What are Crisis Support Services?


Published by IFOTES on 10 October 2024
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Crisis Helplines and Digital Crisis Support as Essential  Services

A joint statement from IFOTES, LifeLine International, Befrienders Worldwide, the International Council for Helplines and ThroughLine

Four global networks of crisis helplines and crisis support services such as web chat and text, are marking the 2024 World Mental Health Day with a position statement on these services being an essential part of every country’s plan for mental health and suicide prevention.

Levels of distress are rising across the world as people face rising costs of living, difficulties securing employment, family pressures, violence and wars, climate change impacts, alongside the megatrends of economic, social and cultural changes, that are playing out in our times.

The UN and the World Health Organization, along with civil society organizations and advocates, recognise that mental health psychosocial support is essential for a person to enjoy good mental health and fully function and participate in life. Crisis support services are an immediate form of psychosocial support with unique capabilities to connect with people in times of crisis.

Emotional and psychological distress should be considered a primary health priority with immediate psychosocial support built into the design of primary care capabilities. As an application of Universal Health Coverage principles, investments in crisis support services should ensure that they are available to all, wherever and whenever they are needed.

Crisis support helplines operate in 145 countries, available to approximately 7.1 billion people. These services answer thousands of phone, text and online contacts every day, at all hours. Visit findahelpline.com to locate local services.