Remote-Based Crisis Counselor

Note: This is a fully remote position. We are seeking full-time, 40 hour employees. All shifts are 8.5 hours in length and both weekend days are required. Deliver high-quality work within established timelines, maintaining focus and accountability whether working independently or with guidance. Engage respectfully and professionally with colleagues, supervisors, community partners, and individuals seeking services. Contribute meaningfully to team efforts, embracing collaboration as a core element of CONTACT’s mission and daily operations. Uphold a high level of integrity, responsibility, and trustworthiness when working remotely, ensuring confidentiality, appropriate use of time, and adherence to CONTACT’s standards in all settings. CONTACT Care Line is East Tennessee’s first crisis hotline. Our 988 Crisis Program provides text and phone-based support for individuals experiencing emotional distress or suicidal crisis. Crisis Counselors are responsible for assessing suicide risk, offering compassionate support, ensuring timely documentation, and collaborating with visitors to create safety plans. In addition to responding on the front lines, counselors are expected to engage in follow-ups, maintain communication standards, and adhere to all clinical, legal, and operational guidelines. Respond to 988 chat, text, and telephone interactions in a timely and compassionate manner During chat-focused shifts, manage two concurrent chat interactions in alignment with the two-chat policy, while maintaining accuracy, professionalism, and timely responses. Assess and mitigate suicide risk using established protocols and safety planning procedures Provide referrals to appropriate community resources as needed Follow all clinical and operational protocols across all shifts, including initiating phone contact in the event of disconnection with a high-risk visitor or during imminent risk (IR) situations Initiate and conduct follow-up outreach, when necessary, based on visitor needs and clinical services guidelines Participate in and complete training for both chat and phone-based services; Accurately and thoroughly document all visitor interactions in accordance with organizational procedures Maintain an active presence in Slack during scheduled shifts, responding within 3 minutes to messages in designated work channels relevant to your role (e.g., shift chat consults, supervisor DMs, huddles from a supervisor or mentor). Social or general update channels do not require immediate response. Participate in meetings and supervision sessions on Microsoft Teams and be prepared to join video calls professionally when requested during scheduled shifts or for pre-arranged meetings Be knowledgeable of and adhere to all mandatory reporting requirements, policies, and procedures Assist in the completion of reports involving suspected child or vulnerable adult abuse Keep current with Title VI training and ensure adherence to non-discrimination and equity standards Comply fully with all policies and procedures outlined in the Operations Handbook, Clinical Policy Documents, Clinical Operating Procedures, and Lifeline metrics. Attend regular clinical supervision sessions and implement feedback from supervisors Participate in performance reviews, including probationary and ongoing evaluations Meet or exceed performance benchmarks for quality, productivity, attendance, and ethical conduct CONTACT is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact our HR Manager, Stacie Harper, at View email address on click.appcast.io. Must be 18 years of age or older Must not be a current or recent (within the past 3 years) client of any CONTACT Care Line crisis program Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution with a minimum of 120 college credits in Social Work or a related mental health field, or equivalent experience required Minimum of 1 year of experience in mental health, crisis intervention, or a related field Ability to remain calm and apply logical reasoning in high-stress or high-risk situations Skilled in identifying and responding to imminent risk, with appropriate urgency and clinical awareness Demonstrated proficiency in using web-based applications, navigating websites, and troubleshooting basic technical issues Commitment to non-judgmental, compassionate support for all visitors, regardless of personal, political, or philosophical differences All clinical staff at CONTACT Care Line are required to complete CONTACT Crisis Counselor Basic Training within the first two weeks of employment Physical requirements include the ability to remain in a stationary position for prolonged periods and work continuously from a computer with high speed, secure internet. A hardwired Ethernet connection is required for this position to ensure consistent call and chat quality.