Crisis Services Clinician - Dispatch Pod (Day Shift)

Crisis Connections•Seattle, WA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Crisis Connections is hiring a full-time Crisis Services Clinician to work in person in Seattle, Washington. The role works across Crisis Services, Dispatch Services, and Professional Services, providing clinical risk-assessment oversight, decision-making, consultation, and coaching to Crisis Support Specialists and Crisis Intervention Specialists during live calls. The clinician leads crisis intervention planning and works with colleagues to provide callers with emotional support, assess safety, coordinate referrals, and connect people with community resources and higher levels of care when needed. The position aims to stabilize individuals in crisis while reducing the likelihood of future crises and, when possible, minimizing law enforcement and emergency room involvement. The clinician oversees phone-room activities, monitors service delivery, supports quality assurance and clinical decision-making, and participates in debriefing challenging calls. Work includes crisis-line consultation and coaching; dispatch-line assessments and coordination with first responders; hospital authorization screening and documentation; and professional consultation, system lookups, and service linkages. The role uses trauma-informed, nonjudgmental, and recovery-oriented approaches and requires accurate documentation across electronic and paper systems. The scheduled shift is Friday through Tuesday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Pacific Time. New hires complete onsite training, online modules, and shadowing before beginning scheduled shifts. Employees must maintain active licensure or certification and meet continuing education requirements. The position requires the ability to sit or stand for extended periods, wear a headset or earphones, use multiple IT and software platforms simultaneously, and work amid moderate noise and distraction.

Requirements

Meet Washington State Mental Health Professional status requirements under WAC 246-341-0515 and RCW 71.05 and 71.34.
Hold an active Washington State credential or license in one of the listed categories: LICSW or LSWAIC; LMHC or LMHCA; LMFT or LMFTA; psychiatric ARNP; psychiatrist; psychologist or licensed psychological associate; physician assistant working under a psychiatrist as defined in RCW 18.71A.010; or licensed agency affiliated counselor under RCW 18.19.210.
Experience working with individuals in crisis.
Excellent verbal, written, and typing skills.
Ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary clinical staff in a fast-paced environment.
Complete the required computer skills assessment.
Attend a four-hour onsite listening shift during the first week, complete 19 hours of online training, complete 10 eight-hour onsite shadowing shifts, and attend live training annually.
Complete a minimum of 12 hours of approved job-related training per full-time equivalent and regularly attend Crisis Services and Hospital Authorization staff meetings.
Maintain current licensure and fulfill continuing education requirements required by the credentialing body.
Consistently arrive on time and adhere to assigned work hours and organizational policies and procedures.
Communicate clearly and effectively; work collaboratively, handle conflict constructively, accept feedback, engage with supervision, and contribute to a positive work environment.
Demonstrate proactive problem-solving, the ability to build productive professional relationships across diverse stakeholders, and effective interdisciplinary collaboration.
Demonstrate resilience and adaptability in demanding work environments while maintaining focus.
Be able to sit or stand for lengthy periods, wear a headset or earphones, manage multiple IT/software platforms at once, and function in moderate noise and distraction.
Complete a background check, including a Criminal History Report and Reference Check, as a condition of employment.

Nice To Haves

Independent clinical licensure (LMHC, LMFT, LICSW, or ARNP) is preferred for supervisory or managerial roles.
Additional certifications in crisis intervention, suicide prevention, or trauma-informed care are strongly encouraged.
Experience working within a call center is preferred.
Telephone assessment or helpline experience is preferred.
Experience in the King, Clark, Chelan, Douglas, Pierce, Okanogan, Klickitat, Grant, or Skamania County public mental health systems is preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide direct oversight, monitoring, coaching, and feedback to Crisis Support Specialists and Crisis Intervention Specialists during scheduled shifts.
Support staff in assessing behavioral health and suicide risk, de-escalating crisis situations, safety planning, and applying appropriate clinical interventions and community resources.
Screen and link callers to appropriate services, including Next Day Appointments, mobile crisis and outreach services, geriatric assessment, designated crisis responders, and other regional resources.
Ensure agency policies and procedures are followed and identify callers with existing agency records or case plans.
Accurately and thoroughly document calls and other activities in the assigned electronic health record and other required systems or forms.
Use trauma-informed, nonjudgmental communication and recovery-oriented practices to support callers and de-escalate high-stress contacts.
Assess calls to the King County Crisis and Commitment public line, evaluate risk of harm, and provide emotional support and appropriate interventions.
Use the King County Client Lookup System and other electronic systems to identify available supports and resources, subject to access and confidentiality policies.
Complete Sheena’s Law referrals, conduct telephonic outreach or facilitate crisis services, notify the relevant public mental health agency, and document the interaction.
Answer calls from first responders, gather essential information, provide timely clinical support, offer less restrictive options, and facilitate warm connections to resources.
Screen hospital referrals for medical necessity using LOCUS and CALOCUS; consult with psychiatrists and document inpatient-care acceptance or denial decisions.
Complete hospital authorizations and related data entry and document dissemination within required timelines, and refer retrospective reviews or extensions to the appropriate lead.
Provide clinical guidance to phone workers and assist the Crisis Services Coordinator during peak periods or upon request.
Provide professional consultation regarding access to mental health services, crisis intervention, suicide intervention, and other mental health topics.
Complete ECLS searches only for authorized callers and document each search; use Carelogic and county communication systems to coordinate with designated crisis responders and mobile teams.
Maintain accurate and complete documentation throughout quality assurance processes.
Attend required training and staff meetings, maintain licensure and continuing education, and contribute to a professional, respectful, collaborative team environment.
Follow the Crisis Connections mission of fostering resilience and well-being through accessible and compassionate support.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision coverage, including an employer-paid option for certain plans and coverage tiers.
Annual wage increases.
Generous paid time off and 12 paid holidays.
Discount on ORCA transit pass.
Free parking.
Growth opportunities.
Self-care tools and weekly check-ins with a supervisor.
Voluntary benefits.
Short-term and long-term disability.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA).
403B retirement plan.