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Idaho Suicide Hotline Expands Hours
[February 14, 2013]

Idaho Suicide Hotline Expands Hours


Feb 14, 2013 (The Times-News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Idaho Lawmakers Approve Funds for Suicide Hotline BOISE -- Idaho is the only state without a suicide hot line, but that might change soon. Read more Idaho Suicide Hotline Opens Monday TWIN FALLS -- Starting Monday, Idahoans will have free access to a new statewide suicide prevention hotline. Read more BOISE -- Idaho's only statewide suicide prevention hotline has expanded its hours of operation to include Fridays.



Starting this week, the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline provides services five days a week -- Monday through Friday.

In the past, the hotline operated Monday though Thursday. Calls on Fridays were outsourced to hotlines in other states.


With the addition of more trained volunteer phone responders, the hotline now has enough staffing to operate five days per week.

On evenings and weekends, calls to the hotline will continue to be answered by trained volunteers in other states.

More than 160 calls from around the state have been handled by trained volunteers since the hotline launched Nov. 26.

Volunteers staffing the hotline have pledged at least one year to the organization. They've completed Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training, an intensive two-day, internationally recognized suicide prevention training.

Idaho has one of the country's highest suicide rates.

The phone number for the hotline is 1-800-273-TALK.

___ (c)2013 The Times-News (Twin Falls, Idaho) Visit The Times-News (Twin Falls, Idaho) at magicvalley.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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