[reesecups]

Sorry. This is probably a stupid question, but if you call a crisis line, and they feel you are a threat, can they trace you? This fear has kept me from calling one several times and I was curious? Thanks

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by reesecups

Sorry. This is probably a stupid question, but if you call a crisis line, and they feel you are a threat, can they trace you? This fear has kept me from calling one several times and I was curious? Thanks

yes if you are in America it is very easy to trace calls and most if not all crisis hot lines have that capability....in fact everyone with a phone of any kind can now trace their caller...its called caller ID which all phones are now automatically equipped with. this is where when your phone rings you look at the phone and a window on the phone is lit up and it says the number and caller before you even answer the phone.. this is possible because america is now computerized and digitalized. if you google reverse telephone directory you will find many different websites that for as little as 99 cents and up a person can type in someones phone number or name and find their location.

heck last night on the lines I had a prank caller. I kept them on the crisis line while a co worker typed in their phone number in the search bar and came up with their name and location and forwarded that to the police. I could hear in the background when the police got there. I could hear the parents and police enter the teens bedroom. a group of teens were having a slumber party and playing truth or dare, dared someone to call the hotline. the police came on the phone and let me know everything was fine, what the situation was and we hung up.

most ...if not all ...crisis lines in America are now digital and have caller ID services even for cellular phones. All the crisis lines I have had to use all tell me yes they can trace my calls.

[Travelinglady]

I am wondering, reesecups. What do you mean by "if they think you are a threat"? Do you mean if they think you are seriously planning to take action?

And amandalouise, given that these crisis places can trace calls, do they ever do that? Would they ever do something such as call the police and direct them to a caller's house?

Thanks.

[-jimi-]

Originally Posted by amandalouise

yes if you are in America it is very easy to trace calls and most if not all crisis hot lines have that capability....in fact everyone with a phone of any kind can now trace their caller...its called caller ID

What about blocked numbers? Can you still access those?

[Samanthagreene]

I have heard that if the line believes you are at risk for harming yourself, they call 911 and send them to your house to protect you.

[ZeldaX]

Not always.

[reesecups]

Originally Posted by Travelinglady

I am wondering, reesecups. What do you mean by "if they think you are a threat"? Do you mean if they think you are seriously planning to take action?

And amandalouise, given that these crisis places can trace calls, do they ever do that? Would they ever do something such as call the police and direct them to a caller's house?

Thanks.

Umm. Yes. I was thinking of using a cellphone and not be home. Mainly because if I'm in crisis and/or suicidal, I would frankly like talk to someone without them being able to track me down. In another state I lived in, I was suicidal, called to talk to someone, but instead of listening to me, she focussed so much on tying to find me. Then she cut me off said she would call me back in 5 minutes. It wasn't like I could leave, I was drunk. Very unpleasant.

My concern isn't being suicidal, but I do SI. Not seriously, never needed care for it, but frankly am afraid if I call a crisis line to speak to someone, they might be like a lot of people who thinks it's always a suicidal gesture and might take action.

Frankly I'd like to talk to someone when I feel like SI without the police being called. If I'm not suicidal.

[Travelinglady]

I understand. True, a "crisis" doesn't have to just be someone wanting to end it all. If you do call such a line, then I think it would be important to emphasize that you are NOT planning on doing that, but need someone to help you to get through your current hurt/pain, so you can avoid SI.

And I wonder if they would be so determined to find out an address under those circumstances.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by Travelinglady

I am wondering, reesecups. What do you mean by "if they think you are a threat"? Do you mean if they think you are seriously planning to take action?

And amandalouise, given that these crisis places can trace calls, do they ever do that? Would they ever do something such as call the police and direct them to a caller's house?

Thanks.

yes the crisis center I man the phones with do trace calls and yes like I said in the above post I had to call the police in on a prank call just last night. we do send the police or ambulance, or paramedics out when needed just like calling 911 our crisis line has to deal with many different types of calls from pranks to serious injury of someone who is or has self injured to suicidal calls.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by reesecups

Umm. Yes. I was thinking of using a cellphone and not be home. Mainly because if I'm in crisis and/or suicidal, I would frankly like talk to someone without them being able to track me down. In another state I lived in, I was suicidal, called to talk to someone, but instead of listening to me, she focussed so much on tying to find me. Then she cut me off said she would call me back in 5 minutes. It wasn't like I could leave, I was drunk. Very unpleasant.

My concern isn't being suicidal, but I do SI. Not seriously, never needed care for it, but frankly am afraid if I call a crisis line to speak to someone, they might be like a lot of people who thinks it's always a suicidal gesture and might take action.

Frankly I'd like to talk to someone when I feel like SI without the police being called. If I'm not suicidal.

cell phones can be traced too. all cell phones run through cell phone towers. whether the phone number is blocked or not people like crisis lines, 911, the police, paramedics...can use a persons phone to find out where they are by using the three point process.. three towers nearest the cell phone that is being used...if you google something like ...lost and rescued because of a cell phone ...you will find many many news articles on how police and other rescue services like crisis centers and 911 can track the persons location through tracking the cell phone... even if your phone is blocked and unlisted police and other emergency services can still locate the person in trouble..most cell phones are set up with 911 even when the phone is out of minutes and air time a person can still use 911 and 911 can call the number that belongs to the cell phone that happens to be in use pinging off of and through the cell towers. my wife calls it automatic GPS system.

if you google child calls 911 you will find many articles and news clips about how very young children call 911, they are not able to tell where they live or what their phone number is but 911 still is able to locate them. 911 uses their computerized software that decodes a blocked number and then does a reverse telephone directory and then passes on the information to the right services.

I know its scary knowing you can be tracked through your phone number and the cell phones automatic digital signal bounced off and through cell towers but on the up side of things if you let who ever you are talking to you ....feel....like you are suicidal, or you .....feel ....like you want to harm your self and let them know you are not going to you just need someone to talk to they most likely wont send anyone out to help you face to face.

the only time the crisis center where I work sends out the police is if there is a danger of self harm, suicidal threat that has advanced to active state. or someone going to harm another individual.

[reesecups]

Originally Posted by Travelinglady

I understand. True, a "crisis" doesn't have to just be someone wanting to end it all. If you do call such a line, then I think it would be important to emphasize that you are NOT planning on doing that, but need someone to help you to get through your current hurt/pain, so you can avoid SI.

And I wonder if they would be so determined to find out an address under those circumstances.

Frankly, I guess I was wondering because it would be nice to have someone I can talk to, but do not want someone to call the police because I have a severe impulse that I'm fighting. So far, I've yet to hear someone in RL either that can say that it might now happen. My therp suggested what you did, about making it clear. But frankly, until I can have reasonable certainty that they wouldn't call police, U'm afraid to do it!

[Travelinglady]

the only time the crisis center where I work sends out the police is if there is a danger of self harm, suicidal threat that has advanced to active state. or someone going to harm another individual.

Amandalouise, or someone else with knowledge of crisis lines, am I reading this correctly that "self-harm" would be interpreted from someone wanting to SI (such as cutting), but not wanting to end it all?

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by Travelinglady

Amandalouise, or someone else with knowledge of crisis lines, am I reading this correctly that "self-harm" would be interpreted from someone wanting to SI (such as cutting), but not wanting to end it all?

depends on where you are located. since 9/11 New York has enacted zero tolerance laws around the issues of suicide/self injury and harming others. treatment providers are now mandated to take action when they know of someone who may be a danger to their self or others. what that means per agency is that each mental health agency must have a system in place to assess the situation and take appropriate action.

with some agencies their agency rule is taking extra time with the suicidal or self injuring one to evaluate the seriousness of it, whether it meets the agency criteria for inpatient or outpatient services like hospitalization, notifying the police, contracts between the client and therapist, a change in medications....

the crisis center's rule where I work is if those manning the phones feel the person on the phone is a danger to their self and others we must contact the police to issue a well check..thats where the police go to the person that has called and do a face to face contact to decide whether that person is a danger to their self and others and needs to be either arrested or transported by ambulance to the hospital for further evaluation.

examples...

if a person calls us and says they...feel ....like doing something but they are not going to, they chose to call in instead. we stay on the line and help them get through the night so that they can contact their own treatment providers in the morning.

if a person calls and says they want to die, they are going to do this that or the other thing, we immediately notify the supervisor and the police while we keep the caller on the phone with various suggestions...Ok you want to do this, have you decided when, sounds like you thought of everything, let me ask you, is there anyone special you would like to be the one to find you when you are gone? do you have children if so are they home with you? I ask because if you do this tonight it may be your children that are the first to find you in the morning. would you rather someone else find you..... we keep the conversation going at all costs even if it means seeming like we are agreeing with the caller and making suggestions to how the caller can change their plans for the better, all the while wording the questions in ways that will illicit more information...while locating where they are and waiting for the police come on the line to let us know they are there.

if a caller says to us they have cut or other wise harmed their self with in the past 24 hours and are thinking about doing it again, we ask them questions to assess their plans, and mental state of mind. if we feel this person may be self injuring while on the phone with us we immediately contact the police for a well check.

if a caller is obviously agitated and there have been comments of suicide/self injury or harming others and suddenly hangs up, we have to notify the police for a well check.

if someone calls in and says they are going to harm someone else we notify the police...

during training we go through many many role playing emergency and non emergency events that we may have to deal with and how NY laws say we have to deal with them and how the crisis center rules say we have to deal with them.

[reesecups]

Thanks for this information. I really appreciate it!

[-jimi-]

I can't but wonder what then those lines are for. If I want the cops I'd just call the cops....