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You are important. You are loved. You have a purpose. No matter the circumstance, no matter the time of day, we are here for you. So let’s get through this together.
Every 18 minutes, someone in the United States will complete suicide. More than 30,000 people will die by suicide in this country each year, and an estimated half a million people will attempt and survive suicide. Suicide occurs among people of every racial, ethnic, religious and income group. Each suicide has a profound and lasting effect on the surviving family and friends.
North Central’s Suicide Prevention Services mission is simple: let’s get through today together. Whether you need someone to listen, a basic need to be met, or help talking through a problem, we’re here. We want to hear from you. We want to listen, we want to help, and we want to be a resource you can count on.
We are completely volunteer-based. Yes, that means people are spending their time training, listening, and being here because they know you are worthwhile. We have volunteers of all backgrounds servicing the hotline 24/7. We are never closed, and we will never let you go until we have a next step for you.
Answered by a team of highly trained volunteers, this line is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Hotline volunteers listen, assess suicide risk, and give support to callers in crisis. We also provide information and assistance to relatives, friends, co-workers and others who are concerned about an individual expressing suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
This 24-hour line is available to help older adults and their caregivers deal with the needs and issues of aging. Trained volunteers who answer this line provide caring support and assistance.
Staff and trained volunteers provide awareness education about depression and suicide to schools, youth groups, civic organizations and professional groups.
To request a speaker, call (614) 299-6600.
This group meets the last Sunday of the month from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm at North Central Mental Health Services, located at:
1301 North High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43201
For more information about the group,
call (614) 299-6600.
This group meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm at North Central Mental Health Services, located at:
1301 North High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43201
For more information about the group,
call (614) 299-6600.
Comprehensive mental health and recovery centered services for all ages.
Provides support, education and advocacy for people with mental illness and their families.
Pro Bono counseling services and support groups.
Comprehensive information and referral line connecting individuals to social services in the community.
Domestic violence safe haven shelter in Franklin County.
It will be one of the most important things you ever do.
We don’t say that to be intimidating, but it’s true. In fact, few of the calls you receive will actually be life-or-death in the moment you answer them. But we can’t underestimate the importance of empathy and compassion. By simply being there to listen to someone, and by making it known that you care, it can provide hope and support to someone in crisis. And that alone can help them get through the day.
We need good listeners. We need people with kind hearts who care for others. We need you. We’re completely volunteer-based, and we rely on people like you to help us help others.
Interested? Awesome. So here’s what you need to do.
1. Fill out our Contact Us form.
We will give you the tools you need to handle the calls you may encounter. Training is done twice a year, in the spring and the fall. Due to COVID-19, it is currently mostly remote, with the exception of a few in-person sessions you will be required to attend.
After you’ve gone through training, you will do a couple shifts with us and answer a few calls while supervised at our hotline center. This will be the final step to determining if you’re ready to answer calls solo.
After you’ve been cleared to answer calls on your own, we’ll work on getting you scheduled into the rotation so you can start helping those in need.
If you need to speak with someone right away, please call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at (614) 221-5445. Otherwise, if you are interested in becoming a volunteer or sending in an inquiry, please fill out the form below.
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©2022 Suicide Prevention Services.