I’ve always hated making phone calls. Truth be told, I’m not sure what I think will happen. No one has ever yelled at me, called me names, or put me down when I have called, but there’s always that little lump in the back my throat as my thumb hovers over the ‘Call’ button. I’m sure many of you reading this resonate with me. To conquer this fear, when I first joined Safe Passage, I decided to work on the hotline.
Now, for the record, I still hate making phone calls, but working on the hotline taught me a few things. First, that the decision to call a hotline can be a terrifying one. It can be nerve-wracking to ask for help, or to call something abuse if you’re not sure. Second, that the people who answer the phone are a way less scary and way more willing to help than you might think. After all, they signed up to help people in need.
So, for those of you who want to call Safe Passage, but feel hesitant, this is for you. We will break down what you can expect when you call us for help, and what happens on our end when you call.
What happens when I call or text Safe Passage?
If you choose to call our hotline (815-756-5228), you won’t be sent straight to our hotline. An answering machine will pick up your call and give you several options to choose from: If you press 6, the menu will be read to you in Spanish. If you press 1, you will be connected to our hotline. If you press 2, you will be connected to our business line. If you press 3, you will be connected to our services for perpetrators of domestic violence. For today’s blog, we will focus on the hotline.
When you press 1, you will hear a dial tone while you get connected to our hotline staff. In rare cases, you may be asked to hold if they are assisting other callers. When they pick up, they will introduce themselves and ask how they can assist you. You do not have to share your name with us right away if you don’t want to!
First and foremost, we will not call 911 without your knowledge or permission. That said, our hotline staff can help with all sorts of things. They can help you in crisis situations, identify coping skills for when you feel triggered, answer questions about our services, or even give you advice for helping someone else who is experiencing abuse. No matter what you are calling for, our hotline staff will always listen actively to you and do everything they can to help you. And, you never have to tell us more than you feel ready or comfortable to share. Safe Passage is here to help you, not to investigate you.
If you decide to text us instead (815-393-1995), you will be connected to our hotline right away. A few seconds after you send your message, you will receive an automatic text back: “By entering this chat, you agree to receive crisis counseling via this platform. For safety purposes, please delete this conversation and clear your browser history at the end of this chat.” The good news is, you don’t have to send another text after that. We receive your message as soon as you text us. The next text you receive will be from a real person on our hotline, ready to help you.
What happens on your end?
On the hotline, we do not receive a call until someone presses 1. So, if you need a moment to breathe before you connect to the hotline, don’t worry; you aren’t holding up the line. When you call, your caller ID may show up on our phone screen. We do not call people without their knowledge or prior permission, and we will never leave you a voicemail unless we know it is safe for us to do so.
If you are concerned about your caller ID, you can use our text line instead. We receive all texts through a secure computer program, so your phone number will be completely masked. There is no limit to the number of texts we can receive, so just like the hotline, you won’t hold up the line if you take a while to respond to our messages.
What if I need a Safe Passage service other than the hotline?
No problem! Lots of people call us to start a service with us such as counseling or case management, or we may refer people ourselves if we think one of our services could help you with your concern.
If you are not a client with us already, we will ask for some personal information: Your name, date of birth, county of residence, contact information, availability, and type of service you are interested in. We will also ask you for the name of the person who harmed you and your relationship to them. If you do not know, or are not comfortable sharing this information, you do not have to. We will not share this information with anyone outside of Safe Passage without your explicit permission. This information is only for our team’s reference so that we can provide the best service to you possible.
You can also call the hotline if you’re already working with another staff member, but you don’t know their phone extension. We’re always happy to transfer you where you need to go.
What if I decide that I don’t want help, after all?
That’s okay, too! We will never force someone to work with Safe Passage for any reason. If you wish to stop services, you can reach out directly to the staff member you’re working with, or you can let us know on our hotline. It’s also okay for you to change your mind later on.
Whether you love or hate phone calls, making the decision to ask to help is an incredibly brave step, and Safe Passage is more than happy to help you along your healing journey.
Written by: Harvey Green
