Crisis Clinic Programs
24-Hour Crisis Line
The 24-Hour Crisis Line provides immediate, confidential help to individuals in emotional crisis or considering suicide. Calls are answered by volunteers, professionally trained to help callers through their crisis and supervised by mental health professionals. In addition to providing emotional support, we can help assess if you or a loved one needs professional consultation and link you to the appropriate services. In 2012 the Crisis Line answered 111,000 calls for help. As part of this service, we also offer online support via: www.crisischat.org.
King County 2-1-1
2-1-1 provides expert assistance to people seeking information and referrals to community resources and health and human services. With access to over 5,000 King County services, specialists explain step-by-step how the social service system works, coach callers on how to access community resources, and recommend the agencies best able to assist them. 2-1-1 also has housing, legal, disability and caregiver specialists who offer specialized expertise in these areas. In 2012, 2-1-1 answered 105,000 calls for help.
Teen Link
Teen Link is an anonymous, confidential help line for teens, answered by teen volunteers every evening from 6-10 p.m. Teens can call or chat online to receive help about any issue, big or small. Teen Link also provides youth suicide prevention presentations in King County high schools and middle schools and helps spread the word that suicide IS preventable. In 2012 the help line answered over 1,400 calls for help, and trained 8,200 youth in suicide prevention.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
Crisis Clinic had a record-breaking year in 2012, helping more people than ever before in our 49-year history. We responded to over 233,000 calls or chats from individuals in emotional distress or needing help finding community resources. Several of our programs had notable successes:
- Teen Link became the first teen-answered help line in the country to win national accreditation through CONTACT USA. Because of our success, our program will act as a prototype in the development of new standards designed specifically for teen help lines.
- King County 2-1-1 became the entry point for the Family Housing Connection, King County’s coordinated entry system for family housing. With a single call to 2-1-1, families experiencing homelessness will be screened for eligibility and make an appointment for an in-person assessment.
In addition, Crisis Clinic added an additional help line in 2011. The WA Recovery Help Line in a statewide, integrated help line for those needing assistance with substance abuse, mental health and problem gambling.
Crisis Clinic’s major organizational challenge is facing the increased need for our services at a time when funding has continued to decline. Because of this, we increasingly rely on the generous support of individuals, corporations, and foundations to help us maintain our current level of service and meet the increasing demand. Crisis Clinic very much appreciates the support of Seattle Foundation and our many community partners and donors.