CRISIS CALL CENTER/ NEVADA 211

Transcription

1 CRISIS CALL CENTER/ NEVADA Annual Report The Call Center has extended the dates of the current annual report to include a period of 18 months. Accordingly, the encompassing dates were changed to include the Northern Nevada disasters of 2011 while the events are still a viable part of our recent recollection and fresh in the minds of our readers/funders, and grantors. The next annual report will encompass the twelve months of 2012.

2 CRISIS CALL CENTER C R I S I S C A L L C E N T E R A N N U A L R E P O R T July 2010 December 2011 Annual Report Board of Directors Joyce Allen Betty Barker Patricia M. Best Carole Bucher Vicki Chicago-Marsh Traci Dory Kim Driggs William Evans Kimberly Goetz Penelope Moezzi- Haas Alice Ortiz Jane Patterson Bruce Rice Stephen Shipman Courtney Sweet Forester Tracy L. Veach Egan Walker Jeanne Walpole In Memorium Vickie Chicago Marsh, Pres. The President s year past and present. It seems difficult to believe that my year as Board President passed so quickly. During my tenure, I have to say that I learned a great deal more about the way that a non-profit operates than I previously knew. I also developed an unwavering respect for the dedication and hard work of the outstanding staff and volunteers of the Crisis Call Center. When I first accepted the presidency, my main goal for the year was simply to make a difference and to effect even one positive change in the darkest and most challenging economic time that I have experienced in my adult life. Now that I reflect back on the past year, I realize that the continued success the center has had with staying afloat is the result of the innovation, tenacity, and passion of every board member, staff member, and volunteer. I experienced some unique challenges during my tenure as President, which only served to reinforce to me the loyalty and support that the staff have for each other, as well as for the leadership of their Executive Director, Kathy Jacobs. As a board, we accomplished many things in the past year, including developing an outstanding strategic plan to lead us into the future, and hosting a non-profit summit to gauge interest in a possible collaborative partnership between local agencies, just to name a few. The innovative way the center stepped up to the plate at a moment s notice to activate Nevada 211 for the first time during the Air Race disaster, was not only impressive, but also reinforced the solid leadership and dedication of the staff. On a sadder note, in the past year we lost two wonderful, caring board members, Pat Best and Tracy Veach, whose input and contribution to the board have been greatly missed. From the wide array of valuable services the center provides to the community, including sexual assault support, 24 -hour Crisis hotline, substance abuse helpline, community and youth outreach, and education services, to the camaraderie, professionalism, and tireless dedication of my fellow board members, my heartfelt thanks for a job well done! I remain a humbled and honored advocate of the Crisis Call Center. In Memorium: Patricia Best 2011 & Tracy Veach 2011 What we have done for ourselves dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.

3 C R I S I S C A L L C E N T E R A N N U A L R E P O R T Page 3 REVIEW AND RENEW B Y K A T H Y J A C O B S, E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R Danger and Opportunity We have the opportunity to face our fears and our challenges, and the opportunity to become stronger as we move forward. Writing a letter for our annual report is somewhat like weaving a tapestry. For me, the challenge is to create something meaningful that people will want to read without repeating the same pattern, over and over. For the last several years, a common thread in our annual report has addressed the ongoing changes experienced by our agency. In the world of crisis intervention, change is a way of life. The needs of our community change and we must change with them. Technology is constantly evolving, and we must evolve with it. Resources come and go, and we must become even more creative in helping to identify solutions to problems that can be unbearable. These solutions are not always what we hope for and oftentimes, they are as difficult for us as they are for those individuals who are trying to hold the pieces of their life together. In our volunteer training classes, there is a time at the end of each session called Review and Renew. Each participant is asked to use one word to describe how they are feeling at the end of the day. Because of the nature of our programs and services, the training can be overwhelming, heartwarming and more often than not, exhausting. This process of Review and Renew is actually quite an inspiring experience. It brings about laughter and tears and enables an amazing bonding experience for those involved. It allows our staff and volunteers to support each other through issues they may not have realized would present a problem for them. I think of this very small but significant piece of our training as one of the most important components. I sometimes use it myself, especially when I am feeling overwhelmed, perplexed or just need a little rejuvenation. I used this process while trying to write this piece for this annual report. What was it that I wanted people to think about and take away with them concerning our last eighteen months of service? If I had to come up with a single word to describe Crisis Call Center and all of those people who a part of the Center, it would have to be Resilient. Crisis Call Center, its staff, volunteers and board of directors have proven that resiliency is the single most important thing to hold onto when facing the difficulties we are faced with on a daily basis. Resiliency is what brings us to work every day. Resiliency is what gives us hope for a better tomorrow. Resiliency is what helps us to help others. The Chinese symbol for crisis served as our logo for a very long time. The characters in the symbol represent Danger and Opportunity. While this symbol is no longer our official logo, it is still very near and dear to our hearts. It reminds us that we should all hold on to the fact that when facing danger, there is also opportunity. We have the opportunity to learn, and to grow. We have the opportunity to face our fears and our challenges, and the opportunity to become stronger as we move forward. I am proud to be the leader of such a resilient team!

4 Page 4 A N N U A L R E P O R T Call Center: Debbie Gant-Reed, Call Center Director The Call Center has been through some amazing changes in the past 18 months, first and foremost the merging of the Crisis Lines and Nevada 211. Combining 211 and the crisis lines enables us to provide 211 service 24 hours per day. This merger was scheduled to take place October 1, 2011; however, the Air Race Disaster that occurred on September 16, 2011 necessitated immediate merging of the lines. Nevada 211 is a key component in emergency response and disaster planning in our community. The Call Center took approximately 3,500 calls in four days, on both crisis and 211 lines, in response to this disaster. We were able to answer calls regarding missing person s reports, found persons, and general information and referrals regarding belongings, etc. Our staff and volunteers were amazing in their compassion and willingness to work long hours. The Call Center was again activated for emergency response two months later during the Caughlin Ranch fire and we answered approximately 1,500 calls in a day and a half. Again, this highlights the important role we play in the community and emergency response. The crisis lines have continuously taken on new responsibilities, not only to our State, but the entire country. In our very difficult economic times many people are writing letters and s to the White House and President Obama expressing their frustrations and feelings of hopelessness. Any mention of crisis or suicidal ideation results in the letters being forwarded to SAMHSA (Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration of the Federal Government) and through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, to the closest Center in the network. It is then our responsibility to follow-up with these individuals to assess their safety and provide resources to assist them. These letters usually involve multiple phone calls, s, and posted letters in addition to final reports that go back through the channels to the White House. We average two of these per week and some weeks there are several. Our suicide prevention/crisis intervention text messaging service has been in operation for two years; however, the past eighteen months have seen a substantial increase in the number of texts we are responding to. This service has continued to be presented to schools in Northern Nevada and is now expanding to a Charter High School in Las Vegas. The service has been discovered by people all over the country by looking for suicide text support services on Google and we are now responding to text messages on a national basis. The goal for the Call Center in the upcoming year is to continue to provide support, assistance and referrals for a Country that is suffering an economic crisis unseen in most of our lifetimes. We will also continue in our integral role in answering calls during a disaster or immediate crisis. The staff and volunteers answered 41,130 calls on the crisis lines with 5,813 calls directly related to suicide, 6,222 related to child abuse and 1,534 calls related to elder abuse. We also trained 62 staff and volunteers in crisis intervention/suicide prevention which includes the two -day suicide prevention model, ASIST. File Photo Air Race Disaster 3500 calls in 4 days Caughlin Ranch Fire 1,500 calls in 1.5 days. Washoe Drive Fire 1,910 calls 41,130 Crisis Lines Calls 5,813 calls related to Suicide 6,222 child abuse calls 1,534 calls related to Elder abuse. 62 staff and volunteers trained in crisis intervention

5 C R I S I S C CA RL IL S IC S E N CT AE LR L C E N T E R A N N U A L AR NE NP UO AR L T R E P O R T Page 5 Continued from Crisis Call In addition to our new(er) services the Call Center continues to be a Regional Back-up Center for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline; provides back-up child and elder abuse reporting; takes after hours calls for Safe Embrace, the Domestic Violence Shelter; are part of the RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network) Network, are listed as the contact numbers for the National Runaway Switchboard and the Safe Haven Law, providing information about where a child under 30 days old can be left in safety without question. Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group...Janett Massolo I think we all know that 2011 had an adverse affect on society, especially when it comes to the economy. Over the last 18 months, I ve spoken with 109 new survivors and had 49 new members come to the group meetings. Overall attendance for the 18 months included 181 members, some coming almost every week and others to only one meeting. I wasn t at all surprised to see and speak with many new suicide survivors and unfortunately, I believe we will see those numbers increase in the next fiscal year brought about a change in the monthly Lifelink newsletter. Of the 268 members on the mailing list, 166 now receive the newsletter via . This new online program allows me to create the newsletter, keep track of addresses and send it out in a nice format. We also completed the second Northern Nevada Faces of Suicide Quilt which now hangs in its place of honor at the Center. SOSL group members participated in the 5 th annual Walk in Memory, Walk for Hope on September 10 th, This is a walk to raise awareness for mental health issues, suicide intervention and prevention. The number of walkers in Reno increased from 240 to 320 walkers with total statewide numbers up from 700 to 1,100 this year. SOSL group members get involved in this community awareness walk to do what they can to prevent other families from experiencing this kind of loss. It is a huge milestone when they take that step into helping others, as that is a sign that they are starting to heal from their own losses. The Circle s Edge Center for Spiritual Living was a wonderful, safe, warm, and welcoming environment for SOSL s 15 th annual Candlelight Vigil held on November 19 th, Special thanks go to Liza Chapen and Patti Reslock who were our hosts for the evening. Stacy Gillham from the Office of Suicide Prevention provided a very touching and inspirational speech. Many members mentioned to me how grateful they were to her and how much they benefited from what Stacy had to say. I feel truly blessed to be able to work with so many wonderful support group members as well as the staff and volunteers of the Crisis Call Center. I just wanted to thank you and everyone in the group for being there, for listening and helping me to realize that there are people who care, people who know the pain that I am going through and want to help. I can honestly say that had I not found the group when I did, that I may very well have taken my own life due to my despair. I know that before I started attending, I felt utterly hopeless and alone. Now, even though I haven t seen anyone in the group in quite a long time, I still think back to sitting at that table, listening to the stories of the others and telling my story and feeling a tremendous burden being lifted from my shoulders upon leaving. I can t thank you all enough for that, you truly have saved my life as well as my sanity and I owe you all, BIG TIME.

6 Page 6 A N N U A L R E P O R T N E V A D A B Y D O U G W H I T E H I L L Nevada Each day about 200 Nevadans are connected to essential health and human services through Nevada Many of these callers are looking for basic human needs like food and shelter. Others are looking for respite or child-care, but all of them know that Nevada is there to guide the way. With over 7,000 resources in our database, we have a wealth of knowledge to share with the community. These services range from basic needs Over 1,100 homeless Nevadans were connected with essential resources in like food, shelter, and utility assistance to more complex needs, like after-school, respite, and animal control services. Over 6,000 calls are taken each month to help connect Nevadans to these vital resources. Nevada has celebrated many milestones in fiscal year and beyond. Among our milestones are launching Nevada service 24/7, responding to two community disasters in the Washoe County Area, in addition to taking over 80,000 calls while keeping a satisfaction rating of over 90%. At Nevada 2-1-1, we have been working hard to improve our level of service to the community and will continue to now and in the future. 80,000 calls 90% satisfaction 7,000 resources F I R E P H O T O P H O T O B Y R G J, D A V I D B. P A R K E R H O M E L E S S P H O T O B Y B E V E R L Y T A Z

7 C R I S I S C A L L C E N T E R P A G E 6 A N N U A L R E P O R T Page 7 Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS) Our staff is proud to have expanded our collaboration with the Child Abuse Response & Evaluation Services (CARES) program administered by Washoe County District Attorney s Office. A new facet of the multidisciplinary, coordinated, child friendly and culturally sensitive program is to minimize trauma experienced by child victims of sexual abuse by providing advocacy, information, and community resource support directly to non-offending family members and/or caregivers. Family members and/or caregivers often experience confusion and turmoil while trying to navigate their way through not only the emotions associated with this type of crime, but the legal system as well. Over the last 18 months, SASS staff has learned a great deal about the nuances associated with pediatric cases and have been working together with collaborating team members to produce appropriate direct service protocols. Unfortunately, Washoe County Sheriff s Office (WCSO) lost their victim advocate position in the intense budget cuts experienced by local government agencies during the economic crisis. In an effort to help fill an unmet need within our community, Crisis Call Center and Washoe County Sheriff s Office were presented with a unique opportunity to develop a dual public -private agency partnership. We are pleased to report that through this collaborative effort, Crisis Call Center was awarded funding to hire an additional victim advocate who is stationed at the Sheriff s Office. This hybrid position places a community -based advocate in the unique arena of working within a law enforcement agency to provide services to victims in acute and emergent circumstances, while not officially representing the investigatory aspect of the incident. It is a win -win scenario for victims of violence and abuse; victims get the support and advocacy to deescalate the immediate trauma, and authorities receive a secure, confident, and cooperative survivor to help in the investigation of the crime. Given the caseload experienced by our WCSO Victim Advocate, and the support internally by Detectives, we d say this team effort is a huge success. For the first time in recent history, the sexual assault survivors support group offered by the SASS program is at capacity. Because we now have a waiting list of survivors needing this important service, the Center is researching alternative resources that will allow us to establish a second support group. The efforts include the possibility of securing additional funds or finding a local licensed therapist/social worker willing to donate their time. Last, but certainly not least, we want to thank all of those individuals and agencies throughout Washoe County who work tirelessly to support victims of crime in our communities. Special thanks go to the SASS and Crisis Lines volunteers who give so much of themselves to assist victims of sexual assault and child sexual abuse throughout the Truckee Meadows and neighboring rural communities. We couldn t do it without you! By Ben Felix, SASS Coordinator

8 CRISIS ANNUAL CALL CENTER REPORT PAGE We re on the web!! 6

9 CRISIS CALL CENTER PO Box 8016 Reno, Nevada Phone: Fax: PRESENTED BY: LINDA SEPTIEN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR