At times of crisis, one’s search for support might come up empty-handed, without a buoy in sight. The recognition of this perception and the near-suicide of a college student approximately thirty years ago triggered a strong local community reaction. The result was RESPONSE of Suffolk County, Inc., a 24-hour crisis intervention, support and suicide prevention hotline.
The nationally accredited agency currently provides free and professional counseling services, along with community outreach presentations and support lines for all of
Professional counselors staff the Hear2Help network at RESPONSE and can chat with participants on a wide variety of subjects including harassment, peer pressure, and relationship concerns. This especially benefits people who feel more at ease while chatting online, rather than speaking on a telephone. Because it’s online, Hear2Help targets youths and students, but anyone can utilize this new system. RESPONSE welcomes all calls and chats from anyone with concerns, with anything from ‘trying to gain some perspective on a difficult situation,’ or ‘wanting help with an immediate personal crisis,’ to ‘looking for referrals to support groups or other community resources.’
In addition to its telephone hotline and online crisis prevention system, RESPONSE has a support line, which provides ‘telephone visits’ to callers who are homebound, disabled, or ill. The support line also extends referrals to an assortment of other organizations and groups that further aid callers by building on the initial support RESPONSE offers. Also, RESPONSE conducts educational discussions at schools throughout the county to introduce students and faculty to the hotline and counseling services.
Following its 2005 track of more than 11,000 logged calls, RESPONSE has grown to be a very important resource. Not only does it help those in need of a ‘warm voice,’ but the program offers opportunities for volunteers and interns hoping to lend a hand to their community. RESPONSE hires volunteers in charge of fielding telephone calls and offers undergraduate students, interested in social work, psychology, community service, and other related subjects internship opportunities.
Applicants and volunteers must be at least eighteen years old and are required to attend training workshops, offered four times a year, that cover all the necessary information and skills needed to offer the proper support for hotline callers and to fulfill staff positions. Both volunteer and internship applications and more information on RESPONSE is available at www.ResponseHotline.org.
‘
