordinator

About Us: Volunteers of America is a national, faith-based nonprofit organization founded over 125 years ago. VOA Illinois is one of the oldest affiliates of the Volunteers of America family delivering strength-based trauma-informed, gender-responsive and culturally sensitive programs and services at the highest standards of excellence to our clients. We have never stopped reinventing our services and we continue to innovate based on our communities’ evolving needs. VOA Illinois, a certified “Great Place to Work,” fosters an organizational culture focused on faith, innovation and collaboration. Year after year VOA Illinois expands and promotes from within, holding a workforce with over 50% having experienced promotion. Check out our careers page to find more opportunities at Careers - VOA Illinois.

Position Type: This is a Full-time, in-office position and requires a 40-hour week on average. May include occasional weekend and/or evening hours as assigned. This position involves travel to other sites and locations. This position is exempt and reports to the VP of Behavioral Health.

Environment: Physical demands include sedentary work, operating a computer and other office productivity machinery with frequent communication with clients and colleagues of VOA Illinois and others involved in the care and custody of clients. The individual hired must be able to move, traverse and travel in the community in a vehicle, assist clients in and out of a vehicle if necessary and transport clients in the community. Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs.

Core Competencies: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to meet or exceed the following:

• Demonstrate excellent and trauma-informed leadership skills.
• Drive engagement and communication with clients that embodies empathy, patience and emotional intelligence.
• Advocate for clients using active listening to determine resources and meet various needs.
• Collaborate with VOA colleagues, outside organizations or vendors, etc. to connect clients and obtain necessary resources.
• Display discipline in managing time and attention to assigned caseload, tasks or projects.
• Exercise prudent stewardship of agency resources.
• Exhibit cultural competence while serving clients of diverse backgrounds and commit to expanding knowledge and understanding of different communities and people groups.
• Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior at all times.
• Engage with trauma-informed care approach and practice principles.
• Recognize and display ability to de-escalate and resolve conflict as necessary.
  
  
  

Program Overview: VOA Illinois’ Restorative Housing Program will address the housing needs of forensic consumers remanded for outpatient treatment by Illinois County Courts to IDHS under statutes finding them Unfit to Stand Trial or Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. A lack of stable housing often presents a barrier to placement and successful, ongoing engagement for these clients when placed with an outpatient fitness restoration provider. Expanded assistance in addressing housing needs will have a positive impact on these individuals and their continuation in treatment and fitness education. This program will provide these individuals with immediate temporary housing and pre-tenancy support during the housing location process. Providers will maintain ongoing communication with the outpatient fitness restoration provider(s) on progress establishing housing for participants and participants' ongoing participation in the pilot program.

Essential Functions: Responsible for providing strength-based, client-centered, relationship-driven, and family-focused services and interventions to individuals or families served by VOA Illinois. The Lead Service Coordinator is responsible for providing support to a team composed of Housing and Service Coordinators. This position serves to ensure that the service delivery model, client files, and associated documentation in compliance with federal grant requirements. This position requires carrying a full caseload of clients as needed. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

• Assist managers in reviewing all client files and provide feedback to the Housing and Service Coordinator regarding client eligibility and related documentation.
• Consult with the Service Coordinator around the transparency of their client files. The Lead Service Coordinator’s primary responsibility is to provide support and insight to ensure that the Service Coordinator is accurately and transparently capturing the services being provided to program participants. To do so, the Lead Service Coordinator will:
• Talk with the Service Coordinator to identify cases that are atypical or challenging, and provide thoughtful feedback on best practices around engagement, service delivery, and documentation within the client file (in conjunction with the Service Coordinators’ supervisors);
• Complete ongoing active client file reviews with the Program Managers with a focus on: thoroughness and transparency of case notes, documentation of ongoing work towards individual service plans, follow through on referrals, and completeness of documentation (for example, that a lease is in the file for each program participant who is housed), and work with the Service Coordinator to bring files into compliance with grant requirements and program expectations; and
• Provide ongoing feedback to Managers regarding any issues identified that need additional attention or support.
• Carry a caseload of clients with high acuity barriers and maintaining notes and client files in EchoVantage. The Lead CSSC is expected to serve client directly as needed and is expected to take other SC’s caseloads when there is turnover.
• Lead case conferencing with SCs to coordinate care effectively, identify clients who may need additional support beyond Restorative Housing, and to make referrals as needed.
• Mentor current and new SCs as needed under the supervision of the Manager.
  
  

Other Duties: As assigned by supervisor.

Education and Experience:

• Position requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Acceptable degrees include those related to human services.
• 5 years or more of experience in human services preferred.
• A minimum of 1 year prior experience with HMIS and coordinated entry is preferred.
• A minimum of 4 years of experience in the field of social services, related experience with homeless services; housing programs preferred.
• Position requires basic computer skills and basic understanding of Word and Excel.
• Position requires understanding of email etiquette and written communication.
  
  
  

Compensation and Benefits:

• Medical Dental, Vision
• 403b/403b Matching
• Paid-Time Off
• Life Insurance
• PSLF
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) / Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Referral program
• AFLAC Supplemental Insurance options
  
  
  

VOA Illinois provides equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by state, federal or local law.

Reasonable accommodations will be considered to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities upon request.