Residential Crisis Counselor
Leadership Development Program (LDP, Building 6)
10058 South Mountain Road, Building 6, South Mountain, PA
Full-Time
23.00/hour
DailyPay Available
At Abraxas Youth and Family Services we believe every person deserves the opportunity to live a meaningful, fulfilling, and independent life.
We’re seeking compassionate, dedicated professionals who are looking for more than a paycheck. We’re looking for individuals who want to make a difference, build rewarding careers, and become part of a team committed to helping others succeed.
Whether you’re beginning your career, changing professions, or bringing years of experience, we provide the training, support, and opportunities needed to help you thrive.
No experience required for many positions. Paid training provided.
For more than 53 years, Abraxas Youth and Family Services has been dedicated to improving lives through high-quality services and support.
Our employees play a vital role in helping individuals achieve greater independence, confidence, and success while promoting dignity, respect, inclusion, and personal choice.
Every day, our team members make a meaningful impact by supporting people in reaching their goals and living their best lives.
- Competitive Compensation
- DailyPay – Access Your Earned Wages Before Payday
- Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
- 401(k) Retirement Plan
- Paid Time Off
- Employee Assistance Program
- Wellness Programs
- Employee Referral Bonuses
- Company-Paid Training
- Paid Training Programs
- Professional Development Opportunities
- Certification Opportunities
- Leadership Development Programs
- Career Advancement Opportunities
- Opportunities Across Multiple Service Lines
- Make a Difference Every Day
- Support Individuals and Families
- Build Meaningful Relationships
- Strengthen Communities
- Join a Mission-Driven Organization
The Residential Crisis Counselor is not a general residential counselor role. This is a dedicated clinical resource position for someone who has spent meaningful time in behavioral health, mental health, or psychiatric settings and who understands, from direct experience, what it looks like when a teenager is in psychological crisis — and how to bring them back from the edge. The core mission of this role is de-escalation, prevention of harm, and connection to appropriate mental health supports, before situations require physical intervention or emergency hospitalization.
Abraxas primarily serves court-adjudicated youth whose delinquency is frequently driven by untreated or inadequately treated mental health conditions: trauma and PTSD, mood disorders, impulse control disorders, anxiety, co-occurring substance use, and other behavioral health issues. This position is designed to bridge the gap between the juvenile justice lens that traditionally guides residential programming and the mental health lens that many of our residents actually need — particularly in moments of crisis.
In addition to direct crisis response, the Residential Crisis Counselor will serve as an internal liaison with Abraxas's Medical Department and coordinate with outside psychiatric resources when a resident's mental health needs require a higher level of care — including facilitating psychiatric hospitalization or identifying more suitable placements for youth whose conditions exceed what Abraxas's programs are equipped to manage.
Job Duties
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Working knowledge of adolescent mental health conditions: trauma and PTSD, mood disorders, impulse control disorders, ADHD, conduct disorder, anxiety, co-occurring substance use, suicidal ideation, and psychotic features
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Ability to recognize and respond to acute psychiatric symptoms requiring medical or psychiatric escalation
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Practiced proficiency in verbal de-escalation with individuals in active behavioral or emotional crisis — applied in real settings, not just training
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Knowledge of the regional mental health and psychiatric system, including crisis stabilization, inpatient psychiatric, and residential treatment resources for adolescents
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Ability to communicate effectively with medical and psychiatric professionals in clinical terms regarding a resident's mental health presentation
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Familiarity with the process of initiating and coordinating psychiatric evaluation, voluntary or involuntary psychiatric hospitalization, and higher-level-of-care placement
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Ability to build genuine therapeutic rapport with adolescents, including youth who are hostile, withdrawn, or deeply distrustful of adults
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Understanding of trauma-informed care principles and their application in a residential milieu
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Ability to remain calm, grounded, and clinically effective under high-pressure, high-stakes conditions
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Skill in reading a person's emotional state, triggers, and escalation pattern quickly and accurately
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Ability to work collaboratively with residential staff, supervisors, and clinicians in a structured environment
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Competency in clear, accurate, timely written documentation using facility paper-based records
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Cultural competency in working with diverse youth populations
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Orientation toward restraint-free de-escalation; physical intervention viewed as a last resort
You may be a great fit if you are:
✔ Compassionate
✔ Dependable
✔ Patient
✔ Team-Oriented
✔ Service-Focused
✔ Professional
✔ Positive
✔ Committed to Helping Others
This position is built around real-world experience and practical skills. We are looking for individuals who have been in the room with someone in psychological crisis — whether in a psychiatric residential facility, an emergency department, a crisis stabilization unit, a community mental health program, or a similar setting — and who know from experience how to reach a person in that state and guide them back to safety.
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4 years of direct crisis intervention work in a psychiatric residential setting, including de-escalation, experience with adolescent populations with trauma, PTSD, depression, bipolar disorder, impulse control disorders, ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety, dissociation, suicidal ideation, and co-occurring substance use.
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Experience with facilitating psychiatric hospitalizations or higher-level-of-care placement and knowledge of navigating mental health placement systems
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Experience/comfortable in operating in a structured, secure, residential environment serving challenging adolescent males — and who does not personalize aggression, hostility, or provocative behavior from youth in distress.
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Associate’s degree or 60+ college credits in Human Services, Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, Criminal Justice, or a related behavioral sciences field preferred
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OR High school diploma or GED plus relevant experience in behavioral health, mental health, crisis intervention, or psychiatric residential care
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Ability to stand, walk, and remain active and engaged throughout an 8-hour residential shift
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Must be physically able to perform Safe Crisis Management (SCM) protocols as trained and certified, including any required safety response procedures
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Ability to work in a secure, controlled-access residential facility environment
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Ability to respond quickly and appropriately to safety emergencies
Other Qualifications:
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At least twenty-one (21) years of age
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Must have a valid Driver's License
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Physical exam that includes TB and drug testing.
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Must pass both federal and state background checks which screen for crimes including, but not limited to drug related crimes, violent crimes, sexual abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, and repeated misdemeanors.
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Satisfactory completion of background screening and applicable pre-employment checks, including but not limited to employment and/or personal reference and driving records.
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Ability to work with computers and the necessary software typically used by the department.
- Full-Time
- 2nd Shift, 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM;
- Tuesday–Saturday or Sunday–Thursday (schedule assigned at hire)
- Ability to stand, walk, bend, and assist individuals as needed
- Ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation
Some jobs pay the bills.
Some jobs build careers.
This job changes lives.
If you’re looking for meaningful work where your compassion, dedication, and hard work make a real difference every day, we encourage you to apply today.
Join our team and become the reason someone has a better day.
Abraxas Youth and Family Services is part of the Imperium family of companies.
Employment for this position is administered through Apis Services, Inc.
Apis Services, Inc., Inperium Inc., and affiliates provide equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment in compliance with all federal and applicable state and local laws and regulations, including nondiscrimination in hiring and employment.
All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.
This policy of nondiscrimination and equal employment opportunity extends to every phase and aspect of hiring and employment.
