Education (one of the following required):
MSW, PsyD, or PhD in a behavioral health field, OR
M.A./M.S. in a behavioral health field with a clinical practice emphasis from a COAMFTE, CACREP, or CORE-accredited program
Licensure (must reside in MI and hold one of the following):
Experience: Minimum of 1 year direct experience in behavioral health, counseling, or social services
Location: Remote, Michigan residency required
Benefits
Comprehensive medical, dental, and life insurance
401(k) program with company match
Company-matched student loan repayment program
Short- and long-term disability (STD/LTD)
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Accrued PTO (earn up to 4 weeks in your first year)
Opportunities for professional growth and advancement
Compensation & Incentives
In addition to base hourly pay, our crisis counselors are eligible for the following incentives:
Shift Differentials: Hourly shift differentials ranging between two and six dollars may be applied on an hourly basis, depending on your shift and tenure with the organization. These details will be provided at the time of offer to help you prepare for schedule confirmation with the Scheduling Team.
Who We Are
Protocall Services is a nationally recognized leader in behavioral healthcare and crisis intervention, supporting organizations across the U.S. and Canada. For five consecutive years, we have been awarded "Top Workplace" honors for our strong culture, mission-driven work, and commitment to employee well-being.
We serve a wide range of nearly 700 different organizations nationwide, including Community Mental Health Centers, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, Managed Behavioral Healthcare Organizations, University counseling centers, and Employee Assistance Programs following our brief immediate support model. As a remote-first organization headquartered in Portland, Oregon, our staff operate with excellence, compassion, and integrity while providing 24/7 telephonic support to individuals with various degrees of need.
About the Role
As a Crisis Counselor, you will be a telephonic first responder, delivering compassionate emotional support, risk assessment, crisis intervention, and stabilization services. You will engage with callers experiencing a broad range of emotional, behavioral, and situational challenges. This role requires emotional resilience, exceptional communication skills, and a strong ability to multitask while maintaining clarity and professionalism. While many calls involve acute needs, not all calls are crisis calls; some are administrative or supportive in nature. Regardless of the call type, you will ensure each caller receives professional, solution-focused care and a high-quality service experience.
Primary Responsibilities
Provide empathetic, ethical, and professional telephonic support to individuals experiencing distress or seeking guidance.
Build rapport, actively listen, and foster client engagement.
Assess emotional and behavioral health concerns, including levels of risk and urgent safety issues.
Provide resources, coping strategies, referrals, and safety planning.
Intervene appropriately in emergent situations.
Maintain accurate, timely, and clinically sound documentation.
Multitask effectively while navigating multiple software systems.
Ensure a secure, HIPAA-compliant home workspace with a locking door and a wired, stable internet connection.
What You Can Expect
A structured onboarding program including skills development, role-playing, mentored live call work, and crisis-care foundations. Successful completion is required for continued employment.
Protocall Services Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe deeply in diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and all of the other fascinating characteristics that make us different
We help our customers ensure their clients, students, and communities have immediate access to care when and where it’s needed most, creating compassionate connections that improve and strengthen behavioral health intervention and recovery.
ProtoCall was founded in 1992 as a division of the non-profit Metro Crisis Intervention Services, an agency providing crisis line services in Portland, Oregon. The initial goal was to leverage the existing 24/7 infrastructure and professional staffing to create an additional funding source to help support the agency’s local crisis programs. In 1997, ProtoCall Services was incorporated as a privately held entity and has since expanded into a sophisticated 24-hour behavioral health contact center and digital products used by over 500 organizations and responding to more than 600,000 calls annually.
Certainly much has changed since 1992, but just like the founders at Metro Crisis, our fundamental mission of providing access to care in times of crisis remains the core of our work.
We are telephonic first responders. We are mental health paramedics. We go in, tie in a tourniquet to stop the (emotional) bleeding, and refer callers to someone who can follow the healing process closely. We are there to keep the caller safe in that moment.
Whether you’re just starting your career or looking for your next opportunity, we’re a growing company that’s full of opportunities.
If you are committed to quality and to offering the best of yourself to a team that improves access to care when it’s needed most, consider joining us!