Seneca Family of Agencies logo
Seneca Family of Agencies
Fairfield, California

Crisis Counselor

CounselorNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$24.76-$27.26/hr

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

As the Crisis Counselor, you will provide crisis support for youth enrolled in the Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP). Counselors will facilitate daily group sessions and individual supports in collaboration with the transdisciplinary team.

Counselors will provide a safe and nurturing environment for youth enrolled in the program and will intervene as necessary to assist the youth in developing skills for growth and maintaining stabilization.

Counselors will participate in the daily clinical treatment planning with the transdisciplinary team and assist the PHP Clinician with case management duties as appropriate.

About Step Programs

The STEP (Skills, Transitions, Exploration, and Progress) program provides Partial Hospitalization services to youth ages 12-17. The goal of the STEP program is to provide intensive, short-term stabilization services to enable our clients to step down to lower levels of outpatient mental health treatment.

All groups are designed to teach youth the skills necessary to help them learn about their mental health, provide psychoeducation, and help them learn skills to feel better and be safe. STEP consists of a multidisciplinary team of counselors, clinicians, a nurse, psychiatrist, and program supervisor.

About Seneca

Seneca Family of Agencies has been nominated among the Bay Area’s Top Workplaces for nearly a decade. We’re committed to providing traditionally marginalized communities with a network of outstanding mental health, community-based, and educational services. We are committed to building a diverse staff and our programs actively engage in conversations and training on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to promote equity and justice for the youth and families we serve.

Responsibilities

  • Assist transdisciplinary team in creating a welcoming environment for the youth
  • Engage youth in daily groups focused on supporting youth in developing coping

Skills

  • Participate in daily clinical treatment planning with transdisciplinary team
  • Participate in weekly supervision with supervisor
  • Maintain accurate documentation and paperwork including, but not limited to mental health notes, progress notes, incident reports, time sheets, and mileage reimbursement as needed
  • Provide transportation for youth and families, as needed
  • Support other Seneca or STEP programs when needed
  • Utilize crisis communication and de-escalation techniques as per Seneca's crisis response training

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree, preferably in social service-related field
  • Mental Health Rehabilitation Specialist (MHRS) certification a plus
  • At least 21 years of age
  • TB test clearance, fingerprinting clearance, and any other state/federal licensing or certification requirements
  • Own vehicle and valid driver's license required

Schedule

  • Full-time; On-site at STEP facility
  • Monday - Friday, 8 am - 4:30 pm

Benefits

  • Starting at $24.76 - $27.26 per hour
  • Actual salary dependent on creditable experience above the minimum

Qualifications

  • Salary increases each year
  • Additional compensation provided upon passing a bilingual language proficiency exam

Comprehensive Benefits Package

  • Medical, dental, vision, chiropractic, acupuncture, and fertility coverage
  • 50% paid premiums for dependents
  • Long-term disability, family leave, and life insurance
  • 403b Retirement Plan
  • Employer-paid Employee Assistance Plan
  • 5 weeks of Paid Time off and 11 Paid Holidays
  • Mileage reimbursements for on job travel
  • Seneca is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness

certified employer

  • Scholarship opportunities, ongoing training, and access to Seneca's training

Department

  • Abundant promotional opportunities across the agency in California and Washington

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree

Key Skills

Crisis counselingGroup facilitationMental health supportIncident reporting

Psychology — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Psychology listings this role was benchmarked against, 36% are remote, 40% have no call, 76% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$54k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $49k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Seneca Family of Agencies ranks #1 of 20 employers hiring Counselor on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Crisis Counselor at Seneca Family of Agencies a 6.3 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Counseling — ranked against 13,776 active Counseling listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.

Top Counselor Jobs

35 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution35 jobs · 27 employers

8
<$90k
11
$90k-105k
6
$105k-120k
9
$120k-135k
1
$135k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks26 jobs

401k / retirement match
96% this job
Sign-on bonus
42%
CME allowance
31%
Loan repayment
8% this job
Relocation assistance
8%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Clinical Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

Integrated Pain Management Medical Group · Walnut Creek, California

$115k-$135k
#2

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

LifeStance Health · Modesto, California

$117k-$134k
#3

Licensed Mental Health Clinician (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
#4

Psychotherapist, Behavioral Health

$94k-$132k
+ 33 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.7this job 6.3
Better work-life than 40% of Psychology (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 86 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No weekends

Living in Fairfield

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$528k
Typical market rent
$2,389/mo
Residents’ average commute
31 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
108.5
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Vallejo, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Seneca Family of Agencies logo

About Seneca Family of Agencies

Mental Health Care
Oakland, California
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical, dental, vision, chiropractic, acupuncture, and fertility coverage
50% paid premiums for dependents
Long-term disability, family leave, and life insurance
403b Retirement Plan
Employer-paid Employee Assistance Plan
5 weeks Paid Time Off and 11 Paid Holidays
Mileage reimbursements for job travel
PSLF certified employer