Residential Crisis Counselor

Abraxas Youth & Family Services•Caernarvon Township, PA

91d•$25 - $28•Onsite

About The Position

The Residential Crisis Counselor is a dedicated clinical resource who responds to crises involving adolescents in a residential setting. The role focuses on de-escalation, preventing harm, and connecting residents with appropriate mental health supports before situations require physical intervention or emergency hospitalization. Abraxas serves court-adjudicated youth who may have trauma and PTSD, mood disorders, impulse control disorders, anxiety, co-occurring substance use, or other behavioral health needs. The counselor helps bridge juvenile justice programming and the mental health supports residents need, particularly during crises. In addition to direct crisis response, the counselor serves as a liaison with Abraxas’s Medical Department and coordinates with external psychiatric resources when a resident needs a higher level of care. This may include facilitating psychiatric hospitalization or identifying a more suitable placement. The position is full-time, scheduled for the second shift, 1:00 PM–9:00 PM, Tuesday–Saturday or Sunday–Thursday, with the schedule assigned at hire. Paid training is provided. The work takes place at Abraxas Academy, a secure, controlled-access residential facility.

Requirements

At least 21 years of age.
A valid driver’s license.
Either an associate’s degree or 60+ college credits in Human Services, Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, Criminal Justice, or a related behavioral sciences field; or a high school diploma or GED plus three years of relevant experience in behavioral health, mental health, crisis intervention, or psychiatric residential care.
Ability to recognize acute psychiatric symptoms and communicate effectively with medical and psychiatric professionals in clinical terms.
Knowledge of regional adolescent mental health and psychiatric resources, including crisis stabilization, inpatient psychiatric, and residential treatment services.
Familiarity with psychiatric evaluation, voluntary or involuntary hospitalization, and higher-level-of-care placement processes.
Ability to work with computers and department software.
Physical ability to perform Safe Crisis Management protocols and required safety response procedures.
Ability to work in a secure, controlled-access residential facility and respond quickly to safety emergencies.
Ability to stand, walk, and remain active and engaged throughout an eight-hour residential shift.
Must pass federal and state background checks and applicable pre-employment checks, which may include employment or personal references and driving records.
Physical exams include TB and drug testing.
Availability for the second shift, 1:00 PM–9:00 PM, Tuesday–Saturday or Sunday–Thursday, with the schedule assigned at hire.

Nice To Haves

Relevant experience in behavioral health, mental health, crisis intervention, or psychiatric residential care.
Associate’s degree or 60+ college credits in Human Services, Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, Criminal Justice, or a related behavioral sciences field.

Responsibilities

Recognize and respond to acute psychiatric symptoms that require medical or psychiatric escalation.
Use practiced verbal de-escalation with individuals experiencing behavioral or emotional crises.
Connect residents with appropriate mental health supports and help prevent harm.
Serve as an internal liaison with the Medical Department and coordinate with outside psychiatric resources.
Facilitate psychiatric evaluation and hospitalization, whether voluntary or involuntary, and coordinate higher-level-of-care placements when appropriate.
Build therapeutic rapport with adolescents, including youth who are hostile, withdrawn, or distrustful of adults.
Apply trauma-informed care principles in a residential milieu.
Remain calm and clinically effective in high-pressure situations, and quickly assess emotional states, triggers, and escalation patterns.
Collaborate with residential staff, supervisors, and clinicians in a structured environment.
Complete clear, accurate, and timely written documentation using facility paper-based records.
Work with diverse youth populations with cultural competency.
Prioritize restraint-free de-escalation and treat physical intervention as a last resort.
Respond appropriately to safety emergencies and perform Safe Crisis Management protocols as trained and certified.