Crisis Counselor Jobs

About The Position

Requirements

• 4 years of direct crisis intervention work in a psychiatric residential setting, including de-escalation, experience with adolescent populations with trauma, PTSD, depression, bipolar disorder, impulse control disorders, ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety, dissociation, suicidal ideation, and co-occurring substance use.
• Experience with facilitating psychiatric hospitalizations or higher-level-of-care placement and knowledge of navigating mental health placement systems
• Experience/comfortable in operating in a structured, secure, residential environment serving challenging adolescent males — and who does not personalize aggression, hostility, or provocative behavior from youth in distress.
• Ability to stand, walk, and remain active and engaged throughout an 8-hour residential shift
• Must be physically able to perform Safe Crisis Management (SCM) protocols as trained and certified, including any required safety response procedures
• Ability to work in a secure, controlled-access residential facility environment
• Ability to respond quickly and appropriately to safety emergencies
• At least twenty-one (21) years of age
• Must have a valid Driver's License
• Physical exam that includes TB and drug testing.
• Must pass both federal and state background checks which screen for crimes including, but not limited to drug related crimes, violent crimes, sexual abuse, child abuse, and repeated misdemeanors.
• Satisfactory completion of background screening and applicable pre-employment checks, including but not limited to employment and/or personal reference and driving records.
• Ability to work with computers and the necessary software typically used by the department.

Nice To Haves

• Associate’s degree or 60+ college credits in Human Services, Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, Criminal Justice, or a related behavioral sciences field preferred
• OR High school diploma or GED plus relevant experience in behavioral health, mental health, crisis intervention, or psychiatric residential care

Responsibilities

• Working knowledge of adolescent mental health conditions: trauma and PTSD, mood disorders, impulse control disorders, ADHD, conduct disorder, anxiety, co-occurring substance use, suicidal ideation, and psychotic features
• Ability to recognize and respond to acute psychiatric symptoms requiring medical or psychiatric escalation
• Practiced proficiency in verbal de-escalation with individuals in active behavioral or emotional crisis — applied in real settings, not just training
• Knowledge of the regional mental health and psychiatric system, including crisis stabilization, inpatient psychiatric, and residential treatment resources for adolescents
• Ability to communicate effectively with medical and psychiatric professionals in clinical terms regarding a resident's mental health presentation
• Familiarity with the process of initiating and coordinating psychiatric evaluation, voluntary or involuntary psychiatric hospitalization, and higher-level-of-care placement
• Ability to build genuine therapeutic rapport with adolescents, including youth who are hostile, withdrawn, or deeply distrustful of adults
• Understanding of trauma-informed care principles and their application in a residential milieu
• Ability to remain calm, grounded, and clinically effective under high-pressure, high-stakes conditions
• Skill in reading a person's emotional state, triggers, and escalation pattern quickly and accurately
• Ability to work collaboratively with residential staff, supervisors, and clinicians in a structured environment
• Competency in clear, accurate, timely written documentation using facility paper-based records
• Cultural competency in working with diverse youth populations
• Orientation toward restraint-free de-escalation; physical intervention viewed as a last resort

Benefits

• Competitive Compensation
• DailyPay – Access Your Earned Wages Before Payday
• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellness Programs
• Employee Referral Bonuses
• Company-Paid Training