venting: crisis line needs better training

Good morning,

The 2 organizations I volunteered for did not ask for names, record calls or know the phone # of those who called. At the end of the call, I asked some callers if I could contact them within the next 24 hours. Of course if they said yes, they gave me their phone #. Otherwise, we filled out a basic form to keep stats on the kind of calls we received.

35 years ago, very few people went to therapy. State hospitals were open and thriving. Or if you had the money, there were therapists and psychiatrists available. I don't recall asking about therapists. It was assumed people didn't have access. Mental health insurance certainly was not a priority. There still isn't parity for mental health.

The second crisis line I volunteered for, we did ask about therapists or sometimes the caller would mention a therapist. I was a therapist at the time, but that info never entered the conversation. I was there to listen and support in the moment. Our other services were for sexual assault victims. We met the victim at the hospital and stayed with the person for the interviews and examination. They were then referred to therapists that provided trauma services.

Currently, I am a part-time victim advocate for my county. We don't take crisis calls. We are called out for domestic violence, unattended deaths, homicides, suicides and death notifications. We also deal with those impacted by natural disasters. We offer support for initial crisis and refer them.

There are 2 trainings a year, 40 hours each. The last 2 trainings had therapists in them. When they learned they couldn't build their client list from the victims we serve, they quit the training. I realize not all who sign up for crisis services via crisis line or callouts have the same motivation. However, the vast majority of people I have volunteered with have been great and very good at what they did.

I hope this answers your questions.

Regards,

Sabra