JobsAdvocate Health

Psychiatric Crisis Therapist II

Advocate Health · Oak Lawn, IL

Posted Sep 8, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you had to complete a crisis assessment on a child or adolescent while the family was pushing back or disagreeing with your recommendation.

how they hold clinical boundaries and manage family dynamics under pressure

Describe a discharge or safety plan you built for a patient where the family, the physician, and you did not initially agree on the right level of care.

collaborative problem-solving and ability to reconcile competing clinical opinions into one plan

Tell me about a time you supervised or trained a graduate intern or unlicensed staff member during a live crisis case.

capacity to teach and maintain quality control while still managing direct patient care

How do you keep yourself steady after back-to-back crisis calls involving trauma, self-harm, or aggressive patients, especially on a day with no break in between?

self-awareness about burnout and sustainable coping strategies, not just resilience talk

Tell me about a time a code or internal crisis situation was called and you had to jump in and support the interdisciplinary team, not just the patient.

whether they can operate as a team resource during acute emergencies, not only in one-on-one therapy mode

Technical

Walk me through how you assess suicide risk in a pediatric patient who comes into the emergency department after a self-harm incident.

whether the candidate has a structured, defensible risk assessment process rather than relying on gut feeling

How do you approach reassessment and reevaluation under the Illinois Mental Health Code, and what makes that process different from an initial assessment?

actual working knowledge of the specific state statute they'll be applying daily

What's your process for differentiating a developmental or age-typical behavior from an actual psychiatric crisis in a younger patient?

depth of lifespan development knowledge specific to pediatric and adolescent populations

Walk me through how you'd handle a situation where a patient discloses something that raises a mandated reporting concern, while also being bound by confidentiality rules under HIPAA and the Illinois Confidentiality Act.

ability to navigate overlapping legal obligations correctly under pressure

What does solution-focused brief therapy actually look like in a 20 to 30 minute ED encounter, compared to how you'd normally practice it in outpatient work?

understanding that crisis therapy techniques must be compressed and adapted for a fast-moving medical setting

Situational

A teenager on the medical floor becomes physically aggressive toward staff during your assessment. What do you do in that moment?

knowledge of de-escalation technique and safety protocol versus panic or over-reliance on restraint

If a patient needs inpatient psychiatric admission but their insurance hasn't pre-certified the level of care, how do you handle the situation right then in the ED?

practical grasp of the administrative and payer realities behind clinical decisions

Describe how you coordinate with the ED physician, the psychiatry team, and outside human service agencies on a single complex case.

communication fluency across a multidisciplinary team and comfort being the mental health voice in a medical setting

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 36601 Advocate Lutheran General Hospital - Behavioral Health Services Clinic: ACH Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 40 Schedule Details/Additional Information: M-F Days. On site Advocate Children's Hospital Park Ridge Emergency Department and Medical Floor Pay Range: $33.05 - $49.60 Job Description/Major Responsibilities: • Provides crisis intervention, brief psychotherapy, triage, resource development and disposition recommendations for behavioral health patients of the Emergency Department and Medical Center via both in person and via telehealth as indicated by site. • Provides direct specialized care with patients who have been identified as needing psychological assessment or interventions beyond the scope of general patient care practice, including assessment of patients’ mental status, psychosocial stressors, level of functioning, risk, support systems, strengths and needs. • Provide reassessment and reevaluation under the IL Mental Health Code, counsels patients utilizing solution focused therapy and utilizes problem solving collaboratively with patient to stabilize condition/crisis. • Uses short-term crisis intervention techniques and/or referrals to other support services to support patients and families dealing with acute emotional distress, addictions, grief, loss, disability and traumatic lifestyle changes. • Develops discharge and safety plan in direct consultation with patient, family, physician and health care team. Coordinates arrangements to implement plan. • Responds to codes/internal crisis situations as appropriate to site and provides education and or support to the interdisciplinary team. • Provides direct support to the on-site psychiatry team by way of rounding, reassessment and collaboration including the completion of certificates if necessary. • Facilitates admission process to inpatient psychiatric unit (site specific). • Ensure patients are pre-certified for recommended level of care. • Communicates with staff and physicians of the Emergency Department, medical unit, Behavioral Health Services and/or human service agencies to obtain all relevant patient information, refers patients and consults with other staff regarding patient progress to provide optimum patient care. • Provide clinical supervision and training to non-clinically licensed staff and graduate level interns. • Participate in unit meetings, trainings related to departmental changes or enhancements and education. • Adheres to relevant state and federal guidelines governing patient care and treatment of sensitive information, particularly the Illinois Developmental Disability and Mental Health Code, the Illinois Confidentiality Code, HIPPA and EMTALA. • Ability to flex hours within the department and cross train to related job roles/duties to meet the needs of the department. • Ensure accurate data collection for billing, the management information system, and other purposes in accord with organizational policies and procedures. Licensure :                 LCSW, LCPC Education/Experience Required : • Master's Degree in behavioral health sciences or related field with a minimum of two years’ experience in a mental health or related setting. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required : • Ability to work under stressful conditions and in difficult situations with strong interpersonal skills; knowledge of techniques to de-escalate aggressive behavior. High tolerance for emotionally stressful situations sometimes encountered daily with psychiatric and substance abuse patients. • Risk assessment, psychotherapy and family/group treatment skills, and knowledge of behavioral health referrals and resources. • Knowledge of DSM-V diagnostic categories. • Knowledge and education on the typical development related to the lifespan (i.e., normal patterns of adolescent behavior and look for signs or normal aging, prior experience with various age groups is preferred.) • Basic computer and typing skills; Organization and time management skills. Physical Requirements & Working Conditions : • Ability to work under stressful conditions and in difficult situations; May be exposed to hazardous materials and life-threatening diseases; Knowledge of universal precautions a must. Works within and supports a shared governance model. Is customer focused. Transporting patients may be required. May at times come in contact with violent and may be involved in restraining patients. • If position has direct patient care or direct patient contact the following lifting requirement supersedes any previous lifting requirement effective 06/01/2015. Ability to lift up to 35 pounds without assistance. For patient lifts of over 35 pounds, or when patient is unable to assist with the lift, patient handling equipment is expected to be used, with at least one other associate, when available. Unique patient lifting/movement situations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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