Everyone is heard.

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Everyone is heard.
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• Mission Provide compassionate, accessible crisis
  support that enhances the health, well-being and
  resiliency of individuals in distress.
• Vision Everyone is heard.
• Values Accessibility, collaboration, compassion,
  excellence, inclusivity, innovation, leadership,
  partnerships, respect, and volunteerism. 

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History

• April 1970 opened as the Drug Information
  Centre providing street level drug education,
  counselling and information.

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24 Hour Support

• 24 Hour Crisis Line
• 403-266-HELP (4357)
• Answered by highly trained volunteers supported
  by professional staff.

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Online Crisis Support

• Crisis Chat nightly 5pm-10pm MST
• www.DistressCentre.com
• Crisis Email (Responded to within 24-48 hours)
• help_at_distresscentre.com

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24 Hour Support

• Suicide Prevention Line
• 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)
• Toll free in Southern Alberta (403 area code
  only)

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24 Hour Youth Support

• ConnecTeen Canadas first youth peer-to-peer
  crisis service
• 403-264-TEEN (8336)
• Volunteers age 15-21 offer peer support
• Live online chat daily from 5pm-10pm
• www.calgaryconnecteen.com
• Text 587-333-2724

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24 Hour Support

• Top Concerns
• Stress
• Relationships
• Family
• Loneliness/Isolation
• Mental Health

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High Risk Calls

• Calls are confidential, with the exception of a
  life at immediate risk-
• Suicide attempt in progress or imminent
• Homicide
• Child abuse
• Suicide is cited as an issue in 7 of calls and
  nearly 18 of chats
• 613 emergency interventions in 2014

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24 Hour Support Partnerships

• Partnerships
• Direct links to mobile teams
• Mobile Response Team (Alberta Health Services)
• Community Resource Team (Woods Homes)
• Social Services Response Team (Child Family
  Services)
• SeniorConnect (Calgary Seniors Resource Society)

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24 hour Support

• Volunteers commit to at least one year of service
  (48 shifts) and attend 60 hours of in-class
  training
• 2nd busiest crisis centre in Canada, behind
  Toronto

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Counselling

• Registered Social Workers
• Free, short term, crisis focused
• Individuals, couples, families
• Evening and emergency appointments available

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Counselling

• Top concerns
• Emotional Health Self Esteem
• Substance Abuse
• Suicide
• Abuse
• Physical Health

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Resources

• 211 Calgary and Area
• Connection to community, government, health and
  social service programs
• Answered by trained Information and Referral
  Specialists
• Partnership with United
• Way, City of Calgary and
• Distress Centre

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Resources

• Available in over 150 languages
• Follow-up calls offered
• Verify that the referrals were correct and that
  people could access them.
• Unmet needs reports
• Emerging trends/issues
• Identify gaps in service

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Resources

• Top caller concerns
• Financial Need
• Physical Health
• Shelter/housing
• Donations/Volunteer
• Basic Needs

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2014 Statistics

• 70,699 crisis calls
• 722 crisis emails
• 2,400 crisis chats
• 27,405 Information Referral calls
• 1843 counselling sessions
• 43,660 volunteer hours, 468 volunteers
• I am so glad we have this service, it is so nice
  to hear a friendly voice that cares.
• - Crisis line caller

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Impact

• I had a really rough month a while back. On my
  worst night, the volunteers told me I could call
  back every hour if I needed. I was so stressed.
  If it hadn't been for your program, I wouldn't be
  alive today. Things could have turned out very
  differently. Now, your number is taped to my
  phone for when I need it.
• - Crisis line caller

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In Summary

• Often the first call, Distress Centre is an
  access point for services
• 24 hours, 365 days per year
• Free of charge no barriers access to service
• Volunteer based

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Data for Good potential

• Crisis Line call records since 2003 over 900,000
• Chat since 2011 (over 5600 records)
• Texting since 2013 (over 1700 records)
• 211 call records since 2005 over 500,000

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Data for Good potential

• Including information on
• User demographics
• Postal code (211 only)
• Issues/Concerns addressed
• Call times and length of calls
• Referrals given
• Level of risk/urgency assessments
• Frequent users of the service
• Narrative text or direct user transcripts in chat
  and text

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Data for Good potential

• Uses for data analysis
• Improve service identify how we can respond to
  calls, chats better
• Improve user experience
• Demonstrate value and impact better
• Attract new funding to grow services