Editing Crisis hotline

{{short description|Service providing immediate emergency telephone counseling}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2011}}

{{Suicide sidebar}}
A '''crisis hotline''' is a phone number people can call to get immediate emergency [[telephone counseling]], usually by trained volunteers. The first such service was founded in England in 1951 and such hotlines have existed in most major cities of the English speaking world at least since the mid-1970s. Initially set up to help those contemplating [[suicide]], many have expanded their mandate to deal more generally with emotional crises. Similar hotlines operate to help people in other circumstances, including [[Rape crisis centre|rape]], [[bullying]], [[self-harm]], [[Runaway (dependent)|runaway children]], [[human trafficking]], and people who identify as [[LGBTQ+]] or [[intersex]]. Despite crisis hotlines being common, their effectiveness in reducing suicides is not clear.<ref name=Sak2011/><ref name=Zal2016/>

==Effectiveness==
Even though crisis hotlines are common, they have not been well studied for efficacy.<ref name=Sak2011>{{cite journal | vauthors = Sakinofsky I | title = The current evidence base for the clinical care of suicidal patients: strengths and weaknesses | journal = Canadian Journal of Psychiatry | volume = 52 | issue = 6 Suppl 1 | pages = 7S–20S | date = June 2007 | pmid = 17824349 | quote = Other suicide prevention strategies that have been considered are crisis centres and hotlines, method control, and media education... There is minimal research on these strategies. Even though crisis centres and hotlines are used by suicidal youth, information about their impact on suicidal behaviour is lacking. }}</ref><ref name=Zal2016>{{cite journal|display-authors=6|vauthors=Zalsman G, Hawton K, Wasserman D, van Heeringen K, Arensman E, Sarchiapone M, Carli V, Höschl C, Barzilay R, Balazs J, Purebl G, Kahn JP, Sáiz PA, Lipsicas CB, Bobes J, Cozman D, Hegerl U, Zohar J|date=July 2016|title=Suicide prevention strategies revisited: 10-year systematic review|url=https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(16)30030-X/fulltext|journal=The Lancet. Psychiatry|volume=3|issue=7|pages=646–59|doi=10.1016/S2215-0366(16)30030-X|pmid=27289303|quote=Other approaches that need further investigation include gatekeeper training, education of physicians, and internet and helpline support.|hdl=1854/LU-8509936|hdl-access=free}}</ref> One study found that people's thoughts of suicide decreased during a call to a crisis line, and were lessened for several weeks after their call.<ref name=CDC2017Book>{{cite book |title=Preventing Suicide: A Technical Package of Policy, Programs, and Practices |date=2017 |publisher=CDC |page=7 |url=https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/suicideTechnicalPackage.pdf |access-date=3 December 2019}}</ref> Some callers frequently call crisis helplines, which can take up time from those with more immediate crises.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Middleton |first1=Aves |last2=Gunn |first2=Jane |last3=Bassilios |first3=Bridget |last4=Pirkis |first4=Jane |title=Systematic review of research into frequent callers to crisis helplines |journal=Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare |date=11 February 2014 |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=89–98 |doi=10.1177/1357633X14524156|pmid=24518928 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

==History==
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[[File:Lifelinelogo.svg|thumb|upright=1.2|A poster for the [[988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline]] (under its former name, the [[National Suicide Prevention Lifeline]]), a crisis line in the United States and Canada]]
Such services began in 1953, when [[Chad Varah]], an English vicar, founded [[Samaritans (charity)|The Samaritans]] service, which soon established branches throughout the United Kingdom. The first Samaritans branch in the United States was established in Boston in 1974.<ref>[http://www.samaritanshope.org/who.html Samaritanshope.org] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081003030320/http://www.samaritanshope.org/who.html |date=October 3, 2008}}</ref> 

Crisis and Suicide Hotline started in Seattle, WA in 1964 run by Crisis Connections, formerly Crisis Clinic after the assault of a 12-year old girl by a letter carrier. <ref>https://www.crisisconnections.org/about/</ref>
In addition to Boston, there are currently Samaritan branches in [[Falmouth, Massachusetts]] (serving the [[Cape Cod#Region of Cape Cod and the Islands|Cape Cod and Islands]] area),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.capesamaritans.org/ |title=Capesamaritans.org |publisher=Capesamaritans.org |date=September 24, 2011 |access-date=November 20, 2011}}</ref> the [[Merrimack Valley]],<ref>[http://www.familyserviceinc.com/Program_files/Samaritans.htm Familyserviceinc.com] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926164854/http://www.familyserviceinc.com/Program_files/Samaritans.htm |date=September 26, 2008}}</ref> and the [[Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River]]/[[New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford]] area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.samaritans-fallriver.org/ |title=Samaritans-fallriver.org |publisher=Samaritans-fallriver.org |date=August 26, 2011 |access-date=November 20, 2011}}</ref> Outside of Massachusetts, there are branches in New York City,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.samaritansnyc.org/ |title=Samaritansnyc.org |publisher=Samaritansnyc.org |access-date=November 20, 2011}}</ref> [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.samaritansri.org/ |title=Samaritansri.org |publisher=Samaritansri.org |access-date=November 20, 2011}}</ref> [[Hartford, Connecticut|Hartford]],<ref>[http://www.suicidology.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=63 Suicidology.org] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070708101635/http://www.suicidology.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=63 |date=July 8, 2007}}</ref> [[Albany, New York|Albany]],<ref>[http://www.orgsites.com/ny/samaritans-albany/ Orgsites.com] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090127032444/http://www.orgsites.com/ny/samaritans-albany/ |date=January 27, 2009}}</ref> and [[Keene, New Hampshire|Keene]], [[New Hampshire]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.volunteersolutions.org/volunteer-nh/org/645839.html |title=Volunteersolutions.org |publisher=Volunteersolutions.org |date=January 20, 2011 |access-date=November 20, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304004229/http://www.volunteersolutions.org/volunteer-nh/org/645839.html |archive-date=March 4, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

In the United States, the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center was founded in 1958 and was the first in the country to provide a 24-hour [[suicide prevention]] crisis line and use community volunteers in providing hotline service.<ref name=crisis>{{cite book|title=Brief History of Suicide Prevention in the United States |date=September 2012|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK109918/|publisher=[[National Center for Biotechnology Information]], [[U.S. National Library of Medicine]]|access-date=10 May 2015}}</ref> [[Bernard Mayes]] started the San Francisco Suicide Prevention with a hotline named "Call Bruce" in 1962.<ref name="suicide-prevention">{{Cite news |last=Whiting |first=Sam |date=2012-04-28 |title=Bernard Mayes to be honored as lifeline to the suicidal |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |url=http://www.sfgate.com/living/article/Bernard-Mayes-to-be-honored-as-lifeline-to-3516576.php |access-date=2014-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016215026/http://www.sfgate.com/living/article/Bernard-Mayes-to-be-honored-as-lifeline-to-3516576.php |archive-date=16 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-25 |title=About Us |url=https://www.sfsuicide.org/about/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231019210605/https://www.sfsuicide.org/about/ |archive-date=19 October 2023 |access-date=2023-10-25 |publisher=San Francisco Suicide Prevention}}</ref> A similar service, [[Lifeline (crisis support service)|Lifeline]], was established in Australia in 1963.

Another service, the volunteer-run crisis [[helpline]] Lifelink Samaritans Tas. Inc, originally called Launceston Lifelink, was established in 1968 by concerned citizens of [[Launceston, Tasmania]], who decided to create a phone service based on the principles of The Samaritans. The rationale was that people often become suicidal because they cannot discuss their emotional pain with family and friends.

This service provides emotional support 24 hours a day to people throughout Tasmania and does not have any religious affiliations. The organization is a member of [[Befrienders Worldwide]] and has a "twinning" relationship with [[Northampton]] Samaritans in the UK. Lifelink Samaritans is the oldest telephone befriending service in Tasmania and the fourth oldest in Australia and receives at least 5,000 calls a year. In December 2018 Lifelink Samaritans celebrated 50 years of service.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.examiner.com.au/story/5629387/lifelink-support-just-a-phone-call-away-organisation-celebrates-50-years/ |title=Capesamaritans.org |publisher=The Examiner|last= Willard|first= Jessica |date=September 8, 2018 |access-date=September 22, 2022}}</ref>

== Telephone counseling ==
[[File:MIND 04 W.jpg|thumb|right|333px|An operator for Sweden's Mind Självmordslinjen (suicide prevention hotline) at work.]]

Telephone emotional support and crisis hotlines provide a similar telephone support service, and both usually accept crisis and non-crisis calls. In the United States, many college campuses have established telephone counseling lines serviced by volunteers. These hotlines serve callers in crisis, but also serve to provide a listening ear for people who "just need to talk". Typically, hotlines are staffed by trained professionals, and are not intended to replace professional, long-term counseling services. They are rather intended to carry callers through an immediate situation. Such hotlines exist at the [[University of Maryland, College Park|University of Maryland]],<ref>{{Cite web
| url = http://www.counseling.umd.edu/
| title = University of Maryland - Counseling Center at University of Maryland
| website = www.counseling.umd.edu
| access-date = 2016-03-01
}}</ref> the [[University of Minnesota]],<ref>{{Cite web
| url = http://mentalhealth.umn.edu/crisis/index.html
| title = Crisis Connection
| website = www.umn.edu
| access-date = 2016-12-18
}}</ref> [[Tufts University]],<ref>{{Cite web
| url = http://sites.tufts.edu/ears4peers/
| title = Tufts Ears for Peers {{!}} "Promise me you will always remember: you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." –A.A. Milne
| website = sites.tufts.edu
| access-date = 2016-03-01
}}</ref> [[Columbia University]],<ref>{{Cite web
| url = http://www.columbia.edu/cu/nightline/
| title = Nightline: Barnard-Columbia Peer Listening
| website = www.columbia.edu
| access-date = 2016-03-01
}}</ref> [[Cornell University]],<ref>{{Cite web
| url = http://ears.dos.cornell.edu/
| title = EARS - Empathy, Assistance & Referral Service
| website = ears.dos.cornell.edu
| access-date = 2016-03-01
}}</ref> [[Drexel University]],<ref>{{Cite web
| url = http://drexel.edu/healthservices/counseling-center/peer-counseling/
| title = Peer Counseling - Counseling and Health Services
| website = Counseling and Health Services
| access-date = 2016-03-01
| archive-date = March 14, 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160314222323/http://drexel.edu/healthservices/counseling-center/peer-counseling/
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> [[Caldwell University]],<ref>{{Cite web
| url = https://www.caldwell.edu/counseling-center/the-counseling-center-hotlines
| title = The Counseling Center- Hotlines - Caldwell University, New Jersey
| website = Caldwell University, New Jersey
| language = en-US
| access-date = 2016-03-01
| archive-date = September 5, 2015
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150905135933/http://www.caldwell.edu/counseling-center/the-counseling-center-hotlines
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> and [[Texas A&M University]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scs.tamu.edu/HelpLine|title=HelpLine {{!}} Student Counseling Service|website=scs.tamu.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-05-09}}</ref>

The term "emotional support helpline" is sometimes used – which does not imply crisis or counseling, and can include email and text messaging. Such services have allowed for the wider dissemination of resources for people facing mental health crises.

With developments in mobile telephony, the use of text or [[SMS]] (short message service) has been utilized by counseling services. Youthline, a youth-oriented crisis helpline in New Zealand, began providing a text messaging counseling support line in 2004.<ref>Haxell, A. (2014). Textual activity at Youthline (NZ). New Zealand Journal of Counselling, 34(2), 18-31. </ref>

==Contact details==
{{main article|List of suicide crisis lines}}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Country !! Organization/Purpose/Focus !! Hotline/Resource 
|-
| [[Australia]]
| [[Lifeline (crisis support service)|Lifeline]] offers 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention services by phone. The organisation also has an online chat service.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lifeline Australia - 13 11 14 - Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention |url=https://www.lifeline.org.au/ |website=www.lifeline.org.au |access-date=9 May 2019 |language=en}}</ref>
| 13 11 14
|-
| Australia
| Suicide Call Back Service is a nationwide service that provides professional 24/7 telephone and online counselling to people who are affected by suicide. In addition, the organisation also provides online chat and video chat services<ref>{{cite web |title=Suicide Call Back Service |url=https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/ |website=Suicide Call Back Service |access-date=29 March 2020}}</ref>
| 1300 659 467
|-
| Australia
| [[Beyond Blue]] provides nationwide information and support regarding anxiety, depression, and suicide. The helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition, the organisation also provides online chat.<ref>{{cite web |title=Beyond Blue |url=https://www.beyondblue.org.au |website=beyondblue.org.au |access-date=9 May 2019 |language=en}}</ref>
| 1300 224 636
|-
| Australia
| [[Kids Helpline]] is a 24-hour nationwide service that provides access to crisis support, suicide prevention and counselling services for Australians aged 5–25. In addition the Kids Helpline does also provide online chat services.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kids Helpline |url=https://kidshelpline.com.au/ |website=Kids Helpline |access-date=9 May 2019 |language=en}}</ref>
| 1800 55 1800
|-
| [[Brazil]]
| Centro de Valorização da Vida (CVV)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cvv.org.br/ |title=CVV |publisher=cvv.org.br |access-date=July 24, 2023}}</ref>
| 188
|-
| [[Mexico]]
| Consejo Psicológico e Intervención en Crisis por Teléfono (SAPTEL) is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
| 0155 5259-8121
|-
|-
| [[India]]
| Muktaa Mental Health Helpline is available from 12 to 8 PM IST.
| 0788-788-9882
|-
|  [[Iran]]
|[https://irancrisisline.org Iran Crisis Text Line]: It is a free, confidential 24/7 national text-message service.
| 123
|-
|[[New Zealand]]
|[[Lifeline (crisis support service)|Lifeline]] Aotearoa is an organization providing free 24-hour counseling and phone help lines. It provides support, information and resources to people at risk of suicide, family and friends affected by suicide and people supporting someone with suicidal thoughts and/or suicidal behaviours.
|0800 LIFELINE
(0800 543 354)

4357 (Text)
|-
| [[New Zealand]]
| [[The Lowdown (website)|The Lowdown]], website developed by the New Zealand Ministry of Health aimed at young New Zealanders suffering from depression<ref>{{cite web | title=Help | website=Welcome to Your Lowdown | url=https://www.thelowdown.co.nz/help | access-date=23 August 2023}}</ref>
| 0800 111 757 (depression); 0800 37 66 33 (general youth issues)
|-
| [[North Macedonia]]
| Кризен Центар „Надеж“: Provides crisis intervention and support services. Available 24/7. 
| 02/ 15 - 315 <small>(SOS)</small>                      
2 3173 - 424 <small>(North Macedonia)</small>
|-
| [[United Kingdom]] and [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
| [[Samaritans (charity)|Samaritans]] provides a hotline providing emotional support in the UK and Ireland.
| 116 123
|-
| Canada
| [[Talk Suicide Canada]], a 24/7 hotline for callers in the Canada<ref>{{cite web | title=Get Help | website=Talk Suicide Canada | date=9 July 2022 | url=https://talksuicide.ca/ | access-date=23 August 2023}}</ref>
| 1-833-456-4566<br>45645 (Text, 4 p.m. to midnight ET only); 988 service TBD<ref>{{Cite web|title=3-digit suicide prevention hotline gets green light from House of Commons|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/suicide-prevention-hotline-house-1.5837925|access-date=2020-12-11|website=CBC.ca|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|United States
|[[United Way]], a hotline for accessing local services<ref>{{cite web | title=211 | website=United Way Worldwide | url=https://www.unitedway.org/our-impact/featured-programs/2-1-1 | access-date=23 August 2023}}</ref>
|211<ref>{{cite web | title=Homepage | website=211.org | url=https://www.211.org/ | access-date=23 August 2023}}</ref>
|-
|United States (participating cities)
|Hotline for non-emergency municipal services
|[[3-1-1#United_States |311]]<ref name="NYC">{{cite web|url=http://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/089-13/mayor-bloomberg-commemorates-ten-years-nyc311-nation-s-largest-most-comprehensive-311|title = Mayor Bloomberg Commemorates Ten Years of NYC311, the Nation's Largest and Most Comprehensive 311 Service|date = 11 March 2013}}</ref>
|-
|United States and Canada (regional)
|Hotline for road and traffic conditions
|[[5-1-1 |511]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Aultman-Hall |first1=Lisa |title=Evaluation of ARTIMIS Telephone Information System |url=https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/2795/dot_2795_DS1.pdf |date=December 1999 |id=Report No. KTC-99-66}}</ref>
|-
|United States
| The [[988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline]], a 24/7 hotline for callers in the United States<ref>{{cite web | title=Home | website= Lifeline | url=https://988lifeline.org/ | access-date=23 August 2023}}</ref>
| 988<ref>{{Cite web|title=New Law Creates 988 Hotline For Mental Health Emergencies|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/10/19/925447354/new-law-creates-988-hotline-for-mental-health-emergencies|access-date=2020-11-21|website=NPR.org|language=en}}</ref>
|-
| United States
| [[Telecommunications device for the deaf|TDD/TTY]] services at the [[National Suicide Prevention Lifeline]]
| 711 or a preferred relay service then 988
|-
| United States
| [[National Runaway Safeline]], hotline and live chat for runaway, homeless, and at-risk youth
| 1-800-RUNAWAY<br>(1-800-786-2929)
|-
| United States
| [[Veteran#United States|US Veterans]] Crisis Hotline<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veteranscrisisline.net |title=Veterans Crisis Hotline - Hotline & Online Chat |access-date=December 6, 2011}}</ref>
| 988<br>Then press 1 when prompted
|-
| United States
| An American hotline aimed principally at [[LGBT]] teenagers, run by [[The Trevor Project]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Lifeline & Trevor Chat |url=http://www.thetrevorproject.org/lifelinechat |access-date=December 6, 2011 |archive-date=November 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127112318/http://www.thetrevorproject.org/lifelinechat |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| 866-48-TREVOR<br>(866-488-7386)
|-
| United States
| American anonymous youth violence reporting hotline created by [[The Center to Prevent Youth Violence]]<ref>{{cite web |title=SPEAK UP Hotline Info |url=http://www.cpyv.org/programs/what-is-speak-up/ |access-date=August 29, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004052609/http://www.cpyv.org/programs/what-is-speak-up/ |archive-date=October 4, 2011 |df=mdy }}</ref>
| 1-866-SPEAK-UP<br>(1-866-773-2587)
|-
| United States
| The Boys Town National Hotline, a 24/7 hotline staffed by specially trained [[Boys Town (organization)|Boys Town]] counselors<ref>{{cite web | title=Contact Us | website=Boys Town | date=23 August 2023 | url=https://www.boystown.org/Pages/contact.aspx | access-date=23 August 2023}}</ref>
| 1-800-448-3000
|-
|United States, Canada, United Kingdom
|A free, 24/7 SMS Hotline providing emotional support for those in crisis provided by [[Crisis Text Line]]. In Canada, the service is also provided with a partnership by [[Kids Help Phone]]. In the U.K, Shout, an affiliate to the hotline that was founded by the [[The Royal Foundation|Royal Foundation]], operates in the U.K.
|741-741 <small>(United States)</small><br>686-868 <small>(Canada)</small><br>85258 <small>(United Kingdom)</small>
|}

The [[Volunteer Emotional Support Helplines]] (VESH) represents 1200 member centres in 61 countries. It has been formed by:

* [[Befrienders Worldwide]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.befrienders.org/support/helplines.asp |title=Befrienders.org |publisher=Befrienders.org |access-date=November 20, 2011}}</ref> (maintained by [[Samaritans (charity)|the Samaritans UK]])
* IFOTES – International Federation of Telephone Emergency Services<ref>[http://www.ifotes.org/welcome.html IFOTES.org] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626004314/http://www.ifotes.org/welcome.html |date=June 26, 2008 }}</ref>
* Lifeline International<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lifeline-international.org/looking_for_help |title=LifeLine International - Looking for Help |access-date=June 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080718175418/http://www.lifeline-international.org/looking_for_help |archive-date=July 18, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Emergency telephone number]]
* [[Harmonised service of social value]]
* [[Hotline]]
* [[List of counseling topics]]
* [[Telephone counseling]] 
*''[[Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1]]'' (2013 documentary film)
* {{portal-inline|Telephones}}
* [[Harry Marsh Warren#Save-a-Life League]]
* [[Overdose monitoring service]]
* [[Quitline]]

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{Suicide navbox}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Crisis Hotline}}
[[Category:Telephone numbers]]
[[Category:Suicide prevention]]
[[Category:Crisis hotlines|*]]
[[Category:Telecommunications-related introductions in 1953]]