Policy Fellow

FUNCTIONSCOPE STATEMENT

Chapin Hall is seeking an experienced Policy Fellow to provide leadership and oversight on the implementation and sustainability of the Blueprint for Transformation: A Vision for Improved Behavioral Health Services for Illinois Children. The Policy Fellow will lead the Chapin Hall Childrens Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative team and work with external stakeholders including the Deputy Governor for Health and Human Services the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Departments of Human Services Children & Family Services Public Health Juvenile Justice and Healthcare and Family Services

This position will report to the Director of Policy Operations and allows for remote work and periodic in-person attendance at Chicago IL and Springfield IL meetings. The successful applicant is expected to work normal business hours and must have flexibility in their work schedule to accommodate business demands.

The Policy Fellow will work with a collaborative and integrated research and policy team to bring a unique blend of clinical experience policy expertise and applied research to the leadership and oversight of the initiative. The successful candidate will bring deep familiarity with the Childrens Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative and content expertise and understanding of the Illinois and national policy landscape related to childrens mental health equity in service accessibility trauma-informed and strengths-based practices and policies and residential care including best-practice processes and tools staffing patterns care coordination and referral and continuous quality improvement.

The individual will have a leadership track record of successfully leading the implementation of empirically-supported practices tracking and monitoring effectiveness of programs drafting or enhancing policies to support implementation of services cultivating community and lived experience engagement advising state agency leaders experience working with multiple public and private stakeholders and building infrastructure to promote well-being for youth.

This policy expert will establish themselves as an organizational leader who attracts collaborators executes work promptly efficiently on budget and with quality. Additionally this leader will engage a diverse group of stakeholders through a range of dissemination formats and outlets in keeping with organizational priorities. Additionally the policy expert will seek and maintain an active positive role in contributing to organizational culture.

Chapin Hall embraces a Work from Anywhere approach offering flexible remote work from anywhere in the United States. Our fully remote model is grounded in trust accountability and a shared commitment to high-quality work and collaboration regardless of location. To get a glimpse of what this looks like in practice we invite you to watch a short video featuring Chapin Hall staff working from home and across the country: Watch here

While our work is remote we intentionally create opportunities for connection and belonging. We offer in-person opportunities for staff to build (1) relationships and connection (2) team cohesion and creativity and (3) a strong sense of belonging to the organization. Staff are expected to participate in occasional work-related travel including attendance at in-person All Hall Convenings which emphasize shared learning collaboration and community. Reasonable accommodations are made for those who require modifications.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Project and Stakeholder Management

• Leads the Childrens Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative team as part of Chapin Halls Illinois DCFS contract.
• Serves as principal point of contact with key external stakeholders and coordinates the Chapin Hall team to ensure consistent and transparent communications by directing and delivering frequent progress reports.
• Understands the complex relationships between key funding and policy stakeholders relevant to work develops and sustains network and navigates those relationships effectively.
• Cultivates relationships with key funding and policy stakeholders necessary to develop and carry out policy work.

Capacity Building/Policy Development

• Provides practical leadership support to the Deputy Governors office and participating state agencies to guide the sustainability of system transformation efforts including implementation of strategies to leverage the new repository of residential treatment beds the BEACON platform for centralized care and the implementation of Universal Mental Health Screening.
• Conducts policy fiscal and evidence reviews to develop deploy test and refine capacity building and implementation tools frameworks tools and resources.
• Through results-based organizational development coaching education and facilitation of meetings and change processes builds capacity of system partners to:
  • use data and evidence in decision making;
  • build and sustain structures that support large scale systems improvement;
  • further effective and sustainable implementation of practices and programs that lead to intended outcomes;
  • understand and leverage policy and financing as tools for progress; and
  • use continuous quality improvement to promote progress- monitoring and mid-course improvements.

• Facilitates connections between education mental health and child welfare systems in support of leveraging shared values and achieving collective impact.

Research and Analysis

• Together with colleagues conceptualizes innovative data analytic support and research approaches toward the development and execution of plans for effective tailored implementation of transformation efforts.
• Leads and contributes substantively to research and policy teams working to effectively analyze translate and present findings and implications into practical decisions and ultimately policy change.

Administration

• Engage in formal supervision of staff as required; contribute to professional development of colleagues.
• Through close engagement with colleagues and Chapin Hall leadership functions as a critical thought leader in the organization to collectively further Chapin Halls mission.
• Through internal service contribute to the development and refining of systems that support the execution of projects staff development and advancement and a positive organizational culture.
  
• Performs additional duties as assigned.

• Masters degree in education public policy social work developmental or clinical psychology or other relevant field required Ph.D. preferred.
• First-hand experience with the Illinois Childrens Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative including interagency collaboration on expediting placement and services for youth experiencing mental health service needs and crises.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience conceiving developing and facilitating the implementation of programs practices and/or policies that improve outcomes for children youth and families.
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience supervising staff or colleagues.
• Experience working in clinical settings with multi-disciplinary teams on formulating treatment plans and goals for clinical recovery.
• Knowledge of and experience with applying implementation/improvement science principles to the implementation of evidence-based interventions and other child welfare system reform efforts.
• Experience in successful dissemination including but not limited to: writing and publishing research and/or policy analyses and recommendations; delivering presentations; and providing consultation to a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Track record of success translating empirical research findings into actionable frameworks as well as evidence of having leveraged policy-relevant translational research intended to inform policy programs systems and interventions.
• Demonstrated facility interpreting quantitative and/or qualitative data analysis.
• Track record of partnerships with community funding and policy stakeholders including in the development and/or implementation of evidence-based programs practices and/or policies.
• Strong interpersonal skills including the desire and ability to contribute positively to the culture and intellectual life of Chapin Hall.
• Strong communications skills with the ability to translate and convey complex concepts and study findings in oral and written communications.
• Strong project and personnel management skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent tasks.
• Demonstrated leadership skills including the capacity to effectively recruit retain and mentor staff and to compose diverse teams with needed capacities to complete projects.
• Highly flexible problem-solving and analytic skills.
• Ability to work independently with a high degree of initiative.
• Demonstrated judgment and discretion in the handling of sensitive information.
• Understand the complex relationships between key funding and policy stakeholders relevant to work and navigate those relationships effectively.

MINIMUM PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Pre-employment background checks are required for all Chapin Hall positions. Chapin Hall approachesbackground checks with respect and fairness ensuring that every applicant is given equitable reviewand opportunity. Chapin Halls background check process complies with Section 2-103.1 of the IllinoisHuman Rights Act. Accordingly a conviction will only be considered disqualifying if it has a substantialrelationship to the job or if hiring the individual would pose an unreasonable risk to workplace safety. Ifyou have any questions please reach out to

Formal expressions of interest are accepted online only. A cover letter resume writingsample and reference contact information are required to be considered for this in need of reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should contact Human Resources by calling or by sending an email to

Chapin Hall is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Employer that values and actively seeks diversity in its workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color creed religion age sex genetic information marital status sexual orientation gender identity orexpression citizenship citizenship status pregnancy ormaternity nationaloriginstatusasanindividual with disability ancestryprotectedveteranstatus oranyother statusprotected by law. Per U.S. Department of Labor regulations Chapin Hall offers visa sponsorship in limited instances for hard-to-fill specialty occupation roles. If you have questions about visa sponsorship at Chapin Hall please reach out to

Regarding the salary range:

Chapin Hall adheres to a competitive market-aligned salary structure for all its administrative policy and research roles. Starting salaries within posted ranges are determined by the Chapin Hall Human Resources Department using a consistent rigorous and equitable review process.

Benefits

Chapin Hall provides a strong benefits program that addresses the diverse needs of our staff. We offer competitive and comprehensive benefit options that allow you to design your own plan to balance individual needs with affordability and support long-term financial stability for staff and their family. Our benefits include comprehensive health plans paid time off sick time parental leave and retirement options. For more information on our benefits visit our Chapin Hall Website.

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

ChapinHallis an independent policy researchcenter that providespublic and private decision-makers with rigorous research and achievable solutions to improve the lives of children families and communities. Chapin Hall partners with policymakers practitioners and philanthropists at the forefront of research and policy development by applying research real-world experience and policy expertise to deliver actionable information practical tools and positive change for children youth and families. Chapin Halls partnership mindset is demonstrated in a collaborative and innovative work environment committed to diversity and inclusion in our culture projects and workforce. Established in 1985 Chapin Halls main impact areas include child welfare systems community capacity building and youth homelessness. For more information about Chapin Hall visit or ChapinHall. Take a moment to view avideo clipof staff on why they enjoy working at Chapin Hall.

In our efforts to create a vibrant workplace and because diversity is integral to designing and conducting research collecting and analyzing data and drafting policy solutions Chapin Hall seeks to recruit foster and retain staff who are diverse in terms of their ability age ethnicity gender identity race religion and sexual orientation.

As part of Chapin Halls Racial Equity Principles we especially encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds including individuals who reflect the experiences and perspectives of families and young people served by child- and family-serving systems and programs.

Our unwavering partnership mindset is also demonstrated in our commitment to employees by fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment that is committed to reflecting diversity and inclusion in its culture projects and workforce. We embracediverse backgrounds diverse perspectives and diverse experiences in everything we do in every partnershipand in our workplace. Our inclusive approach to people partnerships and communities makes us abetter and stronger organization by bringing in innovative multidisciplinary staff committed to fostering a truly collaborative work environment. We are committed to a respectful and inclusive work environment work life flexibility and partnerships that support diversity amongst our staff and within the communities we support.