A crisis call center in Reno, Nev., is hiring more teenage volunteers in response to an increase in the volume of text messages from other teenagers requesting assistance. It’s just one area of many across the U.S. that has seen a sharp increase recently in the number of calls requesting help.
The Nevada Crisis Call Center (NCCC) provides assistance in several areas like suicide prevention, support for sexual assault victims, substance abuse and reporting child or elder abuse. The center was established as an outreach program in 1966 through the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR).
In 1985, the NCCC became an independent non-profit separate from UNR. It has a $1 million operating budget and receives funding through donations, corporate grants, government agencies, the United Way and various services for which it charges a fee.
According to a report from KRNV, NCCC, which also supports calls in the form of text messages, found that two-fifths of text requests for assistance came from teenagers. This resulted in more volunteer positions for teenagers opening up at the facility.
The service that NCCC provides is unique in that the organization not only supports texting, but also accepts calls from across the country. Many clients contact the agency after an online search for crisis services.
Demand for crisis assistance is on the rise in several metropolitan areas across the U.S. The well-known case in 2013 of three women had been raped and imprisoned in a house in Cleveland, Ohio, for ten years increased awareness of sexual abuse services. It resulted in a 20 percent increase in calls to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center.
Another call center in Cleveland recently had a tenfold increase in calls for help with heroin abuse. A Memphis, Tenn. call center had twice as many suicide calls in 2012 and 2013 than it did in 2011.
The increased trend in crisis calls is both disturbing and encouraging at the same time. While it is sad to see that times have become difficult for many, it is fortunate that private and government agencies have responded with more support. It is especially encouraging to see an organization like the NCCC not only respond by keeping up with technology, but by adjusting its volunteer staff to match the demographics of its clients.