Community Support Specialist - Wills Place - full time

As a Community Support Specialist at Wills Place, your primary responsibilities include developing and updating individualized person-centered plans for clients, monitoring their progress, and providing treatment interventions tailored to their needs. You will need to ensure timely completion of documentation that meets state and federal quality standards, collaborate with coworkers to offer trauma-informed services, and manage your assigned caseload independently while adhering to deadlines.

To qualify for the Community Support Specialist role at Wills Place, candidates typically need a bachelor's degree in a human services-related field such as social work, psychology, or nursing. Alternatively, a combination of education and qualifying experience or relevant associate degrees are acceptable. Most importantly, candidates should have experience providing services to individuals with mental health issues, substance use disorders, or developmental disabilities.

Wills Place provides comprehensive support for our Community Support Specialists by fostering a collaborative work environment. Our team emphasizes ongoing professional development, requiring timely completion of training and compliance documents. Additionally, specialists receive guidance from supervisors and clinical staff to ensure the best outcomes for clients while meeting billing and productivity expectations.

Essential skills for a Community Support Specialist at Wills Place include strong communication abilities to facilitate client interactions and collaboration with team members. Effective time management, multitasking skills, and the ability to navigate crises are also vital. Additionally, a compassionate approach to providing trauma-informed, person-centered care is necessary for fostering client independence and autonomy.

The starting salary for the Community Support Specialist position at Wills Place is $18.00 per hour. Salary may vary based on education, experience, and other qualifications as candidates progress in their roles, highlighting our commitment to fair compensation in the field of community support services.

In answering this question, focus on specific experiences where you've successfully engaged with clients facing challenges such as mental illness or substance abuse. Mention strategies you've used to build rapport and effectively support their needs, showcasing your trauma-informed and person-centered approach.

Discuss your time management strategies, such as utilizing task lists or scheduling tools. Provide examples of how you've organized your workload in past roles, emphasizing your ability to maintain high-quality services while handling competing demands.

Use this opportunity to highlight your knowledge and experience in developing individualized treatment plans. Share specific examples of how you've collaborated with clients in the past to identify their goals, needs, and the methods you used for monitoring progress effectively.

Highlight the importance of timely and transparent communication. Explain your process for documenting and relaying client information to supervisors and other team members to ensure everyone is informed and aligned with client care needs.

Discuss your attention to detail and time management skills. Provide an example of how you've effectively tracked and completed necessary documentation within established guidelines in past roles, ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations.

Share specific techniques that have worked for you, like motivational interviewing or strength-based approaches. Highlight the importance of listening to clients and adjusting your support to align with their personal journeys and aspirations.

In your response, outline the steps you would take to assess the situation quickly and carefully. Emphasize your training in crisis intervention techniques and your commitment to the client's safety and well-being as paramount.

Provide examples of successful collaborations in past roles, explaining how you effectively shared information, participated in team meetings, and contributed to a shared vision for client care.

Tell a brief story that reflects on a challenging situation, your problem-solving methods, and the positive outcome achieved. This will demonstrate your resilience, critical thinking skills, and commitment to client success.

Focus on qualities such as empathy, patience, and strong communication skills. Explain how these traits are essential for building trust with clients and successfully helping them navigate their recovery journey.