Jobs › Northwestern Medicine

Recovery Support Specialist-Full Time

Northwestern Medicine · DeKalb, IL · Full time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 15, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

Apply at Northwestern Medicine

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about your own recovery experience and how you use it in this work.

What they are checking: The posting names using personal recovery experience to provide peer support.

How do you keep your own boundaries when the work is close to your own history?

What they are checking: The permanent risk in peer support work.

The schedule is Sunday and Monday seven to half past three, then Tuesday to Thursday three to half past eleven. How does that fit your life?

What they are checking: The posting states the split schedule precisely.

What would you do

How do you create a safe space for someone in crisis?

What they are checking: The posting names creating a safe space to calmly process crisis events.

What does peer support mean to you in practice?

What they are checking: The posting names providing peer support from training and personal experience.

How is the Living Room different from an emergency department for someone in crisis?

What they are checking: The posting names it as an alternative to going to an emergency room.

How do you advocate for someone who is not being heard?

What they are checking: The posting names serving as an individual advocate for consumers.

Someone is in more danger than this setting can manage. What do you do?

What they are checking: A crisis alternative has limits and knowing them is the safety decision.

About the work

How do you connect someone to support outside the service?

What they are checking: The posting names connection to natural supports as well as resources.

How do you teach a wellness strategy so someone will actually use it?

What they are checking: The posting names helping consumers learn and apply wellness strategies.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Northwestern Medicine from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

Location: DeKalb Full time, 40 hours per week Sun/Monday 7-3:30pm Tues-Thursday 3-11:30pm Department description: The Living Room is a space provided by Northwestern Medicine Ben Gordon Center for people to address crises as an alternative to going to an emergency department. The Recovery Support Specialist reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards. Uses personal and training experience to create a safe space for consumers to calmly process crisis events, learn and apply wellness strategies, and prevent future crisis events. As a member of a multidisciplinary team, the Peer Recovery specialist operates from the Crisis Now concept and focuses on practices including recovery orientation, trauma-informed care, and a philosophy that crises are an opportunity for learning. All services are designed to proactively divert crises and break the cycle of hospitalizations. Responsibilities: • Serve as an individual advocate for consumers. • Utilize training and personal recovery experiences to provide peer support for consumers. • Provide recovery information and activities to all consumers; information, resources and connection to natural supports; and must follow principles of trauma informed care. • Assess and evaluate consumer’s needs, strengths, goals, and resources. • As directed, transports consumers to and from home, appointments, meetings, and/or school. • Advocate within systems to promote person centered recovery support services. Work with an interdisciplinary team in reviewing cases and developing individual plans. • Implement individual service plans through rehabilitation services such as case management, advocacy, outreach, skills training groups (i.e. WRAP), social rehabilitation, and community support as indicated. • Provide linkage case management, participate in treatment planning and discharge planning. • Consult with other staff regarding assessment and treatment/intervention planning. Consults with licensed hospital professionals regarding clinical situations and maintains close communication with supervisor. • Consult with other service agencies around case-specific and programmatic issues. • Refer and link consumers to other human service programs and care providers as indicated. • Serve as a liaison to other community agencies as needed. • Build relationships with local police, fire, emergency departments, and other organizations to promote awareness of Living Room services. • Provide on-site support and introduction to services to patients within the hospital and outpatient settings (e.g. Emergency Department, Medical Floors, etc.). • Train other providers and non-providers in areas related to service specialties. • Document service provision as required by NM standards. • Maintain clinical and management records in accordance with established policies and procedures. • Demonstrate ability to meet the productivity requirements set in accordance with program goals. • Attend required staff and other meetings • Other duties as assigned. Minimum Requirements: Education: • High School Diploma or equivalent Licensure: • Valid Driver's License • Proof of auto insurance. Certification: • Upon completion of 2,000 supervised work hours, the Recovery Support Specialist is required to obtain their Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) credential. Experience: • Recovery Support Specialists should be able to articulate their personal experience in recovery when working with patients who are experiencing mental health and/or drug/alcohol issues as it relates to providing peer support services to these patient populations. • Annual Driving Abstract Preferred: • Bachelor’s degree or higher in behavioral health related field • One year experience working with individuals suffering from severe mental illness and/or drug and alcohol issues. • Experience with Medicaid Rule 132/140 • Knowledge and understanding of SUPR 2060 • Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) • Wellness Recovery Action Planning classes (WRAP) • Certified WRAP facilitator Additional Information Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status. Background Check Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Artificial Intelligence Disclosure Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. Benefits We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Click on or copy and paste URL to your browser to view detailed benefits information NorthwesternMedicine Career Page https://jobs.nm.org/benefits Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings. If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign-on bonus. Exception : New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.

Apply at Northwestern Medicine