The Night Ministry is powered by people who care deeply, about our mission, about our community, and about one another. We serve individuals experiencing homelessness with compassion and consistency, and we know that strong teams are what make that possible.

No matter the department, every role plays an essential part in advancing our mission and strengthening our impact. We value curiosity, accountability, collaboration, and a shared commitment to equity. If you’re someone who thrives in a purpose-driven environment and wants your work to contribute to lasting change, you may find a home here. 

Position Summary:

The Licensed Clinical Social Worker provides field-based, trauma-informed mental health assessment, crisis intervention, and brief therapeutic services through The Night Ministry’s CTA outreach and other mobile outreach programs. This role delivers Level 3 moderate-intensity community-based behavioral health services within a multidisciplinary outreach team, integrating mental health care with medical services, harm reduction, and housing-focused case management in nontraditional settings. Services are delivered directly within transit environments and other community-based outreach platforms to reduce barriers to clinic-based behavioral health care. 

General Purpose:

The purpose of this role is to expand access to low barrier, integrated mental health care for individuals experiencing severe mental illness (SMI), co-occurring substance use disorders, and complex trauma who rely on CTA stations as overnight refuge. The LCSW conducts diagnostic assessments, administers evidence-based screening tools, provides brief field-adapted psychotherapy, and manages crisis situations, with particular focus on individuals experiencing untreated or undertreated SMI, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, and severe mood disorders. These individuals often face significant barriers to traditional outpatient care.

This position ensures alignment with CDPH Level 3 service standards, supports required data collection and reporting metrics, and contributes to the development of sustainable community-based mental health partnerships. 

Role Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in Social Work from an accredited program.
• Current Illinois LCSW license in good standing.
• Minimum 2-3 years of post-licensure clinical experience providing behavioral health services.
• Experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness, SMI, co-occurring substance use disorders, and complex trauma.
• Training in trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, and crisis intervention.
• Experience administering and interpreting standardized mental health screening tools.
• Ability to work independently in nontraditional, community-based settings.
• Availability to work daytime, evening, and weekend shifts as required for outreach coverage.
• Valid driver's license and good driving record.
• Willingness and ability to drive agency vehicles as part of regular job duties.

Position Responsibilities:

• Conduct comprehensive mental health assessments in field-based settings.
• Administer and interpret PHQ-9, GAD-7, BPRS, C-SSRS, and other standardized screening tools.
• Develop brief treatment plans aligned with client goals, clinical findings, and CDPH Level 3 service standards.
• Provide brief, field-adapted psychotherapy using CBT-informed, trauma-informed, and harm reduction approaches.
• Conduct suicide risk assessments and crisis stabilization interventions.
• Collaborate closely with Nurse Practitioner and case management staff for integrated care planning and psychiatric medication coordination.
• Coordinate referrals and warm handoffs to community behavioral health providers, crisis stabilization programs, and outpatient services.
• Develop and strengthen partnerships with community mental health providers, crisis stabilization programs, and behavioral health agencies to expand referral pathways and improve continuity of care.
• Participate in weekly multidisciplinary case conferences and care coordination meetings.
• Support implementation of the 4-month platform-walking engagement pilot to re-engage hard-to-reach clients and reduce service drop-off.
• Document services in the EHR in accordance with HIPAA, agency policy, and CDPH reporting standards.
• Contribute to data tracking, outcome measurement, screening completion targets, and continuous quality improvement efforts.
• Integrate harm reduction principles into clinical assessment, therapeutic engagement, and care planning.
• Assist in shaping clinical workflows, documentation practices, and mental health service delivery protocols as this new role is integrated into the Outreach & Health Ministry team.

This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the responsibilities and qualifications required for this position. It is not an exhaustive list, and duties may change as business needs evolve.

Essential Skills and Experience:

• Strong crisis de-escalation and suicide risk assessment skills.
• Ability to build rapport quickly in high-acuity, high-variability environments.
• Comfort working in transit stations, platforms, and other mobile outreach settings.
• Knowledge of Chicago behavioral health systems, crisis response pathways, and housing resources.
• Ability to balance independent clinical judgment with collaborative team-based care.
• Strong documentation, time management, and data entry skills.
• Commitment to harm reduction, equity-centered practice, and client autonomy.
• Ability to deliver structured, evidence-based mental health interventions in nontraditional environments while maintaining professional clinical standards.
• Collaborative team mindset with flexibility to adapt to changing outreach schedules, transit environments, and evolving client needs.

Non-Essential Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Experience in street medicine, outreach psychiatry, crisis stabilization, or community behavioral health.
• Experience working in multidisciplinary medical-behavioral health teams.
• Spanish language proficiency.

Reporting to this position:

No Direct Reports.

Physical Demands, Work Environment, & Reasonable Accommodation: 

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. The Night Ministry is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you require accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job or to participate in the application or hiring process, please contact the People & Culture team.

• Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; climb stairs; crouch, or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally drive an automobile; and lift and/or move 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Work environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but may vary at the different locations required in this job. This role may require additional hours, sometimes weekends, during certain busy seasons.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement

The Night Ministry is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status under applicable laws. We encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.

At-Will Employment Disclaimer

This job description is not intended to be an employment contract. Employment with The Night Ministry is at will and may be terminated by the employee or the organization at any time, with or without cause or notice.