crisis counselor

software engineer

support specialist

specialist

compensation manager

Protocall Services

Working at Protocall means trying to support people in crisis while navigating a system that often makes the situation worse for both the caller and the staff. A typical day involves emotionally heavy calls stacked back-to-back with very little room to breathe, all while racing against strict time expectations. Policies change constantly, training doesn’t match the reality of the job, and you are frequently given conflicting instructions from different supervisors.

One of the most telling parts of my experience was the turnover. My training cohort started with about fifteen people. Within six months, I was the only one left. People didn’t leave because the work was “too hard.” They left because the environment made it impossible to do the work in a way that was healthy or sustainable. That alone says a lot about what employees are up against.

It’s also important to mention that the role is advertised as pure crisis counseling, but you quickly learn that you’re also taking calls for EAPs and a number of partner programs with entirely different scripts, policies, and expectations. None of this is clearly explained during hiring, and it adds an unexpected layer of complexity and workload that new staff don’t see coming.

The hardest part, by far, is how the workflow forces you to rush callers who clearly need more time. Many callers even comment on how fast the process feels or how “robotic” the questions sound. And they’re not wrong. You can hear the distress increase as you push through required assessments that leave almost no room for empathy or natural conversation. It becomes obvious that the structure itself is adding pressure to an already overwhelmed person. There were many moments when I knew slowing down would help the caller, but doing so would put me under scrutiny later. It’s an awful position to be in.

Another concerning part of the workflow is the insistence on using the “interruption technique.” In theory it’s supposed to keep calls on track, but in practice it often leads to repeatedly cutting off someone who is actively distressed, crying, or trying to explain what’s going on. You can feel the caller becoming more frustrated, more overwhelmed, or more shut down as you’re forced to redirect them again and again just to meet documentation and assessment requirements. It feels completely counterintuitive to trauma-informed care and, at times, genuinely harmful. Callers often pointed out how rushed the process felt, and they were right to notice.

The assessments are not necessarily long, but they are rigid. There is very little flexibility to meet the caller where they are emotionally. If someone needs to slow down, breathe, or talk through something organically, the structure does not easily allow for it. You end up pushing forward because the system requires it, even when your clinical instincts tell you it is not the right approach.

Another major concern is workload. During my time there, the company added a large new account without hiring additional staff to handle the increased volume. The workload was already overwhelming, and adding more responsibilities without any added support pushed many people past their limit. Calls were constant, breaks were minimal, and the emotional demands became nearly impossible to manage in a healthy way.

Management adds another layer of difficulty. One of the most frustrating parts of the job was the lack of consistency between supervisors. You could ask the same policy or procedure question to three different supervisors and get three completely different answers. When you followed the guidance you were given, there was a very real chance that a different supervisor would later correct you for doing it “wrong,” even though you were simply doing exactly what you had been told. This pattern happened repeatedly and created a sense of walking on eggshells, because you never knew which version of the rules you were expected to follow on any given day. On top of that, management focuses heavily on metrics, speed, and liability. Those priorities overshadow the actual needs of the caller and make it difficult to provide care that is thoughtful or individualized. The mission looks supportive on paper, but the daily reality makes it incredibly difficult to practice meaningful crisis intervention.

There are meaningful moments when you can help someone feel understood, but those moments are overshadowed by the constant pressure, rigid structure, shifting guidance, and the emotional toll of being unable to work in a way that aligns with best practices.

If you’re considering this job, know that the mission sounds compassionate on paper. In reality, the structure makes it very difficult to provide the level of care that callers deserve, and the turnover alone should make anyone pause.

This review is not to be unfair to Protocall; it is what I wish I knew before applying. Training was six weeks and was very reminiscent of being in a college course. I did feel like I learned a lot of information and was impressed by this. The first people you speak to are overly friendly and personable; however, after hiring you have no more contact with them. 

The training process has changed since I started fairly recently from the course approach to more hands on due to a new contract the company received that they are not adequately staffed for. Now employees complete two weeks of training and then go straight to calls with mentors to help. A note on the mentors: they are peers typically who have less than 18 months of experience. The issue I had was when peers give feedback that is relayed to management and they are looking to advance themselves/are not secure in their own position sometimes it can come across as catty or too harsh. Protocall drills this positive, friendly, inclusive culture down your throat at the beginning so this was a shocker to me. I was not expecting how  dog eat dog some staff members would be, but after being on the phones, I do understand why most want to move up and not take calls. 

My biggest shock at Protocall was what the day to day calls would entail. I expected suicidal people on every call which I did basically get. I did not expect to be doing EAP work or so many other accounts. There are approximately 600 accounts that randomly call and you have to know how to find the information to help the caller quickly. It is fast paced but I felt like I progressed well. Another note on progression: you will be put on a performance improvement plan during onboarding if your call times are not fast enough. Again, this shocked me. I personally was able to meeting onboarding standards; however, some of my peers were not and were put on the plans after 8-12 weeks on the "floor." Everyone is not cut out for quickly handling crisis calls but it can be done. 

The job is not really "helping" and is definitely not counseling. It is  barely stabilizing until they can get to their actual Therapist or another service the next day. Some people could be discouraged by this; I was not because the reality is I knew I couldn't do much over the phone anyway but some people want to talk for a moment. 

The biggest issues I had with the company were the PTO policy of needing weeks in advance to request time off; however their call in policy is excellent, but it is tracked, and can result in a PIP. I did not care for having to work one weekend shift weekly. I did not care for the pace of the job. There is no time in between calls to breathe, and with the types of intense calls received, it makes it very difficult to cope. Along the lines of coping, the company mentioned self care etc however, you have to advocate for yourself. Management will not typically offer you anything. If you let a shift manager know you had an intense call, they may or may not say take 5 minutes. Due to the new account and high turnover (really high) sometimes they are so busy they miss opportunities to help staff which probably leads to the turnover. 

The biggest issue I had is the abusive, spree callers. I was not expecting this. People call these crisis lines and talk to you in ways that I cannot explain. Think of the worst thing a person can call you and double it. Completely unprovoked. Then they hang up and call back all day, most days. These are NOT one offs. The company is not addressing this and you are expected to listen to the vitriol and nicely give a statement before hanging up. It is terrible. 

The best part is working remote, most coworkers are wonderful (as much as you can connect remotely) and a lot of the callers are great to interact with. I am disappointed by Protocall, but I have been informed that they receive so many applications monthly that essentially they do not have to make changes to benefit call takers. That saddens me, but it does make sense. Call takers appear to be seen as a "dime a dozen" whereas management and those who were there "from the beginning" have their own reality within the company structure. Again, this makes some sense but it is disheartening. 

Most people who work here have hated it at first and then grew to love it. That to me is a major red flag in itself. 
Personally, I am in the mental health field to create impact and change, and then yes, the paycheck. Most of the people I ran into had more interest in the pay and getting hours for money than anything else.
The training is not thorough in the sense that it gives you time to grasp the information. They are more concerned about going at the pace they are at, are very stuck in their methods, and have numerous errors within their training and management on the floor. Their resources are awfully dated. They have no set organization when it applies to their systems and methods of communication (with the exception of dated scripts/videos and manuals). Most of the materials they use as resources are years behind which leaves you stressed out most of the time. 
They would really do well hiring an organizational psychologist to help management with communication when it applies to receiving feedback from employees as they can take offense to feedback even though they welcome it. They use passive-aggressive language "They have been there longer and know more than us."  Old business ways of the past. 
They are a service that is hired for various companies and it's more of a call center for various services other than mental health-related counseling. They set a time for you when it applies to crisis calls and insured calls are given more time. Which to me is unfair. They are more concerned about their paid companies receiving the right support and have old business practices of the past, such as micromanaging and passive-aggressive language. 
The higher management are the ones that you will find that have been there the longest at most. The highest turnovers seem to be call takers and we were told numerous times that we are not counselors. You will find that to be true after training as it's more call center setting. You also have to learn about five systems with very poor learning tools for them. It leaves supervisors to handle more than their position as they have to train you more which they are supportive of but its also unfair overall as this is a fast-paced environment with calls nonstop. 
I read the negative comments about this position prior to hiring and the positives and have to agree that both are applicable as it does give you some great experience and they do have great benefits. 
Overall, this company has extremely dated resources and its a great job for someone who needs one with good pay and benefits and for someone who needs the money and doesn't care or is adjusted to working in a disorganized stressful position. The supervisors and mentors are really supportive. The supervisors are overworked for sure.
If you are passionate about being a mental health worker and creating impact over a paycheck, I would say somewhere else may appreciate your passion and services more. Don't tarnish your passion at a company that hides under a nonprofit cloak but isn't focused solely on creating that type of impact. They certainly care about paying customers and keeping them. We support crisis hotlines but do not give them as much of a focus in time on call as we do insured clients. We are docked on the time we spend on calls.
If someone in crisis is calling because they are SI and then after the call they commit that type of self-injury, you have to listen to the recorded conversation you had with them along with your supervisor and see where you both went wrong and what you can do differently next time. There is no other option. It feels like a punishment. We should not be responsible for someone else attempts unless we handled it poorly. But here, you must find what you did wrong along with your supervisor,  and as a mental health worker, I find that to be unethically immoral and such a heavy weight for someone to carry when they are trying their best to support the person.
If your mental health is built for this type of environment then this is a good start for someone who needs it or the money. With passion, I suggest you really look at all the reviews about this organization with strong consideration both positive and negative reviews, and the consistency of that data. So that way you know what you are dealing with. 

Working at Protocall Services provided a solid foundation in crisis intervention, but the day-to-day realities of the role were often overwhelming.

Training was intensive and conducted in a cohort setting over several weeks. It was well-structured, informative, and allowed for questions, which was important given the complexity of the work. During training, there was a strong emphasis on support, teamwork, and the importance of self-care.

Compensation was competitive for the role, and shift differentials for overnight hours were a strong incentive. The amount of PTO accrued was also a positive and above what is often seen in similar roles.

While PTO accrual was strong, it could be difficult to get time off approved in practice, which limited the ability to actually use the benefit.

The role itself is extremely high-stress, which is expected in crisis work, but additional challenges made it more difficult. New accounts were added with minimal training while maintaining high performance expectations. There was noticeable inconsistency among supervisors—some were supportive and helpful, while others lacked transparency, which created a lack of trust.

Productivity metrics (call time, documentation time, and availability) often felt unrealistic given the nature of crisis calls. Callers process trauma differently, and while some interactions could be completed quickly, others required more time. Taking the necessary time to properly support someone in crisis could negatively impact performance metrics, creating a conflict between quality care and expectations.

There was also an expectation to use what was referred to as an “interruption technique” to redirect callers who were talking at length. While intended to keep calls on track, this often felt counterproductive in practice. Many callers expressed that the structured assessment questions already felt robotic, and being interrupted at times made them feel unheard. This created additional stress for call takers, as not using the technique could count against performance, even when it felt inappropriate for the situation.

Calls were frequently back-to-back with little to no time between them, making it difficult to decompress or apply the self-care that was emphasized during training. Micromanagement and unclear expectations led to a “walking on eggshells” feeling during shifts.

There were times when senior staff would join calls to listen and provide support, which could be helpful in the moment. However, after submitting documentation, feedback could come from individuals who had not been present for the call, stating it was handled incorrectly. This contributed to inconsistent feedback and made it difficult to feel confident in your performance.

Overall feedback could be inconsistent, with employees being told they were performing well, then unexpectedly placed on performance plans, making it difficult to understand where you stood within the company.


Overall:
This role can be a good learning experience, and compensation and benefits are solid, but the combination of high expectations, inconsistent support, and limited recovery time makes it difficult to sustain long-term.

A typical day at work, consists of sitting at a computer and grabbing calls as they come in. These are not just calls.  These are people from all walks of life that are calling in states of emotional crisis going through real life stuff and at times are expressing thoughts of suicide or homicide or presenting with other safety concerns that need to be carefully assessed and attended to.  

Sadly, Protocall has a narrow definition of what it considers a "crisis" and I actually was told by mid-management at one point, "What you are doing sounds dangerously close to therapy." Since there were no safety concerns, I needed to "wrap up" the call.  In addition to assessing for safety, as an employee you are expected to perform based on stats, including the number of calls you take per hour, how fast you pick up a call, how long it takes you to document the call, and whether you appropriately gathered all necessary information in the call.  Before I left, management was working toward recording all calls.  They also had employees monitor each other and evaluate their performance.  

I learned from management  that Protocall is a for-profit company that is paid per call.  The company tends to be more focused on profit margins than their employees and the callers they serve. Literally all staff meetings consist of charts and data based on this "performance."  I don't recall an all staff meeting where we talked about the clinical performance of our calls or were asked how we all were doing emotionally by upper management.  So ultimately, from management's point of view, they would like for you to grab as many calls as you can, while staying calm.   

The clinical support that employees receive is from mid-management, not upper management, and it comes in the from of weekly individual and group supervision that employees are assigned to.  There is a huge disconnect in culture between employees that do the work and answer the calls and the upper-management that are profit driven and have not taken a call in years and thus, are not able to prove any sort of clinical direction or support around what it is that the employees do day in and day out.

The best part of having worked there is the employees, who often are the ones left to support each other emotionally, which I suppose makes sense to a degree.  They are the reason I stayed as long as I did and have made some life long friends there.  I also was lucky to have the opportunity to help callers in crisis with a team that at times was solid and other times overwhelmed over the years, depending on how well staffed the call center was--there has been and ebb and flow of employees and mid-management coming and going..  Job retention is very poor and there has been high turnover, since I started there..  

It was a great place to gain some clinical experience and work with great co-workers.  I can honestly say that there is much better out there and that when life happens and it happens to all of us, (for example, unexpected loss, divorce, automobile accident, etc)--essentially being human--needing emotional support to do this job well and succeed, this is not the place you really want to be working..

The interview process at Protocall is great, especially if you have interview anxiety. It is a bit lengthy, but it is straightforward, and you are essentially guaranteed to get the job if you have a basic level of empathy and a little experience in crisis and high-risk situations for those with developmental issues, substance use concerns, self-harm, suicidal ideation, etc. However, it can be difficult to get the shift you prefer, and you may end up working late into the night, particularly on swing shifts, where there are typically more calls.

The training is an intensive 6 weeks where there is a lot to learn, but there is also a lot of micromanaging and passive aggression from higher-ups. If they hire a large cohort, nearly 50% of people end up leaving before getting to the end of training. At the beginning, they will incite fear by mentioning how they can let you go at anytime if you don't meet their expectations. They are very nit-picky about the style in which they do things, and different mentors and supervisors have different ways of doing things, which makes things very conflicting at times. The pay is good, but it may not feel like enough considering the mental turmoil the job can bring. In fact, many professional counselors outside of this organization mentioned that many of the counselors who have been in the field for years can’t even fathom doing crisis line work because it burns you out.

The company mainly focuses on suicidal risk and oftentimes lacks in providing adequate resources to callers, especially if they are calling about concerns aside from suicidal thoughts and ideations. Even if someone is calling in for something brief and straightforward, you are often required to perform a full assessment to evaluate risk, which can lead to situations where the desired resources aren’t provided. Additionally, you may need to call the police on individuals, even when they express frustration with the system and explain how it has failed them in the past. It can be a very tricky situation to navigate, but you must follow company procedures rather than relying solely on your own judgment.

Documenting the calls on Proteus can be very tedious, as Proteus itself handles several accounts that are diverse and can get very technical. You also have to multitask and consult with supervisors on the floor if suicidal risk is presented, while also actively listening and engaging with the call and documenting the call sufficiently on Proteus.

The clinical justification and additional interventions part can get tricky at times due to certain supervisors expecting more details and others being fine with just a brief synopsis. However, if you perform well and consistently meet expectations, there is room for advancement. You can eventually earn a slight pay increase through promotions or performance-based recognition.

Despite the challenges, some coworkers can make the experience more enjoyable, as you may find colleagues you truly click with.

Protocal gets a bad rep so I’m here to give some insight. I currently have worked here for a year. I was denied my first time applying because i had no experience in crisis calls. I worked another company and circled back and was hired (call center experience is a plus).  The hiring experience is pretty exaggerated. I missed a meeting (due to previous work schedule) and was delayed a month from starting. I wouldn’t quit current job until you have a start date. They work on Pacific Time so I would make sure your very clear on your availability. I started a position working a shift that was not suitable for home work balance and it took 3 months to transition positions. Since then, Ive been offered 3 schedule changes in the past year (there is flexibility with scheduling). 
The onboarding process is pretty intense. There was a lot of turnover from my coworkers due to expectations, micro management, and inconsistency in management styles. However this is with any remote job I’ve worked. Due to working from home they are a lot more strict in the beginning. Your probationary status last for about 2 months. There were a lot of changes in policy  during those phases so if your not flexible and open to change in policy/procedures you will struggle. The benefits it your onboarding with 10 plus peers so you’ll naturally build a community with them. 

Once your in the door things are a lot easier. The work becomes more consistent once you feel confident in your role, duties, expectations. The work has a balance of high call volume and low call volume roles. Days are scheduled out months in advance so your are clear on your assignments. The job will expect you to be versatile in your duties so you’ll be gradually learning new skills for about a 4-5 months before your fully immersed. 

Once your fully trained the door are open. You can request role changes which there are so many opportunity for in hire roles. I see about 4-5 employee promotions per month. They celebrate holiday as a community and do a lot of gift giving. The remote culture is very supportive as well with upwards of 20 chat rooms and groups you can join for fun, news reports, gathering outside work, pet lovers, cultural groups, etc. There is a lot of support from management throughout your shift with 3-4 supervisors at hand at all times. 

I also have gone through maternity leave with this company which was a great experience from start to finish! And is going well for my homework balance with a newborn.


Working here had some positives, primarily the ability to work from home. Unfortunately, the negatives consistently outweighed the benefits.

Leadership was the biggest concern. Clinical decisions and expectations were often dictated by individuals without clinical licensure or direct therapeutic experience. As a licensed provider in my STATE, it was frustrating to be told how to perform clinical work by non-clinical leadership, only to later receive criticism for documentation that reflected those directives. Feedback from management was often inconsistent, with concerns being raised about the same performance metrics that had previously been considered acceptable.

The workplace culture felt highly cliquish. Opportunities for schedule trades and support often appeared dependent on personal relationships rather than fairness or consistency across staff.

The scheduling department was another major challenge. Availability restrictions that had been communicated in advance were frequently ignored, particularly around holidays. Employees were often expected to use UTO to cover scheduling conflicts, even when willing to make up the hours elsewhere in the workweek. The attendance and time-off policies felt inflexible and unsupportive during personal or family emergencies. There is also this implied notion that you need to be available 24/7 for holidays.

The workload was extremely demanding. It was common to handle 10–15 or more high-risk crisis calls per shift, often with little downtime between calls due to chronic understaffing. Staff were regularly reminded to manage their stress on their own time, but meaningful organizational support for the emotional demands is lacking. While the mission of helping people in crisis is important, the operational and workplace culture made it difficult even want to consider long-term employment. People are being pushed into other positions unfairly and it shows. If you look at people there and their span of work there, a lot of people have been there a year or less as a call taker and usually don’t make it to 3, just doing call taking.

My typical day involves supporting the people who support callers. My role sits between our accounts and our counselors, making sure procedures, on-call schedules, and account details are accurate, current, and usable in real time. I work closely with student counseling centers, EAPs, and community mental health organizations to ensure their needs are taken care of, while also making sure Protocall counselors have clear, reliable information when supporting callers in crisis. It’s detail-heavy, high-responsibility work, and it enables better care for people who need help most.
Watching Protocall grow from a small nonprofit into a national organization has shown me how much intentional coordination it takes to scale without losing quality or humanity. Leadership comes from lived experience. Most leaders at Protocall were counselors and call-takers themselves, which makes a real difference. They understand the emotional and logistical complexity of crisis work. While mistakes happen, leadership is approachable, listens to staff feedback, and makes genuine efforts to improve systems and processes when something isn’t working.
The culture is people-centered in a way that feels genuine, not performative. Employees aren’t treated as disposable. When life inevitably affects someone’s ability to work, the response is compassion and problem-solving rather than replacement. That approach matters deeply in a mental health organization. 

No one can serve two masters. The master Protocall serves is not the caller on the line, but the numerous accounts it takes calls for. If the caller is not in imminent danger, you have to end the call within set time limits or be reprimanded, regardless of the caller’s level of distress. You will bear the brunt for their inconsistent training as well. You’ll be given contradictory information from trainers and mentors, then be scolded for not following the “correct” procedure.

The way to succeed with this company is to dampen your empathy and individuality; become robotic, a soulless wooden cog in their machine. I often felt the primary role as a call-taker was to shield the company from liability. It's a "CYA" culture and you will hear that slogan frequently. 

Some of your coworkers will be helpful and some will enjoy telling on you for utterly trivial matters. The “woke mommy brigade” is ever vigilant: they are always scrutinizing, watching, and listening for a mistake or faux pas to admonish you for.

For call-takers, please know that when you give HR your 2 weeks notice, they will fire you that day, so be wise with your timing. Also, use as much of your PTO as possible before you leave. With few exceptions, your accrued PTO will not be paid out unless you live in Maine, Massachusetts, Illinois, Colorado, or New Mexico.

If it furthers your goals to work for them, then jump in, but always have a backup plan in mind. Keep your options open, and remember that you are exceedingly expendable to them. They hire a new batch of trainees every 6 weeks. Bar none, Protocall was the worst company I ever worked for. 

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