Follow Up Counselor

Felton Institute•San Mateo, CA

21h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Follow Up Counselor provides continuous, short-term stabilization support to people who recently contacted the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The role bridges immediate crisis de-escalation and longer-term community care by proactively contacting recent 988 users, suicide attempt survivors, and discharged psychiatric patients. The program aims to reduce recurring mental health crises and hospital readmissions, connect callers with community resources, and support safety and ongoing engagement. The position also responds to calls on the 24/7 crisis line, providing suicide risk assessment, crisis intervention and de-escalation, resource navigation, and emotional support. Counselors work with callers and colleagues in a fast-paced setting, document interactions, coordinate referrals and other care, and contribute to program quality, training, and compliance. The position reports to the Follow-Up Supervisor and receives supervision, consultation, and training.

Requirements

Undergraduate degree in a mental-health-related field; comparable work experience may be substituted.
One year of related work experience in mental health, counseling, and/or crisis de-escalation.
Strong interpersonal and rapport-building skills, including the ability to interact positively with people over text and in person.
Ability to pass crisis center onboarding training.
Ability to maintain a regular assigned schedule.
Ability to exercise sound and ethical judgment in high-stakes situations.
Ability to pass a TB test and livescan background clearance.
Commitment to ongoing self-reflection and cultural humility.
Ability to relate effectively, sensitively, and respectfully to people from different cultural groups.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including person-centered and survivor-supportive language.
Ability to remain calm, empathetic, and effective under pressure and manage personal emotional responses.
Ability to recognize personal limits and growth areas and self-regulate.
Ability to organize work, schedules, and timelines effectively.
Computer skills for operating essential software, navigating databases, and using video conferencing tools.
Ability to adapt to changing circumstances in a fast-paced environment.
Knowledge of San Mateo County and surrounding-area community resources.
Understanding of trauma-informed care, traumatic stress, avoiding re-traumatization, and secondary trauma.
Awareness of legal and ethical responsibilities, including confidentiality and mandatory reporting.
Active and reflective listening skills, including unbiased acceptance and validation.
Crisis stabilization, de-escalation, conflict resolution, empathy, rapport-building, collaboration, multitasking, and critical-thinking abilities.
Clear, concise, objective, and accurate documentation after each interaction.

Nice To Haves

Clinical route or clinical education.
One year of crisis hotline or chat and text counseling experience.
Experience with motivational interviewing, DBT, and best practices for suicidality.
Familiarity with AAS accreditation protocols and quality standards and the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline network.

Responsibilities

Screen and schedule outreach calls for high-risk help seekers.
Assess safety, develop safety plans, and use collaborative problem-solving to prioritize safety.
Present cases and contribute to team meetings and case conferences.
Use motivational interviewing, DBT skills, and recovery- and trauma-informed approaches.
Complete accurate and timely documentation and maintain timely attendance and communication.
Help callers identify obstacles to stabilization and long-term support.
Provide clinical case management, referrals, and linkages for at-risk callers as needed.
Maintain Follow Up Program compliance with AAS, SAMHSA, and Lifeline standards.
Train new staff and volunteers on the Follow Up Program.
Support quality assurance by reviewing follow-up call logs, reporting follow-up data, and managing profiles of frequent contacts.
Support resource navigation, including maintaining updated resources, networking, and assessing resource appropriateness.
Respond to 24/7 crisis-line callers with suicide risk assessments, crisis intervention and de-escalation, resource navigation, and emotional support; some evenings, holidays, and weekends are required with advance notice.
Triage multiple calls when needed.
Assess safety, crisis, and suicidality, and dispatch mobile crisis response when appropriate.
Develop knowledge of San Mateo County cities and community resources and provide appropriate referrals.
Communicate with shift partners, the shift supervisor, and program leadership on and off shift.
Maintain electronic records and enter call records according to procedure by the end of the assigned shift.
Follow mandatory reporting policies under state and local laws.
Train and evaluate incoming phone counselor trainees.
Attend scheduled supervision, program meetings, agency-wide events, crisis center training, and continuing education opportunities.
Maintain knowledge of crisis intervention and suicide-prevention best practices and complete at least 10 hours of ongoing education each year.
Perform additional duties as needed and assigned by the Program Director.