Hotlines as Discrete Services in Mental Health and Human Service Organizations (14th Column in a Series)

This article discusses 4 organizational models for hotline telephone services & stresses the importance of developing policies & guidelines/standards to assure communities that their hotlines provide qualified services. It notes that of several thousand hotlines in the USA, only 78 are certified. Two vital issues that differentiate hotlines from mental & social services: anonymity & dependence on technology. Common issues: counseling, legal constraints, continued training, & confidentiality.