Role: Social Care Specialist

Employment Type: Full-Time | Permanent
Reports To: Social Care Manager
Location: Hybrid (Chicago-based, combining in-office work, remote work, and in-community engagement at community events within the Cook County area)
Annual Salary Range: $52,000 – $58,000
Benefits: Benefits package including medical and dental coverage; paid time off and holidays; and ongoing professional development opportunities.

About Essence Community Care

Essence Community Care is a community-focused organization dedicated to improving health outcomes by helping individuals navigate healthcare systems, government benefits, and community-based resources. We support individuals facing barriers related to the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH), including food insecurity, housing instability, transportation challenges, financial hardship, limited healthcare access, and other social care needs.

Our mission is to provide compassionate, person-centered support while improving access to critical healthcare and social service programs through collaboration, advocacy, and innovative care coordination.

Position Summary

Essence Community Care is seeking an experienced, compassionate, and highly organized Social Care Specialist to join our growing team. This role is ideal for professionals who have experience supporting individuals with healthcare and social service needs and are ready to independently manage a caseload while navigating more complex participant situations.

The Social Care Specialist will work directly with participants to identify and address Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) barriers through comprehensive assessments, care coordination, benefits navigation, participant advocacy, and community resource linkage. This position requires strong case management skills, critical thinking, relationship-building abilities, and knowledge of healthcare and social service systems.

The ideal candidate will have experience assisting individuals with healthcare coverage, public benefits, community resources, and care coordination while maintaining a participant-centered and outcomes-focused approach.

Core Responsibilities

• Engage participants with compassion, professionalism, cultural humility, and trauma-informed practices.
• Conduct comprehensive SDoH assessments to identify barriers affecting participants' health, stability, and overall well-being.
• Independently manage a caseload of participants with moderate to complex social care needs.
• Develop and implement individualized care plans based on participant goals, identified needs, and available resources.
• Assist participants with accessing healthcare coverage, Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, housing resources, transportation services, utility assistance, food resources, disability supports, and other government or community-based programs.
• Provide application assistance, eligibility guidance, benefits navigation, and renewal support.
• Coordinate referrals and provide warm handoffs to healthcare providers, community partners, and social service organizations to ensure continuity of care.
• Monitor participant progress and complete follow-up activities within established program timelines to ensure successful service connection and resolution of identified needs.
• Serve as a liaison between participants, caregivers, healthcare organizations, managed care organizations, and community agencies.
• Support participants with resolving barriers related to eligibility issues, service access challenges, and care coordination needs.
• Collaborate with healthcare providers, hospitals, community organizations, and internal teams to improve participant outcomes.
• Maintain ongoing communication with participants, caregivers, healthcare providers, and community partners through phone, email, and internal systems.
• Document all participant interactions accurately, thoroughly, and in a timely manner within internal platforms and databases.
• Assist with case consultations and provide guidance to less experienced team members regarding resource navigation and participant engagement strategies.
• Develop and maintain advanced knowledge of local community resources, government programs, healthcare systems, and social service networks.
• Stay current on policy, eligibility, and procedural changes related to government benefits, healthcare programs, and social care initiatives.
• Participate in team meetings, supervision sessions, training programs, quality improvement initiatives, and program development activities.
• Assist with data collection, reporting, and maintenance of program statistics and required documentation.
• Maintain confidentiality and compliance with all company policies, HIPAA requirements, and applicable privacy regulations.
• Contribute to program improvement initiatives, special projects, and organizational growth efforts as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Reside within the Chicagoland area.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in social services, care coordination, community outreach, healthcare navigation, case management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience assisting individuals with Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) needs.
• Strong knowledge of Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, housing resources, transportation assistance, utility assistance, and other public benefit programs.
• Experience managing participant caseloads and coordinating services across multiple systems.
• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and participant needs.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and effectively manage complex participant situations.
• Comfortable using technology, electronic documentation systems, and learning new platforms.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse populations and respond thoughtfully to varying cultural and socio-economic needs.
• Reliable transportation, valid driver's license, and proof of insurance.
• Must be able to pass a pre-employment drug screening and background check.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Services, Social Work, Public Health, Psychology, Sociology, Healthcare Administration, or a related field; equivalent professional experience considered in lieu of degree.
• Experience working within healthcare systems, hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), health plans, or community-based organizations.
• Experience supporting participants through benefits appeals, redeterminations, and eligibility-related challenges.
• Experience coordinating care for individuals with moderate to complex medical, behavioral health, or social care needs.
• Familiarity with Illinois healthcare, Medicaid, Medicare, and social service systems.
• Bilingual proficiency in Spanish, Polish, Mandarin, or other languages commonly spoken within the communities we serve.
• Current CPR/First Aid certification.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Essence Community Care is committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. Because the people we support are too often shaped by structural inequities, we believe representation, lived experience, and inclusive practice strengthen our mission.Essence Community Care is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, citizenship status, order of protection status, arrest record, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, including the Illinois Human Rights Act. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.