Every day, the Veterans Crisis Line receives calls and texts from Veterans and active duty personnel seeking confidential assistance. Since 2007, caring, qualified responders–many of whom are Veterans–have helped more than 3 million Veterans or family members through critical moments.
You can be part of this team making a difference in the lives of those who have served by applying for one of 40 call center position vacancies in Canandaigua, NY, and Topeka, Kan.
“Veterans Crisis Line Responders use evidence-based practices to diffuse situations that put Veterans’ lives at risk,” said Darren Sherrard, Associate Director of Recruitment Marketing at VA. “This close-knit team is a lifeline to Veterans and military personnel in need.”
Choose VA for the mission
As a Health Science Specialist–Veterans Crisis Line Responder–you take calls, texts and chats from Veterans and active duty personnel and their friends and family members. You provide risk assessments and take other actions related to callers’ potential for death by suicide or homicide, letters sent to government agencies and other referral needs.
Potential candidates should have a bachelor’s or higher level degree, with coursework heavily focused on psychology, mental health counseling and/or the provision of social services.
Choose VA for the benefits
VA health professionals benefit from knowledge gathered and shared by the VA National Center for PTSD, the world’s leading research and educational center of excellence on post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic stress. The center synthesizes VA and external scientific research to promote better understanding, diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues.
A VA career as a Veterans Crisis Line Responder also includes:
- From 13 to 26 days of paid time off per year.
- 13 sick days annually with no limit on accumulation.
- 10 paid federal holidays.
- Premium-support group health insurance, including dental, vision and long-term care, which may become effective on the first full pay period after you start.
- Access to the Federal Employees Retirement System, a three-tier retirement plan that includes Social Security, a defined benefit plan (pension) after only five years of vesting and a 401(k)-type plan with up to 5% in employer contributions.
Choose VA today
- APPLY for an open Health Science Services – Veterans Crisis Line Responder position.
- EXPLORE the benefits of VA career.
- LEARN how to Choose VA at www.VAcareers.va.gov.
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In my humble oppinion, i would not personally want to speak to speak with a clinician and could care less if the person on the other line had mental health back ground. You can’t relate to a combat veteran by regurgitating memorized knowledge that is supposed to help diffuse these situations. I woukd prefer to speak to terminal lance corporal Joe blow from toledo ohio who did 3 combat tours with an infantry unit because hes a bad mother fu…. And then got out and works a 2nd shift job to support the ok wife and kids but picks up the vet crisis line in his spare time and signs in like an uber driver and hes there bc he wants to be and not because uncle Sam has a decent benefit package and a slightly above average salary for him if he shows up for 37.5 hrs a week and smiles and follows the script. I want the guy who knows what its like to be caught off guard by the kid down the streets barrage of unexpected black cat fireworks and whistling bottle rockets that make him pause and move toward a knee while swiveling his head to identify contact. I want the guy who paid his respects to his 21 yr old room mate in a foreign land one day and woke up. The next and took the fight to the enemy in his honor. At the end of the day i want the guy or woman who is on the line because they want to be and they care, and also the person who can relate to me, knows what its like, and has strategies theyve used that helps them get by. Because the pain, and the visions, and the imbedded instincts that were drilled into us in our field ops and training exercises dont go away, but they are manageable. You can’t prescribe meda and follow a blanket protocol for a veteran in crisis. Just like you can’t stop gun violence with with more gun laws. You fight fire with fire people . stop pretending to give a shit about vets so you can get more funding and actually start giving a shit about vets by listening to real life veterans and then finding ways to empower them and emplement their ideas. You trusted us with million dollar equipment and to secure your freedom at 18 but then you toss us to bottom shelf care and leave us for dead when we come home broken and mangled. Give us back our dignity and let vets help vets where they can
Hello, I am a retired Chief Petty Officer, completed VocRehab college with a Masters in Social Work. I worked at NIHCS VA as a Suicide Prevention Case Manager (an excellently one), I moved back home, 2 hours away from where I worked. I requested Telework a year and a half before I resigned. I made every attempt to transfer to Toledo or Ann Arbor, who were also in VISN 10. Since January of 2018 I have applied and interviewed for over 40 positions, most with the VA. I was told by a VA Veterans employment Officer to go meet and try to persuade the VA to hire me.
Most Veterans cannot not even get someone to listen. To me, LISTENING OR there lack of is the biggest failures at the VA. By the way, I have numerous expeditionary medals, 100% disabled, and sitting on a social work degree. I am scheduled to take my LCSW EXAM on 15 Nov 2019.
Thank you for your time and service Veterans.
Why in the world would these not be telework positions? From Kansas and NY, not a lot of veterans there. Also, why no mental health background education required?
I completely agree. I believe it would be simpler to find those who could do the job if it was a telecommuter position. The only reason I can think bit them not offering option is due to client confidentiality.
Yep, I am ready for the job…..former suicide Prevention Case Manager at the VA.
Part of the problem with some of these veterans is the treatment they receive when they call into the VA (not hospitals or clinics). You might be really amazed at the treatment. There needs to be a way that when the phone call is completed, that a veteran can evaluate that contact. I have been yelled at, told that I did not qualify for treatment, and was not allowed to know why a decision was made. There is no way to get help for these problems.