Crisis Phone Counselor

Crisis Phone Counselor

San Mateo Suicide Prevention

Adult Division

Required Shifts

Wednesdays: 10:45am -6:45pm 

Thursdays: 10:45am -6:45pm 

Fridays: 10:45am -6:45pm 

Saturdays: 10:45am -6:45pm 

Agency Overview

Felton Institute responds to the needs of our community by providing innovative, evidence-informed social services that transform lives. Our organization offers 60+ programs that address mental health, the unhoused, early care and education, those impacted by the justice system, transitional age youth, as well as aging adults. Our programs combine the latest scientific research with cultural sensitivity and a deep commitment to supporting and reflecting the communities we serve. Felton offers a dynamic, challenging, and supportive work environment where we encourage the use of professional development, that staff can utilize throughout their career.

Program Description

Peninsula Suicide Prevention (PSP) is one of the first crisis centers in California. PSP has been dedicated to crisis intervention and suicide prevention for over half a century, offering services to youth and adults of San Mateo County. PSP is proud to be a 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline contracted center and is accredited by the American Association of Suicidology. 

PSP operates a 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotline, handling calls, texts, and chats from both the local line and the 988 Lifeline. Crisis counselors provide immediate support, conduct suicide risk assessments, develop safety plans, and offer compassionate connections. Additionally, PSP facilitates mental health and suicide prevention presentations, as well as post-crisis interventions, for local school districts, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and community-based organizations. These services aim to raise mental health awareness and foster resilience and support throughout the county. 

Job Description

A Crisis Center Phone Counselor works as a part of a larger team to respond to multiple incoming calls - skillfully and compassionately offering suicide risk assessments, crisis intervention, crisis de-escalation, resource navigation, and emotional support when needed. All phone counselors go through a 5-week training covering topics such as active listening, de-escalation, suicide risk assessment, intro to mental health, LGBTQ+, disability, working with families, working with youth, and more. After successful completion of training, phone counselors will administer suicide risk assessments, provide phone de-escalation, facilitate resource navigation and support callers struggling with a wide array of difficulties. This is a hybrid position with work required both in office and from home during 4 and/or 8hr daily shift assignments as assigned by the Hotline Program Manager.  

Program Specific Responsibilities

• Respond to callers on 24/7 crisis line offering suicide risk assessments, crisis intervention, crisis de-escalation, resource navigation and emotional support to all callers; some evenings, holidays, and weekends required with advanced notice. 
• Triage multiple calls at once, as needed. 
• Assess for safety, crisis, and suicidality and dispatch mobile crisis response when appropriate. 
• Develop in depth knowledge of San Mateo County cities and community resources, provide referrals and resources to callers. 
• Maintain strong communication on and off shift with shift partners, shift supervisor, and program leadership 
• Establish effective recording keeping practices on electronic database; enter all call records according to procedure by the end of assigned shift 
• Adhere to mandating reporting policy as outlined by state and local laws. 
• Provide training and evaluation to incoming phone counselor trainees. 
• Attend regularly scheduled supervision 
• Participate in all program related meetings- monthly team meeting, bi-annual crisis center training, agency-wide events, as well as continuing education opportunities. 
• Maintain knowledge and best practices of crisis intervention- suicide prevention, as well as other related topics (trauma informed practices, cultural response, etc.); Complete at least 10 hours of ongoing education each year. 
• Additional duties as needed and assigned by Hotline Program Manager.

Minimal Requirements and Qualifications 

• Minimum level of education is an undergraduate degree; may be substituted for comparable work experience. 
• One year of related work experience in mental health, counseling, and/or crisis de-escalation; one year of crisis line phone counseling experience strongly preferred 
• Possess strong interpersonal and rapport building skills and can positively interact with others over the phone and in person. 
• Ability to pass crisis center onboarding training 
• Ability to maintain regular assigned schedule 
• Ability to use sound and ethical judgment during high stakes situations. 
• Have open availability to work within a 24/7 program, including weekends and holidays.
• At least 21 years of age 
• Must live within San Mateo County (preferred) or connected counties 
• Ability to pass a TB test and livescan background clearance. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

• Community resources: A thorough knowledge of San Mateo County and surrounding areas for making appropriate referrals 
• Cultural competence and humility: Understanding how to interact respectfully with people from diverse racial, cultural, economic, and identity backgrounds. This includes specific considerations for marginalized groups, such as the LGBTQIA2S+ community, people with disabilities, and veterans 
• Trauma-informed care: Counselors must understand the effects of traumatic stress and be able to provide care that avoids re-traumatization, including awareness of the effects of secondary trauma on their own well-being 
• Regulations and confidentiality: Counselors must be aware of their legal and ethical responsibilities, including maintaining caller confidentiality as well as mandatory reporting requirements for issues like abuse 
• Active and reflective listening: Ability to pay full attention to a help seeker's concerns, demonstrating unbiased acceptance, and validating experiences 
• Crisis stabilization and de-escalation: The ability to reduce the intensity of an emotionally charged situation using effective communication and behavioral techniques 
• Empathy and rapport building: The skill to engage with and build a connection with a person in crisis in a compassionate, non-judgmental way 
• Problem-solving: Ability to quickly analyze complex situations and identify appropriate, least-invasive interventions 
• Documentation: Clear, concise, and accurate record-keeping is required for every interaction 
• Collaboration: Ability to work together to coordinate care with supervisors, other professionals, and emergency services 
• Multitasking: Handling high-volume call traffic and using multiple software programs simultaneously while remaining focused on help seekers needs 
• Emotional intelligence: The ability to perceive, understand, and manage one's own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. This is critical for staying calm and professional during intense situations 
• Resilience: The capacity to adapt to challenging life experiences and manage the emotional demands inherent in supporting people in crisis with support of supervision and debriefing sessions to help counselors manage secondary trauma 
• Critical thinking: The ability to interpret, evaluate, and analyze information from the caller to make sound judgments and inform your intervention 
• Adaptability and flexibility: An openness to changing situations and a willingness to work with a diverse range of help seekers and crises 
• Adherence to protocols: The ability to consistently follow established Felton and Lifeline policies, procedures, and best practices for service delivery.

Additional Information:

Reports to: Hotline Program Manager

Job Type: Part-time

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Salary Rate: $28 per hour 

Benefits (subject to election and eligibility): Fully-Paid Medical and Dental Plans; Health Reimbursement Card, Paid Time Off (personal, vacation, and sick time), 403B with company match.

This position is union-represented by SEIU Local 1021 and is subject to the applicable collective bargaining agreement.

Applying Instruction:

Candidates should apply for the position at our career page “careers.felton.org” OR directly email resumes to “[email protected]”.

IMP NOTE: Job responsibilities are subject to change according to program requirements.