Part Time Empathetic Listener Jobs in Portland, OR

Lines for Life Job Description

Position Title: Part-Time Social Media Crisis Intervention Specialist

Status: Part-time (20 hours per week)/Non-Exempt

Schedule: Saturday - Wednesday from 3:00-7:00pm OR Saturday - Tuesday from 3:00-8:30pm

Salary: The starting base rate for this role is $23 per hour plus a $2/hr. differential for employees who possess a Master's degree in a related field, a 2% differential for employees who live and work from Oregon, and a $1/hr. differential for hours worked in the office when regularly working in the office 3 days per week. See below for more details about the compensation package. 

Compensation: This is a union position with a step progression based upon years of service at Lines for Life, and below is the current step scale for the base rate, and each step would have the $2 graduate degree differential, 2% Oregon premium, and $1 in-office differential added onto pay when applicable:

0-3 years: $23.00 

3-5 years: $24.15 

5-7 years: $25.36 

7-10 years: $26.63

10 years: $27.96

Part-time employees are eligible for a competitive paid time off package; a matching 401K plan equivalent to 3% of the annual salary during the first 2 years of employment after passing the match eligibility date; an employee assistance program; public service loan forgiveness (PSLF) employment certification; and eligibility to participate in an extracurricular professional development program after 6 months of employment.

About the Organization: Lines for Life is a regional non-profit that is dedicated to preventing substance abuse and suicide. We offer help and hope to individuals and communities and promote mental health for all. Our work addresses a spectrum of needs that include intervention, prevention, and advocacy. We educate, train, and advocate to prevent issues of substance abuse, mental illness, and thoughts of suicide from reaching crisis levels. But when a crisis arises or support is needed, we are available 24/7/365 to intervene with personalized help.

Part-Time Social Media Crisis Intervention Specialist Position Overview: This position will monitor social media for high acuity posts authored by youth focusing on suicidality, risk of self-harm, and severe mental health struggles. This position will provide empathetic support and compassionate care to youth in crisis through social media. When concerning social media posts are identified, this position will conduct risk assessments, provide empathetic support, de-escalate crises, identify appropriate resource referrals, and prepare reports about conversations and interventions that occurred. 

Part-Time Social Media Crisis Intervention Specialist Responsibilities:

• Monitor social media posts of youth and identify content focusing on suicidal ideation, risk of self-harm, and severe mental health struggles with an emphasis on triaging to identify the highest acuity contacts. Offer support and compassionate listening to youth in crisis through direct messages on social media. 
• Communicate about social media conversations and interventions with Lines for Life’s internal YouthLine team members. Consult with the YouthLine supervisory and on-call YouthLine Clinical Leadership team as needed for support in engaging via social media with youth demonstrating suicidality, risk of self-harm, and severe mental health struggles to conduct risk assessments, de-escalate crises, and collaboratively develop safety and rescue plans.
• Prepare reports on conversations and interventions that occurred with youth on social media in an accurate and timely manner with key clinical information.
• Collect data related to conversations and interactions on social media with youth and analyze data to identify trends, such as the times during the day and week when the highest frequency of conversations and interactions occurred. Regularly update data collection tools.
• Evaluate the outcome of each contact through completing a risk matrix and safety matrix. 
• Collaboratively engage in program development through special projects such as conference presentations, outcome research, training materials development, and more, as fits with regular responsibilities.
• Research and integrate AI technology into protocols, procedures, and reporting.
• Identify additional social media sites where staff can support youth in crisis who are posting about suicidal ideation, risk of self-harm, and severe mental health struggles. 
• Complete YouthLine projects agreed upon with the supervisor between responding to contacts. 
• Complete mandatory trainings in order to stay up-to-date on best practices related to youth crisis intervention.
• Regularly attend individual supervision and team staff meetings.
• Demonstrate the culture of Lines for Life by modeling behavior that supports the organization’s goals and philosophies.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Part-Time Social Media Crisis Intervention Specialist Required Qualifications:

• Able to meet Qualified Mental Health Associate requirements (https://mhacbo.org/media/QMHA.Worksheet_PDF.pdf)
• Crisis intervention experience
• Experience working with youth
• Highly competent in social media platforms and web-based computer systems
• Ability to reach out and establish rapport with youth when engaging through social media
• Strong analytical skills
• Understanding of and ability to apply mental health assessment, treatment, and service terminology

Part-Time Social Media Crisis Intervention Specialist Preferred Qualifications:

• ASIST and safeTALK certification preferred
• Knowledge of compliance and reporting requirements related to youth crisis intervention preferred (e.g. HIPAA compliance, CPS reporting)

Part-Time Social Media Crisis Intervention Specialist Work Environment and Schedule Requirements:

• This position must work at Lines for Life’s S Portland office in order to effectively collaborate with the YouthLine in the event of a crisis.
  • In the event of severe weather conditions or a related emergency situation that prevents an employee from being able to report in person, then telecommuting may be approved on a temporary basis so long as the required internet security, HIPAA compliance, and technology requirements can be met.
• The work week would consist of 5 days a week at 4 hours per day, or 4 days per week at 5 hours per day. 
• This position requires the ability to sit and look at a computer screen for several hours at a time.

This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities, but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function in the company. 

EEO: Lines for Life strives to create a diverse, inclusive environment to better represent the communities that we serve. We are an equal opportunity employer. Lines for Life shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. However, it shall not be a violation of this clause for Lines for Life to extend a publicly announced preference in employment to Indians living on or near an Indian reservation, in connection with employment opportunities on or near an Indian reservation, as permitted by 41 CFR 60-1.5.

All Lines for Life employees must be approved to work by the Oregon Department of Human Services’ Background Check Unit. Background checks are completed after a conditional offer of employment has been extended.