The Thresholds Homeless Outreach Program (HOP) was established in 1989 to provide assertive outreach, linkage to primary and psychiatric care, and resource referral to people experiencing homelessness along with serious mental illnesses. We are Chicago’s only citywide mental health homeless outreach program, and our primary goal is simple: to get people living with mental illnesses into stable housing and help them recover and regain their lives. We believe it is not enough to simply be available to the people who need our services – we need to bring our services to them.
As a Homeless Outreach Worker, you will work in pairs to meet clients on the streets, in shelters, on the CTA, and at any other location where people who are homeless may be found. You will build relationships with potential and current clients to determine what needs can be met by Thresholds services or linkage to other providers. You will develop a service plan in partnership with the client with goals related to housing, benefits, treatment, advocacy, and other identified needs. In addition to working on long-term goals, you will also address immediate needs: food, water, harm reduction kits, hygiene items, and warming/cooling supplies.
Homeless Outreach Workers are out in the community in all weather and conditions, which takes commitment and grit. Thresholds will have your back through a collaborative and supportive culture that provides you with the tools and resources you need for the best client care. Opportunities for training and professional development, including clinical supervision, will deepen your knowledge and expand your clinical skills in harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and other evidence-based practices. This invaluable experience will set you up for a variety of career paths and growth opportunities within our organization.
To succeed in this role, you need:
Many education and experience paths are eligible for this role:
What sets Thresholds apart:
Thresholds is a mission-driven agency with a deep commitment to fostering an environment where all feel valued and respected, a place where every employee can be themselves, thrive, and support the agency's mission. Click here to learn more.
One of the oldest and largest mental health organizations in Illinois, we pride ourselves in being a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace and one of Chicago's 101 Best & Brightest Companies to work for, several years in a row.
Thresholds provides healthcare, housing, and hope for thousands of persons with mental health and substance use conditions in Illinois each year. Through care, employment, advocacy, and housing, Thresholds assists and inspires people to reclaim their lives.
Thresholds is one of the oldest and largest providers of recovery services for persons with mental health and substance use conditions in Illinois. We offer 30 innovative programs at more than 75 locations throughout Chicago, the adjacent suburbs, and four surrounding counties. Services include assertive outreach, case management, housing, employment, education, psychiatry, primary care, substance use treatment, and research.
Thresholds’ staff meets people where they are – out in the community. Offering services in a community-based setting makes them more accessible and effective and lessens the social exclusion that is often present in the lives of persons living with mental illnesses and substance use conditions. This allows our staff and clients to work on skills, clinical interventions, and recovery that allows them to live independent lives in their own neighborhoods
Our clients are all unique – coming from vastly different backgrounds and arriving with different needs, talents, and hopes. Each client works with our staff to set their own specific short-term goals and objectives, based on their needs, desires, and level of self-sufficiency. Recovery from mental illnesses and substance use is possible. Recovery is a process of finding and living a satisfying and meaningful life, as one defines it for oneself. We assist our clients as they work to reclaim a positive sense of self, and discover their own potential, gifts, and skills.
