Supervisor, Social Work, Mental Health

Type: Full-Time (40 hours)

Reports to: 988 Manager

Office

Location:

Work from home position (not a remote “work from anywhere” role). Must maintain a private, confidential workspace in your home within the Chicago area and be able to attend in-person trainings and meetings at our Chicago office (224 W. Hill Street, Suite 410, Chicago, IL) as requested.

Shift: Two Shifts available

• Sunday
  - Thursday, 7:45AM - 4:15 PM
• Tuesday
  - Saturday, 7:45 AM - 4:15PM

Work schedules are subject to change as necessary to meet the Agency’s and its client’s needs. Reasonable notice is provided to facilitate personal planning.

Our 988 call center is open 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, including all holidays. Employees, whose regular schedule lands on a holiday, will be expected to work on that day unless PTO is approved or a shift is traded.

Training: Each employee is required to complete a set training course prior to being eligible to answer calls for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The first day of training is in person at our Chicago office from 9 AM – 5 PM. Beyond that, the training will be completed virtually using live and self‑paced modalities. Facilitator‑led training will be scheduled during a time of day that works for the majority of the training cohort (may include day or evening hours) but will always occur during the weekdays.

Self‑guided training may be completed at the learner’s discretion but must be completed within the same day as they are scheduled. The training schedule will be provided on the first day of onboarding. safeTALK is required within 6 months of hire (offered internally).

Guided by the experiences of those living with mental health conditions and rooted in equity, NAMI Chicago educates to fight stigma and discrimination, fiercely advocates for our community, and shares hope, connection and expertise with people on their mental health journey.

• An employer who prioritizes your wellness
• An employer who supports your growth
• An employer who sees and acknowledges all of you
• An employer who educates and advocates for mental health while sharing hope with those on their mental health journey or supporting individuals on their mental health journey.

• Highly empathetic
• Detail-oriented and organized
• Excellent relationship management and interpersonal skills

As a 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Supervisor you will lead and support a team of crisis counselors who provide immediate support and intervention to individuals experiencing emotional distress and mental health crises. Operating within the framework of the 988 Lifeline, you will help ensure high-quality service delivery through compassionate leadership, real‑time guidance, and operational oversight. You will be responsible for supervising daily shift operations, offering clinical and procedural support, managing escalated calls, and fostering a trauma‑informed, inclusive, and collaborative work environment.

This role demands strong communication skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to remain composed under pressure while multitasking across various platforms and tasks.

• Crisis Response: Respond directly and indirectly to 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline calls, chats, and text, following established protocols and guidelines. Support contacts of all ages experiencing emotional distress, mental health crises, or suicidal ideation, including those at imminent risk of harm to self or others. At times, such as low staffing, high call volume, etc., this may require the Supervisor to act in the capacity of a 988 Crisis Counselor.
• Crisis Counselor Support: Support 988 Crisis Counselors in delivering…