Citation

Lester D. Crisis Interv. 1970; 2(Suppl 1): 20-22.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1970, Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The SPCS has been operating since November, 1968 and the volume of calls received by the center has risen steadily since the center opened. This increasing volume of calls from patients has been accelerated by the addition of three new services to the agency. We have added a teenage problem service, a problems in living service, and a drug problem service. In May, 1970, the SPCS received, 800 patient calls and 350 nuisance calls on the suicide prevention and crisis service 130 patient calls and 260 nuisance calls on the problems in living service
and 850 patient calls and 1700 nuisance calls on the teenage problem service.

These calls are received by telephone counselors working at the center. During the day, the calls are taken by a receptionist who then puts the patient calls through to a counselor. The nuisance calls are prevented from reaching the counselors by the receptionist. At night and on weekends there is no receptionist and all calls are answered by the counselor.

The feeling grew among the staff at this point that we were reaching a crisis point where we could no longer provide adequate counseling with the size of staff we had. Since the problems involved more than just the mere volume of calls received, it would be well first to review these...

Language: en