988 Videophone Crisis Counselor

Organization: DeafLEAD

Job Type: Full time, **** hourly (non-exempt)

Location: Remote

Reports To: 988 Videophone Program Manager

Start Date: May 1, 2025

Salary Range: $17.00-$19.00 **** Hourly

• External hires are usually brought on to DeafLEAD between the minimum to midpoint of the posted salary range depending on a combination of education, qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role.

Position Summary

DeafLEAD is a non-profit organization that provides crisis intervention services to Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late-Deafened, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and Deaf+ individuals and their families within the state of Missouri and nationwide. Our mission is to promote the emotional and physical well-being of consumers in a safe and respectful environment utilizing a consumer-centered, trauma-informed approach.

We are committed to providing a variety of services to effectively meet the changing needs within the Deaf community. These services include (but are not limited to): crisis intervention, safety planning, legal/medical/personal advocacy, case management, crisis videophone/text/chat/hotline services, mental health services, training, and interpreting.

DeafLEAD is seeking an experienced and compassionate full-time (32-40 hours a week) crisis counselors to join an exciting, supportive, and engaging team that provides crisis intervention services to our Deaf/Hard of hearing community and ASL users. The crisis lines are the Deaf Crisis Line (DCL) and the 988 Videophone (988 VP). DCL provides emotional support to callers who are in distress as victims of crimes. The 988 Videophone provides emotional support to callers who are in distress from experiencing suicidal thoughts, ideation, desire, capability, intent, and other crisis. All lines also provides support to callers who struggle with their mental health, suicide, and more.

Crisis Counselors for the videophone lines work 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, Central Standard Time. This position would be worked remotely. DeafLEAD provides videophone services every day of the year.

American Sign Language Fluency is required for this position.

Key Responsibilities

• Follow DeafLEAD’s policies and procedures
• Believe in DeafLEAD’s philosophy and goals as stated in Summary of Organization
• Provide emotional support and crisis management services via the 988 Videophone (988 VP)
• Develop action plans and safety plans with everyone who calls in the videophone lines
• Notify child abuse services when appropriate
• Notify emergency services for intervention when appropriate
• Ensure documentation of all videophone calls is completed accurately and thoroughly
• Attend quarterly evaluations with the Videophone Quality Assurance and Best Practice Team, and additional evaluations as needed
• Attend all monthly team meetings
• Attend all monthly agency in-service meetings
• Attend on Zoom while on shift(s)
• Successfully complete all Lifeline required training annually, as well as other training and certifications as assigned.
• Consult with Shift Supervisors, Managers, and Director as needed regarding questionable cases
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Must complete DeafLEAD’s 100+ hour crisis intervention training
• Minimum age of 18
• Caring and empathetic person
• Fluent in American Sign Language
• Good English writing and reading comprehension skills
• Ability to remain calm in crisis situations
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in psychology, social work, or related field preferred, but not required
• Previous experience working in crisis management or mental health preferred, but not required
• An ability to work with people of various race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, religion or religious creed, disability or handicap, sex or gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law.
• Ability to attend all training dates for the training weeks with no conflicts (see Training information in application questions).
• Access to reliable internet and a desktop or laptop computer that can both utilize Zoom and a web browser simultaneously (Google Chrome recommended). Phones and tablets are not appropriate devices to conduct videophone crisis counselor responsibilities at DeafLEAD.
• Applicants must have access to a private workspace ensuring confidentiality and freedom from external distractions, where others cannot see or overhear the content of their work.
• Must be able to pass a background check

Compensation

• Hourly pay rate ranges between $17.00-$19.00 **** based on education and previous experience.*

• Health, vision, and dental insurance (full time staff only)

• Paid Time Off for all staff

• External hires are usually brought on to DeafLEAD between the minimum to midpoint of the posted salary range depending on a combination of education, qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role.

Schedules Available

FT Schedule 1 (40 hours) midday

Sunday: 11a-3p, 3p-7p

Monday: OFF

Tuesday: OFF

Wednesday: 11a-3p, 3p-7p

Thursday: 11a-3p, 3p-7p

Friday: 11a-3p, 3p-7p

Saturday: 11a-3p, 3p-7p

**
**

FT Schedule 2 (40 hours) overnights

Sunday: 7p-11p, 11p-3a

Monday: 7p-11p, 11p-3a

Tuesday: 7p-11p, 11p-3a

Wednesday: 7p-11p, 11p-3a

Thursday: 7p-11p, 11p-3a

Friday: OFF

Saturday: OFF

**
**

FT Schedule 3 (40 hours) mornings

Sunday: 3a-7a, 7a-11a

Monday: 3a-7a, 7a-11a

Tuesday: OFF

Wednesday: OFF

Thursday: 3a-7a, 7a-11a

Friday: 3a-7a, 7a-11a

Saturday: 3a-7a, 7a-11a

**
**

FT Schedule 4 (40 hours) overnights

Sunday: 7p-11p, 11p-3a

Monday: OFF

Tuesday: OFF

Wednesday: 7p-11p, 11p-3a

Thursday: 7p-11p, 11p-3a

Friday: 7p-11p, 11p-3a

Saturday: 7p-11p, 11p-3a

Work Environment

DeafLEAD is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible work environment. This role requires empathy, adaptability, and cultural awareness, particularly in supporting employees who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late-Deafened, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and Deaf+.

Confidentiality and Nondisclosure of Trade Secret

As a condition of employment, DeafLEAD employees are required to protect the confidentiality of DeafLEAD trade secrets, proprietary information, and confidential commercially sensitive information (i.e. financial or sales records/reports, marketing or business strategies/plans, product development, customer lists, patents, trademarks, etc.) related to DeafLEAD. Access to this information should be limited to a “need to know” basis and should not be used for personal benefit, disclosed, or released without prior authorization from management.

If you have information that leads you to suspect that employees are sharing such information in violation of this policy and/or competitors are obtaining such information, you are required to inform DeafLEAD’s PEO partner.

Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination and may subject the violator to civil liability.

Inventions

Any invention created, in whole or in part, during your work hours, or from the use of equipment or facilities belonging to DeafLEAD and DeafLEAD's PEO partner, is a “work for hire” and is the property of DeafLEAD.

If you intend to develop and maintain property rights to any invention that relates in any way to products or services of DeafLEAD, you are required to obtain a written waiver of this policy, signed by both you and the CEO of DeafLEAD.

** DeafLEAD is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.**

** DeafLEAD hires remote candidates in the following states:**

** AL, AZ, CO, DC, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MN, MO, MS, NJ, NM, NV, OK, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, and WI.**