Suicide Hotline Provider

Want to make a difference in individual lives and are able to work under pressure? Then working in a Crisis/Suicide Hotline might be the job for you. This position can be called by different names such as a suicide prevention hotline operator, crisis triage specialist, or telephone crisis counselor. You get experience with people who are in emotional distress caused by mental or behavioral issues and need help. Whether you are considering a gap year or are looking for a job where you can use your psychological knowledge, this may be the choice for you if you want to make a real and immediate difference.

As a Crisis/Suicide Hotline operator you would be expected to provide emotional support, express compassion and empathy, counsel the person on potential next steps, conduct a risk assessment of the situation or person you are talking to, track and document necessary information, and/or notify first responders of dangerous situations.

The work environment for a Crisis/Suicide Hotline Operator usually means working in a call center associated with a non-profit or medical organization. It can be a high stress and fast-paced work environment in which you would need to be alert and calm in the rapidly changing situations you will work with. However, you will not be on your own but on a team and will have a supervisor oversee and support you. Additionally, you will work with not only first responders, but medical personnel and other agencies that could be used as resources for those in crisis. Since crisis services operate 24 hours and 7 days a week, there are usually a variety of shifts and positions that are available. However, there may be an expectation to work on some holidays as well.

Sought for qualities include the ability to remain calm under stress, be able to assess and react quickly to changing situations, empathy, compassion, active listening skills, good communication skills, interpersonal skills, attention to detail, and a strong support system to help deal with the high stress that the job entails.

In terms of the salary, there is a national average of $48,914 in these types of positions. For Boise, ID this position looks to have an average $43,978 and places like San Jose, CA and Seattle, WA have average salaries of $55,598 and $53,444 respectively. In terms of job outlook, this job is lumped up into either the counseling field or crisis workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these types of positions are expected to have 11-19% growth rate. This statistics is expected to be lower than what crisis line workers actually have due to the high turnover rate for the job due to the high stress environment of the job.

The experience and education needed for this position highly varies. In terms of education, sometimes all they require is a high school diploma, but those positions usually consist of volunteers who operate in a more limited capacity. Most positions require at least a Bachelor's Degree in some field related to mental health, such as in Psychology or social work. Some supervisory positions prefer a Master’s degree in counseling or social work, but a master’s degree is not always required. Additionally, they seek applicants that have some experience working in high stress jobs or working with people with mental or behavioral distress. However, they do not necessarily require that experience, since they will generally provide in-depth training and supervision at the beginning of the job.

If you are ready for a challenge and want a position in which you can make a large difference in people's lives, this is the job for you!