The emotional support hotline is a crisis hotline.
A crisis hotline is a service people can call for immediate phone counselling by trained volunteers and mental health professionals.
According to a 2021 report, 10.7% to 38% of Armenians face mental health challenges. Mental health prevention has become a growing challenge for society, considering that 1 in 5 people affected by conflict experience conditions like depression, PTSD, or schizophrenia globally. This crisis line will overcome geographical barriers and stigma to offer confidential emotional support to address the challenges faced by those in distress, providing immediate, accessible help.
Such hotlines have existed in most major cities of the English-speaking world since the mid-1970s.
Initially set up to help those contemplating suicide, many have extended their mandate to deal more generally with emotional crises.
The crisis line addresses mental health challenges by providing easily accessible, confidential support and emotional relief. It ensures timely intervention, reduces the escalation of crises, and offers specialized care from trained professionals and volunteers in psychosocial support.
Similar hotlines help individuals in other circumstances, including rape, bullying, self-harm, and human trafficking.
One great example of a working crisis hotline is the nationwide 988 hotline in the USA.
988 is now the code that routes callers to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (or 988 Lifeline).
It is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and administered by Vibrant Emotional Health (Vibrant).
When people call, text, or chat with the 988 Lifeline, they reach out to trained counselors who are part of the 988 Lifeline network of over 200 local crisis centers.
These counselors provide free and confidential emotional support and crisis counseling to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress and connect them to resources.
Crisis lines help prevent fatal outcomes, empowering individuals to focus on self-care and healing. Timely and continuous support strengthens resilience, lowering the risk of mental health conditions like depression and PTSD. The project will train 100 professionals to provide multilayered support and to ensure effectiveness and scalability.
These services are available 24/7 across the United States.
The 988 is an example of a lifeline we aim to develop in a long-term scenario.
Project Staff
Gevorg Gharibyan
Project Clinical Lead
Gevorg is a mental health advocate, speaker & researcher. He is a chartered psychologist (CPsychol) and BPSPsychotherapy Section Committeemember. 2022-2023 QMUL postgraduate trainee.
Artak Begoyan
Project Lead
Artak’s experience includes web development and social media/marketing. In recent years, he switched his career towards public relations. Artak’s new passion is business management.
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