Crisis Counselor

Centerstone•Alton, IL

3d•$48,300 - $67,700

About The Position

A Crisis Counselor provides emergency crisis intervention and consultation services to clients, families, community partners, and referral sources. The role includes crisis assessment, stabilization, and intervention in community settings, by telephone, and by video, as well as facilitating linkage and referrals to ongoing services. The Crisis Counselor completes required documentation and complies with applicable contracts, grants, standards, regulations, and laws. The position works under the direction of the Crisis Coordinator or Crisis Manager and participates in cross-functional teams and performance-improvement initiatives. The role includes assessing people experiencing mental-health or substance-use crises, developing safety and discharge plans, providing appropriate follow-up or brief therapy, and coordinating referrals and crisis transportation. Crisis Counselors also consult with healthcare, law-enforcement, school, and government personnel, and participate in on-call services to ensure 24/7 coverage in the service area.

Requirements

Master’s degree in social work, psychology, psychiatric nursing, or another related human-services field.
In-depth knowledge of clinical theory and practice and the symptomatology of psychiatric illness.
Successful completion of all required background screenings.
Experience using electronic health records or other electronic documentation systems, and computer and keyboarding skills—or the ability to develop them within required timeframes to meet agency proficiency standards.
CPR certification.
Valid driver’s license and safe driving history.
Knowledge of community resources.
Knowledge of the criminal justice system as it affects adolescents.
Customer-service skills.
Written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

Complete job requirements independently and resourcefully, organize time and resources to achieve outcomes, and seek additional duties during downtime.
Return phone calls and emails within 24 hours, update voicemail and out-of-office email messages, and communicate with a pleasant, helpful manner.
Assist service recipients with safety and discharge planning and provide follow-up services as assigned.
Attend staff meetings, clinical staffings, and other assigned meetings; participate in assigned committees, including quality assurance; and communicate appropriately as a team member.
Conduct pre-screenings for state-operated and private psychiatric hospitals to determine the need for voluntary or involuntary admission.
Provide clinically appropriate follow-up appointments and brief therapy until ongoing treatment is arranged or further services are not indicated.
Assess substance-use crises at emergency rooms, police departments, schools, jails, and other neutral locations, and facilitate linkage to ongoing services.
Provide emergency mental-health consultations to physicians, law-enforcement officials, school officials, and other community or state-agency representatives.
When assigned, mentor and support new staff or interns by modeling and explaining emergency processes, protocols, and services.
Arrange crisis transportation through EMS or other professional transport services when needed.
Participate in on-call crisis services to ensure 24/7 coverage in service areas.
Complete required documentation and comply with applicable contracts, grants, standards, regulations, and laws.