What does a crisis worker do?
A crisis worker is a mental health professional specializing in providing counseling and support services to individuals under emotional distress often caused by mental and behavioral issues, conducting interventions as needed. They are usually assigned in institutions or medical facilities, sometimes working for crisis hotlines where they must answer phone calls from clients, remain calm and rational during conversations, offer advice, and refer them to other support agencies to prevent them from taking drastic measures. A crisis worker engages with clients of all ages, requiring them to be proactive at all times.
Crisis worker responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real crisis worker resumes:
- Find placements for patients needing inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations, and provide community referrals to those requiring lower levels of care.
- Conduct psychiatric screenings in hospital settings to determine if patients meet the criteria for involuntary/voluntary commitment as mandated by state laws.
- Coordinate care with community providers for follow up if patient are discharged, prepare documentation for admission to inpatient psychiatry unit.
- Complete MDS assessments to determine mood and cognitive functioning, relaying information to interdisciplinary team and families.
Crisis worker skills and personality traits
We calculated that 21% of Crisis Workers are proficient in Patients, Social Work, and Mental Health Crisis. They’re also known for soft skills such as Emotional skills, Communication skills, and Interpersonal skills.
We break down the percentage of Crisis Workers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 21%
Conducted psychiatric screenings in hospital settings to determine if patients met the criteria for involuntary/voluntary commitment as mandated by state laws.
- Social Work, 18%
Manage social work responsibilities, educate hospital staff and administration about psychopathology and interventions.
- Mental Health Crisis, 5%
Used communication and interviewing skills, identified individuals presenting in a mental health crisis, facilitated appropriate intervention.
- Compassion, 5%
Provided medical, spiritual/emotional care, encompassing quality, dignity, compassion and confidentiality.
- CPR, 3%
Provided health and safety interventions through the administration of medications, First Aid, CPR, Crisis and behavioral Interventions.
- Rehabilitation, 3%
Provided coordination for client's requesting substance abuse assistance through detoxification or rehabilitation through medical facilities.
Common skills that a crisis worker uses to do their job include "patients," "social work," and "mental health crisis." You can find details on the most important crisis worker responsibilities below.
Communication skills. Many crisis worker duties rely on communication skills. "clients talk to social workers about challenges in their lives," so a crisis worker will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways crisis worker responsibilities rely on communication skills: "maintain communication with emergency room staff regarding patient's placement status. "
Interpersonal skills. crisis workers are also known for interpersonal skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to crisis worker responsibilities, because "social workers must be able to work with different groups of people." A crisis worker resume example shows how interpersonal skills is used in the workplace: "established and maintaining interpersonal relationships with patients and maintaining them over time. "
Organizational skills. crisis worker responsibilities often require "organizational skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "social workers must help and manage multiple clients, often assisting with their paperwork or documenting their treatment." This resume example shows what crisis workers do with organizational skills on a typical day: "provided case specific court testimony crisis intervention skills used verbal skills organizational skills time management skills crisis intervention skills"
Problem-solving skills. Another common skill required for crisis worker responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." This skill comes up in the duties of crisis workers all the time, as "social workers must analyze their clients’ complex situations and develop practical solutions." An excerpt from a real crisis worker resume shows how this skill is central to what a crisis worker does: "apply crisis intervention techniques to stabilize patients for further therapy and problem resolution. "
Compassion. Another skill commonly found on crisis worker job descriptions is "compassion." It can come up quite often in crisis worker duties, since "social workers often work with people who are in stressful and difficult situations." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day crisis worker responsibilities: "aided callers/chatters suffering from various life crises by use of strong listening skills, empathy, and compassion. "
The three companies that hire the most crisis workers are:
- RWJBarnabas Health16 crisis workers jobs
- Resources for Human Development8 crisis workers jobs
- Thresholds7 crisis workers jobs
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Compare different crisis workers
Crisis worker vs. Mental health specialist
A mental health specialist is responsible for evaluating a patient's mental health condition and develop appropriate treatment plans to help the patients cope up with their mental difficulties. Mental health specialists provide counseling to the patients, listening to their situation, and responding with the utmost consideration. They also create regular progress reports and medical charts to monitor ongoing medication, updating treatment plans as needed. A mental health specialist must have excellent communication and organization skills, helping the patients deal with their mental stress and return to a healthy lifestyle.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between crisis workers and mental health specialist. For instance, crisis worker responsibilities require skills such as "mental health crisis," "crisis line," "suicide prevention," and "emergency room." Whereas a mental health specialist is skilled in "vital signs," "substance abuse," "therapeutic milieu," and "therapeutic relationships." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Mental health specialists really shine in the government industry with an average salary of $47,531. Comparatively, crisis workers tend to make the most money in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $36,537.On average, mental health specialists reach similar levels of education than crisis workers. Mental health specialists are 2.0% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Crisis worker vs. Mental health associate
As a mental health associate, you will assist the medical team members in diagnosing and treating individuals with mental, developmental, and behavioral conditions. You may be tasked to facilitate individual and group therapy sessions, help patients with their day-to-day activities such as self-care and hygiene, and assist in administering medications prescribed by physicians. Other duties include planning and leading program activities, attending treatment rounds, and assisting with the physical care of patients. The qualifications and skills required for this role include a bachelor's degree in social science or psychology, previous work experience, and certification on basic life support.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, crisis worker responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "mental health crisis," "crisis line," "community agencies," and "suicide prevention." Meanwhile, a mental health associate has duties that require skills in areas such as "customer service," "vital signs," "safety checks," and "substance abuse." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
On average, mental health associates earn a higher salary than crisis workers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, mental health associates earn the most pay in the professional industry with an average salary of $37,746. Whereas crisis workers have higher pay in the hospitality industry, with an average salary of $36,537.mental health associates earn lower levels of education than crisis workers in general. They're 10.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for crisis workers in the next 3-5 years?
Virginia Schwindt
MSW Field Director/Associate Professor, Union University
Crisis worker vs. Mental health therapist
The job of mental health therapists is to guide individuals, groups, couples, and families with problems that are impacting their well-being and mental health. Their duties and responsibilities include encouraging clients to talk about their experiences, examining issues that may affect mental health such as substance abuse and bullying, and assisting clients in defining their goals and action plans. Mental health therapists are also responsible for developing therapeutic processes, referring clients to other services or resources like psychologists, and helping them adjust to life changes.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a crisis worker is likely to be skilled in "mental health crisis," "cpr," "crisis line," and "suicide prevention," while a typical mental health therapist is skilled in "therapeutic services," "foster care," "community services," and "therapeutic interventions."
Mental health therapists make a very good living in the non profits industry with an average annual salary of $53,528. On the other hand, crisis workers are paid the highest salary in the hospitality industry, with average annual pay of $36,537.When it comes to education, mental health therapists tend to earn higher degree levels compared to crisis workers. In fact, they're 26.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 1.6% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Crisis worker vs. Intervention specialist
An intervention specialist is responsible for assisting children with special education and social adjustment needs in schools and other educational settings. You will be responsible for designing, executing, and assessing programs based on different factors, including gender, cultural background, and age. Other tasks that you will likely perform include working closely with teachers to discuss the subject matter with students, ensuring children and occupied and safe, and maintaining records of children's performance and lesson plans. An intervention specialist is also responsible for adhering to individualized education programs.
Types of crisis worker
Updated January 8, 2025
