Regional Psychiatric Clinical Specialist

Position Overview

Under direction, this position will provide experienced professional child welfare services involving psychiatric hospital care programs for children and youth with special needs, working to facilitate the provision of treatment services, service resources, and support for youth returning to their preadmission or new placement, based on the level of service intensity.  This position will make recommendations in partnership with internal and external entities regarding a youth’s and family’s needs outside of DCFS care.  The position will manage a system to track referrals, inter-agency engagement, psychiatric hospital engagement, and inter-agency engagement to determine outcomes, analyze data, and identify trends.  This position provides a great opportunity for someone who is passionate about children and interested in ensuring youth receive appropriate resources and supports, while minimizing the extended use of crisis resources or psychiatric hospitals.  DCFS offers a competitive compensation plan, excellent benefits, and a pension program.  The ideal candidate for this position will have excellent organizational skills and strong communication skills.  We invite you to join our innovative team to help make a positive difference in the lives of the children and families of Illinois.

Essential Functions

• Serves as Regional Psychiatric Clinical Specialist.


• Monitors and assesses psychiatric hospital care programs to ensure compliance with state regulations and best practice care, as well as compliance with standards regarding appropriate clinical capacity, admission requirements, and overall performance.


• Provides input into ongoing quarterly clinical staffings.


• Reviews management reports regarding psychiatric hospital care program performance and monitors corrective action plans, advising on and directing implementation of appropriate corrective action.


• Identifies significant developments, patterns of performance problems, or other program issues and submits reports to appropriate Department staff to ensure that DCFS management and agency managers are aware of deficiencies and program weaknesses.


• Tracks referrals, intra-agency engagement, psychiatric hospital engagement, and inter-agency engagement to determine outcomes.


• Serves as liaison between various agencies, hospitals, and DCFS staff to maintain a supportive network of care and support through relationships with hospitals, providers, and internal or external agencies.


• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires a master’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling, education, special education, or a related human service area.


• Requires five years of progressively responsible professional experience in a human services area, which includes two years of demonstrated experience independently interacting and negotiating with other systems of services (mental health, developmental disabilities, substance abuse, specialized medical, special education) in a clinical setting to ensure that children with special needs gain access to such services OR a master’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling, education, special education, or a related human service area, plus two years of verifiable supervisory** experience providing services to special needs children in a state or private human service agency. ** For clarification: Examples of qualifying supervisory experience for this class include, but are not limited to, a hospital director or an administrator with subordinate staff that provides services to special needs children.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3 years of experience in mental health services, including working with children and youth with intellectual disabilities, substance use disorders, or children and youth in the juvenile justice system in an inpatient or outpatient setting, 2 years of which include directing services for children and youth in inpatient psychiatric settings.


• 6 years of experience in a public or private organization applying extensive knowledge of the application of social work principles, methods, procedures, and techniques, with a special emphasis on serving children with special needs.


• 6 years of experience in a public or private organization applying extensive knowledge of the purpose and structure of public agencies, private child welfare agencies, and other community-based agencies serving special needs children.


• 6 years of experience in a public or private organization applying extensive knowledge of federal and state laws affecting the health and welfare of children, with a special emphasis on such laws which directly affect children with special needs.


• 6 years of experience in a public or private organization applying extensive knowledge of the range of child welfare and other services needed by children with special needs.

Specialized Skills

• Of the noted years of experience, requires three years of experience in mental health services, including working with children and youth with intellectual disabilities, substance use disorders, or children and youth in the juvenile justice system in an inpatient or outpatient setting, two years of which include directing services for children and youth in inpatient psychiatric settings.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires a valid driver’s license, daily access to an automobile, and proof of vehicle insurance.


• Requires ability to pass a background check and self-disclosure of criminal history. 


• Requires physical, visual, and auditory ability to carry out assigned duties.


• The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description. 

About the Agency

DCFS is deeply committed to the welfare and protection of children. Our goal is to protect children by strengthening and supporting families. In every effort, from receiving hotline calls to reaching family reunification or foster care and adoption, children and families are our focus. 

 As a State of Illinois Employee, you will receive a robust benefit package that includes the following:

• A Pension Program


• Competitive Group Insurance Benefits including Health, Life, Dental and Vision Insurance


• 3 Paid Personal Business Days annually


• 12 Paid Sick Days annually (Sick days carry over from year to year)


• 10-25 Days of Paid Vacation time annually - (10 days in year one of employment)
  
  
  
  • Personal, Sick, & Vacation rates modified for 12-hour & part-time work schedules (as applicable)
  
  
  
  


• 13 Paid Holidays annually, 14 on even numbered years


• Flexible Work Schedules (when available dependent upon position)


• 12 Weeks Paid Parental Leave


• Deferred Compensation Program - A supplemental retirement plan


• Optional Pre-Tax Programs such as Medical Care Assistance Plan (MCAP), Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP)


• Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program eligibility


• GI Bill® Training/Apprenticeship Benefits eligibility for qualifying Veterans


• 5% Salary Differential for Bilingual Positions


• Commuter Savings Program (Chicago only)

For more information about our benefits please follow this  link: https://www2.illinois.gov/cms/benefits/Pages/default.aspx