Crisis Helpline Clinician

Thurston Mason BH-ASO/OHRS • Lacey, WA

4d • $28 - $36 • Hybrid

About The Position

Olympic Health and Recovery Services is seeking multiple clinicians to join our new Crisis Helpline team! Do you have an empathetic listening ear and strong clinical skills? This could be the role for you! The Crisis Helpline Clinician provides clinical support to the Crisis Services Program of Olympic Health and Recovery Services (OHRS), a licensed behavioral health agency. The primary responsibilities of the Crisis Helpline Clinician are to respond to callers in both the Regional Crisis Line (RCL) and the Washington State 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, delivering 24/7/365 crisis intervention services via phone, text, and chat. This position will be conducting suicide and safety risk assessments, developing stabilization plans, dispatching mobile crisis teams, and coordinating referrals to Designated Crisis Responders (DCRs), emergency services, and community resources. The Crisis Helpline Clinician responds to individuals across multiple Washington regions and helps ensure callers receive timely, compassionate, and culturally responsive crisis care. This position has the ability for hybrid work from home options with satisfactory completion of training and continued demonstration of proficiency. Salary Range: $27.72 - $36.45 per hour. DOE. This position is eligible for shift differential ($1/HR evenings, $3/HR weekends and nights). Available Schedules: • 12PM – 8PM, Sunday - Thursday • 2PM – 10PM, Wednesday - Sunday • 2PM – 10PM, Thursday - Monday • 8PM – 4AM, Sunday - Thursday • 8PM – 4AM, Tuesday - Saturday • 8PM – 4AM, Wednesday - Sunday Join us in our mission to provide access to an effective, reliable safety net of behavioral health crisis and recovery support services throughout our region.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, or a related area; OR 2 years of college coursework that includes behavioral health courses AND 2 years of direct services behavioral health experience supervised by an MHP; 2 years of direct service behavioral health experience supervised by an MHP may substitute for every 1 year of education required.
• Meets Washington Agency Affiliated Counselor requirements.
• Experience with crisis intervention, risk assessment, and behavioral‑health service delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to work in high‑stress environments and maintain professionalism in escalated situations.
• Strong communication skills across phone, chat, and text modalities.
• Ability to use electronic health records and web‑based phone/crisis-line platforms.
• Satisfactory background checks and sanctions clearance.
• Strong clinical judgment and crisis‑intervention skills.
• Ability to conceptualize and implement creative stabilization strategies.
• Excellent customer‑service skills grounded in empathy, cultural humility, and trauma‑informed practices.
• Ability to collaborate effectively within interdisciplinary teams and navigate differing viewpoints.
• Knowledge of conflict resolution, de‑escalation, crisis‑intervention models, and community resources.
• Flexibility, adaptability, and comfort with rapidly changing crisis situations or workflow needs.

Nice To Haves

• Two (2) or more years of experience in behavioral health or crisis settings.
• Experience working on a crisis line or within the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline system.
• Knowledge of Washington’s statewide crisis continuum, including mobile crisis teams, DCR processes, and multi‑county crisis integration.
• Familiarity with national 988 contact‑center operations, quality metrics, and Lifeline standards.
• Training in suicide risk‑assessment tools, motivational interviewing, de‑escalation, or other evidence‑based practices.

Responsibilities

• Promptly answer incoming RCL and 988 calls, texts, or chats to gather relevant information and determine immediate safety needs.
• Conduct risk assessments and evaluate urgency to determine appropriate level of intervention.
• Provide crisis intervention, emotional support, de escalation, and trauma informed care to individuals experiencing mental health, substance use, emotional distress, or safety concerns.
• Manage multiple concurrent crisis contacts in a calm, professional, and empathetic manner.
• Develop crisis stabilization and safety plans collaboratively with callers and their natural supports.
• Triage callers to community resources, outpatient providers, DCRs, mobile crisis teams, and 911 when clinically indicated.
• Dispatch mobile crisis teams when callers present with urgent behavioral health or safety concerns requiring in person assessment or intervention, following Washington’s regional crisis system protocols.
• Provide warm handoffs and seamless care coordination with crisis outreach teams and regional crisis service partners throughout Washington.
• Direct individuals to specialized 988 services including Veterans Line, Spanish Line, Youth Line, and the Native & Strong Lifeline when appropriate.
• Support callers who are unhoused unstably housed, or seeking linkages to medical, behavioral health, or social service resources.
• Complete timely and accurate documentation in the electronic health record in accordance with Washington State law, crisis line best practices, and confidentiality regulations (42 CFR, 45 CFR).
• Utilize web based 988 and crisis line systems for documentation and reporting.
• Follow all agency policies, WAC requirements, and national 988 Lifeline standards for crisis contact response and quality assurance.
• Conduct follow up calls as clinically indicated to support stabilization, ensure safety, and assist callers in engaging with recommended care.
• Collaborate with families, providers, and crisis teams to reduce barriers to follow up care and support ongoing stabilization activities.
• Consult with other agency clinicians and interdisciplinary team members on complex or high risk cases.
• Communicate clearly and effectively with coworkers in a dynamic, fast paced crisis environment.
• Support RCL, 988, ITA, and crisis team program deliverables, including encounter tracking, quality improvement, and compliance with state and regional requirements.

Benefits

• TMBH-ASO/OHRS provides comprehensive benefits for full-time employees including medical/dental/vision plan options (many with no employee paid monthly premium depending on plan choice, and dependent coverage options), and life insurance and disability insurance options.
• Eligible employees participate in WA State PERS retirement plans and employees may elect additional pre and post-tax deferred compensation retirement options.
• Employees receive a PTO package earning a minimum of 140 hours annually and 12 paid holidays.
• Other tax deferred options include Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), and Health Savings Accounts (HSA).
• OHRS is an approved Public Student Loan Forgiveness employer.
• We pay the fees for required DOH licenses for the position, and we offer annual professional development funds.
• Find more information at www.tmbhcareers.org.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees