Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline Needs Your Help Now!
With national Suicide Prevention Week (September 5th-11th) fast approaching, the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline needs your help to continue to save lives in the Gem State.
The organization is seeking volunteers to serve as crisis phone responders. It wasn't that long ago that Idaho did not have a suicide prevention hotline that volunteers staff. Idaho is, unfortunately, is one of the states with the highest rates of suicide. How you can make a difference is by giving your time to listen and save a life.
Did you know that the Hotline provides a lifeline for Idahoans in crisis? You can become a person who listens to folks that need someone to hear what they have to say in their time of need.
Crisis responders provide a listening ear and help callers stay safe by assessing for suicidal risk and assisting individuals in creating a plan to stay safe. Here's what you can do to help them from their release:
Be a lifeline and help change someone's story.
Apply to be a volunteer crisis phone responder at: https://www.idahosuicideprevention.org/volunteer.
Crisis phone responders provide:
- A caring voice and a listening ear.
- Participate in comprehensive training.
- Volunteers commit to serve one 4-hour shift per week for one year.
- The deadline to apply is September 5, 2021.
Since 2012, the Hotline has received over 77,000 contacts (calls/texts) from individuals in communities across Idaho. People reaching out to the Hotline are from all walks of life.
Anyone can experience a crisis or have suicidal feelings during their lifetime. In the Hotline's history, the youngest caller was seven years old, and our oldest caller was 92 years old.