Hotline Services Program Page

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotlinle 1-800-4-A-CHILD®

Literally saving lives since 1982, the Childhelp® National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD®) receives more than 200,000 crisis calls per year. The Hotline delivers help and hope to 500 people each day - the abused, neglected and those concerned about abuse from all racial, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds with access to versed interpreters in 170 languages. The toll-free, 24 hour/7 day a week operation currently serves the entire United States, Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico. The Hotline provides an immediate response to the needs of the abused and traumatized by facilitating a connection between them and the resources required to heal or support those in need of help. Distressed callers can access the following assistance by utilizing:

1. Skilled counselors, over 74% are Masters level professionals and are credentialed and licensed. They provide immediate relief to callers experiencing pain, depression, and anxiety related to abuse. Oftentimes, this type of counseling and crisis intervention diffuses difficult family situations potentially preventing the occurrence of abuse and its tragic consequences. They also provide information on how to respond appropriately to an abuse situation that has already transpired.
2. Effective and efficient referrals to local resources. With the aid of a continuously updated database containing over 12,000 community resources in cities nationwide, each caller can be provided with information customized to their needs and location. Hotline counselors can provide those in desperate need with confidence and reassurance by remaining on the line while initiating a three-way conversation between the counselor, the caller, and the nearest appropriate assistance during an emergency. In this way, the Hotline is often the point of first response when it comes to putting those, directly or indirectly, experiencing abuse in touch with those who will see that the cycle of abuse stops.
3. Edification of the reporting process. Many callers desperately want to report suspected abuse, but are unsure of the process and fear possible negative ramifications. Hotline counselors walk them through the process; inform them of what to expect on the difficult road ahead; and through inquiry can help the caller identify when it is necessary to make a report on behalf of the child. The Hotline is a tool for making sure that cases do not go unreported and children do not slip through the cracks.
4. Unlimited expansion opportunities. Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline’s capacity for increasing counselor stations both on site and remotely in an extremely expeditious manner allows Childhelp to be nimble and responsive to any emergent crisis hotline need as it arises. Childhelp’s Hotline counseling staff also maintains a high level of expertise in emerging and important relevant topics facing our society today including:
   1. A child calling for help who is experiencing or is in threat of experiencing abuse
   2. Callers needing to report abuse but unsure of the ramifications
   3. Callers feeling suicidal or needing intensive intervention
   4. Frustrated parents precariously close to abusing their child
   5. Teens who are concerned for themselves or a friend
   6. Anyone experiencing sexual abuse or the effects of past sexual exploitation or abuse
   7. Callers needing a definition or the signs and symptoms of child abuse or neglect
   8. A report of system failure – CPS was contacted but nothing has happened and caller wants to know what else can be done
   9. A youth who suspects that someone will conduct a violent act at school or neighborhood
   10. Adult survivors of sexual abuse to address lingering effects of the traumatic abuse they experienced


5. Education, intervention, and prevention. 1-800-4-A-CHILD® serves as an educational resource by sharing information with a variety of professionals such as doctors, teachers, and law enforcement officers involved with children. Counselors can provide information about the signs and symptoms of abuse, risk factors, parenting concerns, and adult survivors of abuse, as well as provide support for vicarious trauma. Follow-up literature and additional reading lists are provided as a valuable resource.

Safe Talk Helpline -- 1-866-972-3399

This helpline is designed to assist victims of violence who live within polygamist communities. This helpline is confidential and anonymous and free to all callers. Individuals call to find local resources, assistance for any number of life issues, and for assistance in escaping a possible dangerous environment. The Safe Talk Helpline works in tandem with Arizona and Nevada’s Attorney General’s offices in an ongoing effort to provide support and safety to those in need within the existing communities.

SPEAK UP Weapons Reporting Hotline -- 1-801-783-3933

This hotline is designed specifically to allow youth a safe place to report the knowledge of existing or pending violence, bullying or weapons threats within their school or neighborhoods. It is a known fact that any individuals had advanced knowledge of the school based shooting tragedies and if any one of those who had known had a safe place to inform someone in authority they might have been able to avert the trauma. This hotline serves as that safe place for a youth to make that report safely and confidentially.

Pee Dee Coalition Hotline-- 1-866-867-9857

This hotline serves as a resource and referral service to those who live within the Pee Dee region of South Carolina (a five county area). Localized and qualified services are included in the referral database for this area. The hotline is able to pinpoint specific needs and address them as appropriate based on the local needs and flavor of their social service structure.Youth and Young Adult 4-1-1 Helpline -- 1-866-999-6384 The helpline is solely dedicated to assisting youth who are in foster care or are exiting foster care (in the state of Arizona) to be able to easily and quickly find resources they will need to sustain their lives and futures. Resources and help regarding housing, employment, advanced education, training, food, clothing, healthcare, a safe respite facility all will be made accessible via this helpline and the accompanying 4-1-1 website.

Crystal Darkness Substance Abuse helpline -- 1-888-638-4243

This hotline was implemented to accompany the Crystal Darkness Campaign but has become a vehicle for family members and addicted individuals to access services within their immediate community that knows how to best assist a devastating addiction to illegal substances and alcohol. Counselors are trained to assist family members in identifying addictive behaviors, how to help the addict, how to keep themselves, family members, and the addict safe, and how to find the most appropriate intervention/help possible with immediacy.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children Helpline -- 1-800-222-4453

The D/HH Helpline is available to individuals who experience any kind of disability, but primarily a hearing loss. It is know that youth who are disabled are 4 times more likely than youth who are not disabled to be physically or sexually abused either by their caregiver or within their own homes by family members. Because of the disability the youth may not have a way to express what is happening to him or her or even know that it is wrong. The helpline is the first effort to reach out to those disabled youth and to individuals who are aware of what might be happening to a disabled youth in their lives—the second phase is to open the ability for a disabled youth to interface with the helpline counselor via texting and chat options.