[Hiring] Crisis Counselor @CONTACT Care Line

Role Description

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
• Collaborating with visitors to create safety plans

Counselors are expected to engage in follow-ups, maintain communication standards, and adhere to all clinical, legal, and operational guidelines. CONTACT’s team culture values mutual support, professional growth, and a shared mission to make a difference—every single day.

Qualifications

• 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
• Strong empathic listening and reflective communication skills
• 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
• Growth mindset with a willingness to receive and implement feedback promptly
• Commitment to non-judgmental, compassionate support for all visitors, regardless of personal, political, or philosophical differences
• Resourceful, solution-focused mindset with the ability to make independent decisions under pressure
• Commitment to open, timely, and respectful two-way communication
• 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.

Requirements

• Deliver high-quality work within established timelines
• 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
• Operate independently when needed, while maintaining strong communication and coordination with other team members
• Uphold a high level of integrity, responsibility, and trustworthiness when working remotely

Benefits

• Fully remote position