Sharing – Mental health ‘warmlines’: Not hotlines, they help before a crisis
This seems like a pretty decent idea, but I have some reservations. What do you think about this idea?
Unlike a hotline for those in immediate crisis, warmlines provide early intervention with emotional support that can prevent a crisis – and a more costly 911 call or ER visit. The lines are typically free, confidential peer-support services staffed by volunteers or paid employees who have experienced mental health conditions themselves.
That sounds all well and good, and I hope that it does work for many people, but as the article also points out, these are scattered around in random places that have adopted them, without much in the way of regulation, or studies that would show whether they actually are effective or not.
Still, with all of the various issues we have with mental health now, I’m willing to be glad that at least they are trying to care for people. That’s more than we can say for a lot of other things.
