Crisis Hotline Counselor (Afternoon/Evening)

EVERYMIND INC•Rockville, MD

10d•$23 - $30•Hybrid

About The Position

EveryMind is hiring 3 Crisis Hotline Counselors to join their dedicated team, providing vital support to individuals facing mental health challenges in Montgomery County, across Maryland, and nationwide. The 24/7 crisis hotline offers compassionate listening, crisis intervention, and emotional support via phone, chat, and text. Upcoming training classes are available for Afternoon & Overnight shifts. All new hires must complete a five-week training to become certified and begin working their assigned fixed shift. The training schedule is September 8th – October 9th, Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM, primarily in-person at the Rockville, MD office, and includes holidays with holiday pay.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED and two years of post-high school education.
One to three years’ work experience.
Strong Personal Resilience and Mental Health: Given the high-stress nature of the role, it is essential that candidates possess a high level of personal resilience and maintain stable mental health.
Strong interpersonal, written and verbal skills.
Coordination and organizational skills.
Must be able to work independently and multitask in a fast-paced environment and handle crises situations, including suicidal contacts and confidential information.
Ability to identify appropriate resources and make referrals essential.
Strong computer skills with proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Zoom, Teams, and other technology platforms.
Effectively interact and work collaboratively in a flexible work environment with a variety of constituents including CEO, board members, clients and family members or caretakers, interns, volunteers, paid staff, and community partners.
Ability to express ideas with clarity, confidence and sensitivity.
Must be able to maintain confidentiality involving clients in accordance with organizational and federal guidelines.
Must be comfortable working independently in a fast-paced environment and handling crises situations, including suicidal contacts.
Ability to efficiently navigate multiple digital platforms simultaneously while actively listening and conversing with callers, documenting conversations, and communicating with supervisors (both verbally and in writing) in a fast-paced call center environment.
The employee must be available to perform the duties of the job during the assigned schedule.
The employee must pass a criminal background check.
Certain job functions may require employee to pass a child sexual abuse and other criminal activity as well as a credit check.
All staff providing services to staff or clients, must be free of illegal drugs and abuse of alcohol, and must be fully able to perform all required duties at all times.
Anyone who has a history of trauma or suicidality could be at risk of being triggered or re-traumatized, especially within the past 12 months, and therefore Hotline work is not recommended if their experience is so recent.

Nice To Haves

Some college coursework in Psychology, Social Work, or related field preferred.
Prior call-center experience, especially with a focus on providing emotional support, preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide hotline coverage for designated periods by phone, text and chat.
Works on-site and/or remotely as a hotline specialist for all shifts within a 24/7 period.
Support visitors on phone, chat, and text, handling crises situations, including suicidal contacts and confidential information.
Effectively navigate multiple digital platforms simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
Complete all required documentation before logging off at the end of the shift.
Report any service delivery, service quality and visitor-related issues to Shift/On-call Supervisor.
Be present and responsive in the virtual workspace during scheduled work time.
Maintain remote worksite to meet confidentiality, privacy and technological requirements.
Work onsite as required, at the minimum of twice a month.
Attend mandatory Hotline meetings, one on one supervision, supervision group and other meetings as scheduled.
Complete required training and continuing education units.
Attend community meetings and partnerships as needed.
Assist Hotline with administrative tasks and projects as assigned.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Occasional supervision of interns and volunteers.