Experienced Remote Crisis Chat & Text Specialist – Crisis Intervention and Support

Are you a compassionate and empathetic individual with a passion for helping others? Do you have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment? If so, we invite you to join arenaflex as a Remote Crisis Chat & Text Specialist, where you will play a vital role in providing critical support to individuals in crisis.

About arenaflex

arenaflex is a leading organization dedicated to providing innovative solutions for mental health and wellness. Our mission is to empower individuals and communities to thrive, and we are committed to creating a culture of care, compassion, and inclusivity. As a Remote Crisis Chat & Text Specialist, you will be part of a team that is passionate about making a difference in the lives of others.

Job Summary

As a Remote Crisis Chat & Text Specialist, you will be responsible for providing emotional support, assessment, crisis intervention, and treatment/support referrals to individuals in crisis via chat and text. You will work closely with our team to ensure that individuals receive the support they need, and that our services are delivered with compassion, empathy, and professionalism.

Key Responsibilities

* Respond to crisis chats and texts in a timely and compassionate manner, providing emotional support, assessment, crisis intervention, and treatment/support referrals as needed

• Consistently and accurately assess each individual for suicide risk, following assessment protocols and practices
• Provide adequate and relevant safety/action planning for each individual
• Document chats in an accurate and timely manner, with relevant clinical information in an electronic health record system
• Conduct research on community resources in accordance with KPIs
• Place follow-up chats/texts to clients as scheduled by the shift supervisor
• Complete mandatory trainings and workshops to continue learning the latest policies and protocols, and stay up-to-date on crisis intervention tools and techniques
• Answer crisis calls as part of the training process
• Perform other duties, such as administrative and organizational tasks, as needed

Requirements

* Meet Qualified Mental Health Associate requirements (QMHA)

• Crisis intervention knowledge
• Mature, sensitive, emotionally stable, flexible, and adaptable to varying situations and coverage needs
• Strong empathy, communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to handle high levels of stress
• Proficient in the use of technology, including telephones, computers, software, and email
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot common technology issues
• Understanding of and ability to apply mental health assessment, treatment, and service terminology
• Ability to implement skill development strategies and identify, implement, and coordinate the services and supports identified in Individual Service and Support Plan (ISSP)
• Strong attendance and punctuality, with the ability to consistently show up on time, work the full scheduled shifts, and provide at least 2 weeks' notice for time off requests or as soon as possible in the event of an emergency

Preferred Qualifications

* Graduate degree in psychology, social work, or a behavioral science field

• CADC certification
• ASIST certification
• Experience in a call center environment
• Veterans preferred

Training and Development

* arenaflex requires extensive Crisis Lines Onboarding training, which can be completed remotely

• New hires must attend 5 weeks of paid crisis lines onboarding training, which includes 3 weeks of training between 8:30am-5:00pm Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, plus 2 weeks of additional precepting training
• The schedule for precepting can vary, and it is likely that the 2 weeks of precepting will be a day or swing shift schedule
• Training requires participation, full engagement without distractions, and being on camera over Zoom
• Equipment is provided, and you must have private high-speed internet and a confidential place to take crisis contacts to meet security and technical requirements

Work Schedule

* Our crisis lines are operated 24/7, and this position requires working some holidays and weekends

• The work schedule will be determined at the time of offer and is based upon arenaflex's crisis contact volume trends
• All full-time employees are required to work at least 1 weekend shift per week
• We are currently hiring for shifts that are all in Pacific Time, including:

+ 9 pm-8 am Sat-Mon (10.5 hr shifts, 31.5 hrs) + 9 pm-8 am Wed-Fri (10.5 hr shifts, 31.5 hrs) + 6 pm-4 am Wed-Sat (9.5 hr shifts, 38 hrs) + 5 pm-4 am Thur-Sat (10.5 hr shifts, 31.5 hrs) + 10 pm-8 am Tue-Fri (9.5 hr shifts, 38 hrs) + 3 pm-2 am Sat-Mon (10.5 hr shifts, 31.5 hrs) + 3 pm-2 am Sun-Tue (10.5 hr shifts, 31.5 hrs) + 3 pm-2 am Thur-Sat (10.5 hr shifts, 31.5 hrs) + 1 pm-9:30 am Tue-Sat (8 hr shifts, 40 hrs)

Physical Requirements

* Work is primarily conducted in an office environment and requires the ability to sit or stand and work on a computer for long periods of time

• This position requires high energy, patience, and controlling one's emotions, as well as the ability to think analytically

Remote Work

* Telecommuting requires passing a clinical evaluation, having a HIPAA-compliant workspace at home, and meeting technology requirements

• Supervisors provide support to telecommuters by listening in on acute crisis contacts and using an internal messaging system (Microsoft Teams) to communicate

Quality Assurance

* All crisis contacts are recorded, and we review them regularly to ensure safety and quality assurance and for training and supervisory purposes

• You will have crisis contacts randomly picked for review, and you will receive clinical feedback on how you are doing
• This happens every few weeks and is one way that we ensure professional growth of our team
• Another aspect of this technology is that while you are taking crisis contacts, supervisors can listen in to provide support if a crisis contact is particularly challenging or high risk

Compensation Package

* The starting wage for the Remote Crisis Chat and Text Specialist position is $24.04/hr. for individuals with graduate degrees in a related field and $21.99/hr. for individuals with bachelor's degrees

• There is a $1.75/hr. overnight shift differential when working between the hours of 10 pm-5 am Pacific Time, and time and a half holiday pay when required to work holidays
• arenaflex offers a great benefits package valued at over $9,500 per year, including coverage for employee health, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, and life insurance premiums; a matching 401K plan; a flexible spending plan; an employee assistance program; and a free Fitbit

EEO

* arenaflex strives to create a diverse, inclusive environment to better represent the communities that we serve

• We are an equal opportunity employer

Background Check

* All arenaflex employees must be approved to work by the Oregon Department of Human Services' Background Check Unit

• Background checks are completed after a conditional offer of employment has been extended

If you are a compassionate and empathetic individual with a passion for helping others, and you have the skills and qualifications we are looking for, we invite you to apply for this exciting opportunity to join arenaflex as a Remote Crisis Chat & Text Specialist. Apply for this job