Crisis Specialist, 988 Lifeline

FirstLink • Fargo, ND

4d • Onsite

About The Position

FirstLink is seeking compassionate and resilient individuals to join their team as 988 Crisis Specialists, providing life-saving support through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. As the local 988 answering center for North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota, specialists answer calls, chats, and texts from individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, substance use concerns, grief, loneliness, and other behavioral health crises. The role emphasizes listening, empathy, and connecting individuals with community resources. The company believes in providing support that reduces risk, restores hope, and reminds people they are not alone during difficult times.

Requirements

• Compassionate, emotionally steady, and genuinely curious about the people they serve.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Ability to ask thoughtful questions.
• Comfortable sitting with difficult emotions without feeling the need to immediately "fix" them.
• Experience in customer service, contact centers, behavioral health, healthcare, human services, crisis intervention, or other helping professions.
• Demonstrated empathy, professionalism, and strong communication skills.
• Desire to continue learning and growing.

Responsibilities

• Answer calls, chats, and texts from people experiencing suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, substance use concerns, grief, loneliness, and other behavioral health crises.
• Provide life-saving support through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
• Connect individuals with community resources.
• Reduce risk and restore hope for individuals in crisis.
• Demonstrate empathy, professionalism, and strong communication skills.
• Remain calm under pressure and comfortable with difficult emotions.
• Participate in comprehensive training, including national 988 Lifeline Core Clinical Training, suicide safety assessment, chat and text response, simulations, roleplays, and live observation.
• Receive ongoing coaching from experienced leaders.
• Engage in professional development opportunities such as certification, monthly coaching, quality improvement, and internal advancement.

Benefits

• Comprehensive training including national 988 Lifeline Core Clinical Training, suicide safety assessment, chat and text response, simulations, roleplays, and live observation.
• Ongoing coaching from experienced leaders.
• Certification opportunities.
• Monthly coaching.
• Quality improvement initiatives.
• Internal advancement opportunities.
• Support for professional development.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed