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Friendship Line

24/7 national crisis intervention hotline and warm-line specifically for the older adults, adults with disabilities, and their caregivers

The Friendship Line has been operating for more than 40 years and currently fields over 140,000 calls annually. In 2000, the Retirement Research Foundation funded an evaluation of the Friendship Line and the results were published in Omega. The study found a reduction in hopelessness of older adult client receiving Friendship Line intervention.

TARGET POPULATION
Older adults, adults with disabilities, caregivers.

SERVICE AREA & FUNDING
San Francisco, California. Funded by government contracts, grants, and donations.

OUTCOME DETAILS
Current evaluation activities for Friendship Line include:
• Tracking the progress of all recipients of outgoing calls at six-month intervals using the scientifically validated UCLA loneliness scale, suicide risk assessment, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) depression scale.
• Completion of Suicide Assessment Rating Scale for all incoming calls to track callers’ suicidal ideation at the beginning and end of each call. The Suicide Assessment Rating is scored on a scale of one to five, with one being “Not Likely” and five being “Extremely Likely.” This screening tool also collects information on mental health (isolation, depression, anxiety, grief, PTSD, substance abuse, mental illness), social issues (relationships, LGBTQ, military-related, bullying), and abuse/violence that are compiled in monthly reports.
• Consumer satisfaction surveys administered through phone interviews once per year.
• Volunteer evaluations every three months.
• Pre- and post-presentation tests for volunteer orientations.

Organization

Institute on Aging

State

  • California

Population Served

  • Health Related Issue/Condition

Outcome

  • Successful

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