PT Local Text and Chat Counselor (12385)

Baltimore Crisis Response, Inc.; Baltimore (MD); Remote; USD 30,000 - 35,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Laptop provided

Headset provided

Job summary

CarePoint Response is seeking a Text and Chat Counselor to join our remote crisis services team. You will be the first line of support for individuals contacting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline via text and chat, providing calm, compassionate, and life-saving care.

Responsibilities include risk assessments, referrals to local resources, and maintaining HIPAA-compliant documentation while working in a private, quiet space with equipment provided.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent (Associate’s or bachelor’s in psychology, social work, counseling, or related field preferred).
• Strong typing, written communication, and crisis de-escalation skills.
• Bilingual or multilingual skills are preferred.

Responsibilities

• Respond promptly to incoming text and chat messages through the 988 Lifeline platform.
• Engage with users using active listening, empathy, and evidence-based crisis intervention techniques.
• Conduct suicide risk assessments and escalate high-risk situations to supervisors or emergency services as needed.
• Maintain professional boundaries, cultural humility, and trauma-informed care practices at all times.
• Provide appropriate referrals to local mental health services, shelter, substance use treatment, or other resources.
• Document all interactions accurately and promptly in electronic records per agency and legal requirements.
• Participate in regular supervision, debriefings, and training sessions.
• Uphold confidentiality and adhere to HIPAA and 988 Lifeline standards.

Skills

Typing

Written communication

Crisis de-escalation

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Text and Chat Counselor

Remote

$22.00-$25.50 Hourly

Part-Time | Shifts: 7:00am-3:00pm, 6:00pm-2:00am | Every other or every Saturday and Sunday

Being the Leader Communities Need in Moments of Crisis.

About Us

CarePoint Response is a nationally recognized nonprofit and Baltimore’s only comprehensive crisis response system. Since 1992, we’ve been at the forefront of behavioral health crisis care — providing timely, community-based services for individuals and families experiencing mental health and substance use challenges.

The Opportunity

We’re seeking a 988 Text and Chat Crisis Counselor to join CarePoint Response as part of our expanding crisis services team. In this role, you’ll be the first line of support for individuals reaching out through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline digital platforms — offering calm, compassionate, and life‑saving care through text and chat.

You’ll connect with people experiencing emotional distress, suicidal thoughts, or mental health crises — providing immediate support, conducting risk assessments, and helping individuals find safety and hope in difficult moments. Using empathy, active listening, and trauma‑informed techniques, you’ll guide each conversation with care and professionalism.

What You’ll Do

• Respond promptly to incoming text and chat messages through the 988 Lifeline platform
• Engage with users using active listening, empathy, and evidence-based crisis intervention techniques.
• Conduct suicide risk assessments and escalation high-risk situations to supervisors or emergency services as needed.
• Maintain professional boundaries, cultural humility, and trauma‑informed care practices at all times.
• Provide appropriate referrals to local mental health services, shelter, substance use treatment, or other resources.
• Document all interactions accurately and promptly in electronic records per agency and legal requirements.
• Participate in regular supervision, debriefings, and training sessions.
• Uphold confidentiality and adhere to HIPAA and 988 Lifeline standards.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent (Associate’s or bachelor’s in psychology, social work, counseling, or related field preferred).

Experience

• Strong typing, written communication, and crisis de‑escalation skills.
• Comfort working with diverse populations, including LGBTQIA+, youth, people in active mental health or substance-related crisis.
• Bilingual or multilingual skills are preferred.

Work Environment & Equipment

• Remote position with required internet connectivity and private, quiet workspace
• Equipment provided (laptop, headset)
• Must adhere to all HIPAA and confidentiality requirements