Phone Counselor
Listed compensation
$19-$21.5/hr
The week · per this posting · Monday – FridayWeekdays only
Ask the employer about call expectations and time off.
Job Description
Position: Phone Counselor - Crisis
Location: Westminster, MD
Status: Full-Time, day shift (8am to 4pm) Monday to Friday
Make an impact in the community you call home with Sante’s compassionate and experienced Carroll County Crisis Response Team.
Sante is seeking a Full-Time Phone Counselor to work on-site with our crisis intervention team in Westminster, MD. As a Phone Counselor, you will serve as the first point of contact for individuals experiencing a crisis and will provide support by evaluating needs, assessing risks, providing goal-directed counseling and crisis planning. This is an IN-PERSON role. You will be required to work onsite at the Westminster location.
What You'll Do
- Triage incoming crisis calls and obtain client information.
- Conduct assessments and dispatch appropriate resources when needed.
- Deescalate clients in crisis over the phone.
- Develop appropriate and realistic crisis plan and complete appropriate follow tasks.
- Effectively communicate client’s needs while making internal agency referrals.
- Knowledge and familiarity with community resources, both mental health and non-mental health.
- Complete documentation in an accurate and thorough manner.
What We Require
- Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services or a related field of study OR five (5) years of experience working on a crisis hotline.
- Valid driver’s license and proof of current automobile insurance.
What You'll Get
Pay Range
- $19.00-$21.50 per hour, based on experience.
Schedule
- Day shift: 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday
- Full Time Benefits
- Robust Retirement Plan – 403(b) with company match to support your future.
- Health Coverage That Cares – Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
- Time to Recharge – Generous paid time off and sick leave.
- Celebrate You – Enjoy your birthday off every year!
- Training & Growth – Ongoing development programs and career advancement opportunities.
- Culture of Purpose – A welcoming, inclusive environment where you belong.
- Employee Assistance Program – Confidential support for life's challenges.
- Wellness Perks – Annual wellness initiatives and access to the Calm App.
- Recognition & Rewards – Through our Awardco platform and referral program.
- Exclusive Discounts – Enjoy deals through FunEx and more.
- Life and AD&D insurance provided at no cost.
- Short and long-term disability coverage.
- Optional legal assistance and transferable life insurance.
- Pet insurance for your furry family.
- Ancillary plans like critical illness, accident, and hospital indemnity.
- Financial Flexibility – Flexible spending accounts (FSA) to help with healthcare and dependent care expenses.
We believe that diversity of background and experience makes for better problem-solving and collaboration, which is why we are dedicated to adding new perspectives to the team. Even more important than your resume is a positive attitude, a passion for making an impact, a personal desire to grow, and the ability to help individuals heal, recover, and thrive.
Who We Are
Santé is a dynamic and leading community-based behavioral health services organization. Our job is to offer rapid response and compassionate care to individuals or groups through comprehensive mental health services. Our track record of innovation and growth reflects our ability to deliver diverse and highly individualized services. We have a passion for providing empathetic and potentially life-saving care to help individuals heal, recover, and thrive.
Disclaimers
Santé Group Companies aspires to create an organization that places value on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and inclusivity. To achieve this success, it is essential that all members of our organization feel secure, welcomed, and respected. All members of our organization have a responsibility to uphold these values.
Santé Group Companies is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job. The Santé Group participates in E-Verify. www1.eeoc.gov
Key Responsibilities
The Phone Counselor serves as the first point of contact for individuals in crisis, responsible for triaging calls, assessing risks, and providing goal-directed counseling. They also develop crisis plans, dispatch resources, and maintain accurate documentation of all client interactions.
Requirements
Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services or a related field, or possess five years of experience working on a crisis hotline. A valid driver’s license and proof of automobile insurance are also required.
Qualifications
- Education
- Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Behavioral Health — Counselor Career Context
In Maryland, the Counselor weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$78k (436 salary observations; 1,238 listings), vs ~$73k nationally (10,111 salary observations; 46,259 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2025-12-01 through 2026-11-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.
The cost-of-living index for Maryland is 105.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$42k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $40k in an average-cost state. 62.9% of Maryland clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Work-life score | 6.4 / 10 · top 25% in behavioral health (counseling) | ranked against 342 Behavioral Health (Counseling) listingslisting-based score, 0–10 |
| Listed pay | $40k–$45k | Counselor median $71k (middle half $66k–$118k)12 comparable listings, Nov 2026 |
| Maryland vs national | $78k median in Maryland | $73k nationally (+7%)436 state / 10,111 national salary observations |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$40k in purchasing power | Maryland index 105.0 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Behavioral Health listings in Maryland | 13 active | —live on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| All counselor listings in Maryland | 393 active | 13,299 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 44% remote · 42% no call · 52% no weekends50 benchmarked listings |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | not stated | Maryland counselor listings (all specialties): 12% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 9% offer loan repayment393 active listings, Nov 2026 |
| New Behavioral Health listings | 868 in the last 30 days | 483 the 30 days before (+80%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Counselor pay trend (all specialties) | −1.3% vs prior quarter | —through Oct 2026 |
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Phone Counselor at Sante Group Companies a 6.4 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 25% in Behavioral Health (Counseling) — ranked against 342 active Behavioral Health (Counseling) listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements, no night shifts.
Top Counselor Jobs
40 matches · ranked by paySalary Distribution
40 jobs · 33 employersAnnual compensation range
Benefits & Perks
37 jobs · 33 employersShare of similar jobs offering each benefit
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMFT, LMHC, LCSW)
Gotham Enterprises · Cartersburg, Indiana
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMFT, LCSW, LPC)
Gotham Enterprises · Anchorage, Alaska
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW - LPCC - LMFT
$74k-$117kLicensed Clinical Therapist (LSCSW, LCPC, LCMFT) Sign-on Bonus $5,000
$81k-$117k