988 Crisis Call Responder — Mental Health Support

Northeast Kingdom Human Services (NKHS); St. Johnsbury (VT); On-site; USD 25,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Northeast Kingdom Human Services (NKHS) is seeking a dedicated 988 Call Responder in Vermont to handle calls from the 988 National Lifeline. The role focuses on active listening, risk assessment, and connecting callers with appropriate supports to ensure immediate safety.

Responsibilities include using the C-SSRS framework to gauge acuity, guiding callers through recommended interventions, and initiating rescue when necessary to protect individuals at imminent risk.

Qualifications

• Experience in crisis intervention and ability to assess imminent risk.
• Familiarity with suicide prevention principles and crisis support.
• Strong communication and empathy under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Answer calls routed from the 988 National Lifeline.
• Engage in active listening and assess risk levels of suicidality.
• Use Lifeline version of C-SSRS to determine acuity and next steps.
• Promote collaborative, least-invasive interventions.
• Initiate rescue when an individual is at imminent risk and cannot participate in safety planning.

Skills

Active listening

Crisis intervention

Risk assessment

Tools

C-SSRS protocol

Lifeline procedures

Job description

This job was posted by https://www.vermontjoblink.com : For more

information, please see: https://www.vermontjoblink.com/jobs/1424878

**988 Call Responder**

The 988 Call Center Responder is responsible for answering calls routed

from the 988 National Lifeline. As part of Emergency Services you will

be working with teammembers who are highly trained in mental health

crisis management and suicide prevention.

**Essential Tasks/Functions/Responsibilities**

• Answer calls routed from the National Lifeline.
• Engage in \"active listening\" approach that will actively engage
  
  

the caller while assessing risk levels of suicidality.

• Assess callers using the Lifeline version of C-SSRS (Columbia
  
  

Suicide Severity Rating Scale) to determine level of acuity and next

steps for supports.

• Use least invasive intervention to promote the use of approaches
  
  

that emphasize cooperation over coercion.

• Initiate rescue when an individual is at imminent risk and unable to
  
  

participate in securing their own safety.