988 Hotline Shift Lead

988 Hotline Shift Lead

San Mateo Suicide Prevention

Adult Division

Agency Overview

Felton Institute responds to the needs of our community by providing innovative, evidence-informed social services that transform lives. Our organization offers 50+ programs that address mental health, the unhoused, early care and education, those impacted by the justice system, transitional age youth, as well as aging adults. Our programs combine the latest scientific research with cultural sensitivity and a deep commitment to supporting and reflecting the communities we serve. Felton offers a dynamic, challenging, and supportive work environment where we encourage the use of professional development, that staff can utilize throughout their career.

Program Description

San Mateo Suicide Prevention (SMSP) is one of the first crisis centers in California. SMSP has been dedicated to crisis intervention and suicide prevention for over half a century, offering services to youth and adults of San Mateo County. SMSP is proud to be a 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline contracted center and is accredited by the American Association of Suicidology. 

SMSP operates a 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotline, handling calls, texts, and chats from both the local line and the 988 Lifeline. Crisis counselors provide immediate support, conduct suicide risk assessments, develop safety plans, and offer compassionate connections. Additionally, SMSP facilitates mental health and suicide prevention presentations, as well as post-crisis interventions, for local school districts, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and community-based organizations. These services aim to raise mental health awareness and foster resilience and support throughout the county. 

Job Description

The primary duties of Hotline Shift Leads include providing crisis intervention support, mobile crisis response team (MCRT) dispatching, and shift supervision of the 24/7 crisis hotline, including both local and 988 calls. This role will also provide live supervision of crisis counselors on shift including but not limited to call note quality assurance and silent monitoring. The shift lead will be responsible for shift change and ensuring shifts have adequate coverage. Emergency fill-ins may be required. Attending monthly staff meetings and regular training is also required. Exceptions and alternatives may be arranged with management approval. 

Scheduling will be discussed with Hotline Program Manager and will be set based on the needs of the crisis hotline and local mobile crisis response. Flexibility in scheduling is needed due to the 24/7 nature of the Crisis Center. In addition to shift supervision, this position is expected to work a minimum of one 4-hour Crisis Center Hotline shift per week. Hotline shifts to be determined by Hotline Program Manager. 

Program Specific Responsibilities  

• Provide on-call phone consultation for high-risk, emergencies, rescue calls and debriefing during shifts, as assigned by Hotline Manager, which may include working on weekends and holidays  
• Provides on-shift supervision, real-time consultation, and constructive feedback to crisis counselors, volunteers, and interns. This includes monitoring calls or chat sessions for quality control.   
• Dispatch mobile response for San Mateo County residents in partnership with Telecare mobile crisis response team 
• Assess for and initiate emergency service interventions for callers at imminent risk of suicide  
• Leads and motivates a team, fosters a supportive and inclusive work environment, and organizes debriefings to help staff process difficult calls. 
• Oversee quality assurance over counselor call notes written during shift duration with attention to professionalism and accuracy, professionalism, and compliance with national standards. 
• Provide follow-up support to high-risk callers as assigned by Hotline Manager 
• Respond to and triage calls on the 24-hour crisis hotline  
• Communicates important shift information to the next shift lead and to program management to ensure continuity of care and record-keeping. 
• Initiate shift change and ensure adequate coverage over breaks throughout shift 
• Assist in managing the Crisis Center referral database and binders. Keep caller data and resource information organized and current 
• Work a minimum of 1 four-hour hotline shift per week and assist with emergency coverage as needed 
• Assists with onboarding new staff and volunteers and conducts ongoing training to continuously improve team performance. 
• Participate in volunteer and staff training, supervision, and development activities as required 
• Attend staff, consultation, and other program meetings 
• Participate in supporting, reviewing, designing, and implementing Crisis Center procedures set by the American Association of Suicidology 
• Other duties as assigned by Hotline Program Manager. 

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

• Clinical and intervention skills 
• • Expert crisis intervention: Must be proficient in crisis intervention, suicide risk assessment, and collaborative safety planning to support callers experiencing emotional distress or suicidal thoughts. 
  • Trauma-informed care: Possesses a deep understanding of mental health issues and a commitment to providing compassionate care that aligns with trauma-informed practices. 
  • Advanced communication: Utilizes active listening, empathic listening, and effective communication to de-escalate high-stress situations and make callers and staff alike feel heard and understood. 
  • Judgment and decision-making: Demonstrates strong critical thinking and sound judgment to identify the best course of action, including knowing when to engage emergency services. 
  • Referral knowledge: Has extensive knowledge of local behavioral health resources and emergency services protocols in San Mateo County and surrounding areas to provide accurate and timely referrals.  
• Leadership and staff supervision skills 
• • Conflict resolution: Uses diplomacy, patience, and emotional intelligence to manage interpersonal conflicts within the team. 
  • Ethical standards: Ensures the team adheres to the highest ethical standards, program policies, and confidentiality rules.  
• Operational and administrative skills 
• • Technical proficiency: Is comfortable with various technology platforms, including multiple line telephones, computer (PC), laptop, software including Microsoft Word, Power Point, Excel, Outlook, and/or Microsoft TEAMS, email or cloud-based databases for logging contacts, and can troubleshoot basic technical issues. 
  • Resilience and self-awareness: The role is emotionally demanding and requires emotional resilience, strong stress management skills, and a commitment to personal wellness to prevent burnout. 

Minimal Requirements and Qualifications 

• Must live within San Mateo County area 
• Two years of crisis line phone counseling or relevant experience required 
• Minimum level of education is a BA degree; clinical track preferred 
• Must be able to successfully complete all San Mateo Suicide Prevention training modules. 
• The employee must have a valid CA Driver’s License, their own car with valid auto insurance.  
• The employee must become 1st Aid and CPR certified and be able to pass a livescan background clearance. 

Additional Information:

Reports to: Hotline Program Manager

Job Type: Full-time (40 hours/week)

Work Schedule: Onsite

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Salary Range: $30 per hour (+$4 differential for overnight) 

Benefits (subject to election and eligibility): Fully-Paid Medical and Dental Plans; Health Reimbursement Card, Paid Time Off (personal, vacation, and sick time), 403B with company match.

Applying Instruction:

Candidates should apply for the position at our career page “careers.felton.org” OR directly email resumes to “jobs@felton.org”.

IMP NOTE: Job responsibilities are subject to change according to program requirements.