Responsibilities and Requirements for Crisis Line Specialists

This workshop is for Crisis Line Specialists, Trainers and Supervisors.

Eleanor K. Letcher, M.Ed., CSW, Executive Director

and

Jo-Ann Hoffman, Ed.D./abd, Trainer and Apprentice Coordinator

CONTACT of Mercer County, NJ.

eletcher@yahoo.com

This workshop will discuss the attitudes, knowledge, skills and responsibilities for safe and competent practice by Crisis Line Specialists. The workshop will look beyond the training requirements and examine other qualities that are needed for competent service.

The volunteer picture has changed over the years, and many Crisis Centers are facing severe shortages in recruiting and sustaining volunteers which had been their traditional workforce. This workshop will discuss the challenges and rewards of using both volunteer and paid Crisis Line Specialists.

The CORE Competencies of CONTACT USA will be discussed. These focus is on training and includes an orientation and history of the crisis line, the community it serves and its impact on that community; a self awareness process for the specialists in training to determine their "hot buttons" and how these affect listening skills and how to "turn them off"; and telephone communication with a heavy emphasis on listening, filtering out trainees' biases, listening with an open mind, using reflective techniques, and being non-judgmental. The center/organization's Code of Ethics is examined. This code needs to be completely understood and incorporated into the trainee's thinking and actions.

The CUSA Core Competencies also include learning about the various problems facing community members: grief and its manifestations, death, loss through divorce or break-up, other losses, loneliness, depression and other mental illnesses, physical illnesses, addictions, personal relationships, violence and abuse. Suicide, handling suicide calls, 1-800-273-TALK and 1-800-SUICIDE, call policies and interventions are examined and explained as well as the specialists' support system.

Specialists are urged to examine their own lives for the responsibility needed to accept the role of a telephone Crisis Line Specialist. Crisis Line Specialists need to commit to a certain number of hours a month; to sign themselves up regularly and be on time for their shifts. They need to recognize their responsibility to find their own replacements, and to follow the policies, procedures and ethics of their Crisis Center.

A Crisis Line operates successfully because of the trust each of its members exhibits to the program and to each other.

To return to the Table of Contents, click here.