Crisis counselor vs crisis intervention specialist

The differences between crisis counselors and crisis intervention specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a crisis counselor and a crisis intervention specialist. Additionally, a crisis intervention specialist has an average salary of $54,678, which is higher than the $51,142 average annual salary of a crisis counselor.

The top three skills for a crisis counselor include social work, patients and mental health crisis. The most important skills for a crisis intervention specialist are social work, patients, and substance abuse.

Crisis counselor vs crisis intervention specialist overview

	Crisis Counselor	Crisis Intervention Specialist
Yearly salary	$51,142	$54,678
Hourly rate	$24.59	$26.29
Growth rate	12%	9%
Number of jobs	76,255	80,817
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	41	45
Years of experience	4	4

What does a crisis counselor do?

A crisis counselor is responsible for providing assistance and emotional support to clients under crises or mental health emergencies caused by stress, trauma, grief, and other factors. Most crisis counselors work at clinics or counseling centers, and there are instances where they can be at schools and organizations. Aside from diagnosing and providing specific treatments, a crisis counselor must also build rapport with clients, helping them feel comfortable every step of the way, and serving as a positive influence in their journey to recovery.

What does a crisis intervention specialist do?

A crisis intervention specialist provides counseling services and intervention to patients in high-stress situations. Their responsibilities include conducting assessments to understand the clients' conditions, studying their medical histories and personal background, developing treatment plans, and regularly monitoring their behavior and progress. They may also coordinate with the patients' families or guardians, provide care advice, or refer patients to other specialists when necessary. Moreover, a crisis intervention specialist gives emotional support and guidance to patients, helping them deal with stress.

Crisis counselor vs crisis intervention specialist salary

Crisis counselors and crisis intervention specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Crisis Counselor	Crisis Intervention Specialist
Average salary	$51,142	$54,678
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $69,000	Between $40,000 And $73,000
Highest paying City	-	Hoboken, NJ
Highest paying state	-	New Jersey
Best paying company	-	Legacy Health
Best paying industry	-	Professional

Differences between crisis counselor and crisis intervention specialist education

There are a few differences between a crisis counselor and a crisis intervention specialist in terms of educational background:

	Crisis Counselor	Crisis Intervention Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Crisis counselor vs crisis intervention specialist demographics

Here are the differences between crisis counselors' and crisis intervention specialists' demographics:

	Crisis Counselor	Crisis Intervention Specialist
Average age	41	45
Gender ratio	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%	Male, 29.6% Female, 70.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	15%	15%

Differences between crisis counselor and crisis intervention specialist duties and responsibilities

Crisis counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Conduct mental health evaluations and behavioral health crisis assessments for determination of functioning and mental status of patients.
Provide education to patients about relevant aspects of mental illness and/or chemical dependency to support maximum utilization of treatment.
Train to use CPI, MOAB, and CPR as needed.
Aid callers/chatters suffering from various life crises by use of strong listening skills, empathy, and compassion.
Make patient referrals to outpatient medical clinics, community services, or rehabilitation facilities.

Crisis intervention specialist example responsibilities.

Provide clinical assessments, crisis intervention and supportive counseling for patients who are involuntary admissions.
Provide content lead support on mathematics assessment projects/contracts.
Provide mathematics content expertise and consultation to meet and support customer specify goals.
Prepare, arrange, and facilitate involuntary and voluntary inpatient psychiatric hospitalization placement for patients when clinically indicate.
Provide individual counseling, weekly psycho-educational groups in DBT and substance abuse prevention, crisis intervention and administration of clinical intakes.
Author and review items for ESL assessments, including TOEFL and TOEIC tests.

Crisis counselor vs crisis intervention specialist skills

Common crisis counselor skills

Social Work, 21%
Patients, 8%
Mental Health Crisis, 6%
Social Services, 5%
Crisis Management, 4%
Suicide Prevention, 4%

Common crisis intervention specialist skills

Social Work, 15%
Patients, 12%
Substance Abuse, 7%
Community Resources, 5%
Crisis Stabilization, 5%
Triage, 4%

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Crisis Counselor
Crisis Counselor vs Crisis Intervention Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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