12
WARM LINE TRAINING
MAY 2004
Revised march 2005
Session 1
Introductions
Confidentiality
Procedures/Policies and Procedures
Courteous Reception/Phone Script
Session 2
Review/Questions and Answers
Active Listening/ Role Play
Problem Assessment: Levels of calls (Role Play)
Session 3
Review/Questions and Answers
Practice STOP problem solving technique
Role Play
Session 4
Review/Questions and Answers
Warm Calls vs. Hot Calls-- Use Phone
Offering Information and Resources
Closing Calls/Paperwork
Final Review
Purpose and Description:
The Warm Line is a consumer-run, friendly phone line, through which consumers of mental health services receive support, share concerns and generally have a peer who understands their perspective and is willing to listen and talk with them.
The Warm Line serves as a diversion from ‘hot lines’ or crisis line/emergency services. Callers speak with trained paid consumers who provide empathetic listening and conversation via the telephone. Consumers work in teams of two, working 4 hours per shift, from 4-8pm on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays. There are two types of calls; incoming and outreach calls.
The Warm Line Mentor: This service is available to consumers who want or need support and to talk with a peer who understands their perspective and is willing to listen and talk in a supportive manner. Warm Line Mentors also maintain routine contacts with callers to provide ongoing support.
Mentors are contract workers and receive pay according to their contract. Warm line Mentors are responsible for completing and maintaining all necessary paperwork on his/her shift. Difficulties/problems or concerns should be communicated to Mental Health Association of New Mexico staff member in a timely manner.
The National Empowerment Center.
“Warm Lines: An alternative to hospitalization” by Dan Fisher, M.D., Ph.D.
“They suggest soft, fuzzy images, but do not be deceived: warm lines are proving a powerful approach to reducing hospitalization. Warm lines are a form of social support and a complement to hot lines whose time has come. In this age of social isolation, the phone is proving itself a lifeline for people with mental illness who are either too afraid or alone to connect with a family or friend. A survey of New Hampshire recently showed that warm lines reduced the use of crisis teams by 60%. Similarly, a Boston crisis team estimated that they could refer 75% of their callers to a warm line”.
“Warm lines run by people in recovery from mental illness hold a special appeal for callers with the same label. Many people with mental illness refuse to call a crisis team because they are afraid they will again be committed. Indeed a survey of previously hospitalized consumers by the Well Being Project in 1987 found that 47% of them refused to even contact a clinic due to the trauma of hospitalization. This means that consumers would rather wait until their crisis reaches the point where they could no longer be calmed by respite or other alternatives to hospitalization”.
“I interviewed the director of a typical consumer-run warm line in New Hampshire. He stated that they grew out of the expressed need of club members to have support available after the club closed. These members felt unsafe calling the crisis team. The warm line operates with a different person receiving calls each day. They are given training and supervision by the director of the club. He stated that an unexpected benefit has been the preparation and motivation the job has provided to the workers. Several of them have gotten full-time jobs and have gotten off disability”.
“We receive a number of calls on our 800 number that could best be handled by a warm line. I recently received a call from a consumer who was feeling more paranoid. He said it started when he learned that his wife was pregnant. I shared with him how I went through similar feelings when my wife was pregnant. This sharing helped him feel human again and his paranoia started to subside. I offered to send him some tapes but I wish I could have referred him to a warm line in his area. But there wasn’t even a social club. We would like to create a national directory of warm lines so that in the future we could refer our callers in distress to a line near them. Please contact us if you have any information about warm lines in your area”.
Personal inventory: reasons for working on the Warm Line.
1. What are your reasons for becoming involved with the Warm Line?
2. Do you have volunteer experience? When, where, how long?
3. What strengths do you bring to the Warm Line team?
4. Discuss your coping strategies in dealing with your mental and/or physical illness?
5. What concerns do you have about working the Warm Line?
Personal Inventory______Date____
(1) Strongly disagree (2) Disagree (3) Agree (4) Strongly Agree
____ 1. I feel that I am a person of worth, at least on an equal basis with others.
____ 2. I feel I have a number of good qualities.
____ 3. All in all, I am inclined to feel that I am a failure.
____ 4. I am able to do things as well as most other people.
____ 5. I feel I do not have much to be proud of.
____ 6. I take a positive attitude toward myself.
____ 7. On the whole, I am satisfied with myself.
____ 8. I wish I could have more respect for myself.
____ 9. I certainly feel useless at times.
____10. At times I think I am no good at all.
____11. In the past 6 months, I feel I have made meaningful new relationships.
____12. In the past 6 months, I have had good relationships with my friends.
____13. In the past 6 months, I have had good relationships with my family and/or significant other.
____14. In the past 6 months, I have generally been capable and/or resourceful in handling my own problems.
____15. In the past 6 months, I have had a positive outlook for the future.
____16. In the past 6 months I have used the following crisis services:
__Crisis Line __Special Contact with Therapist/CM __Psychiatric Hospitalization __Emergency Room __Other __None
Guidelines for Team Interaction
Listen—with full attention and without defensiveness.
Care—for each person and their feelings.
Support—one another by attacking only the process, not the person.
Trust—each other’s competence and practice good will with one another.
Talk straight—be honest and open with no hidden agendas, take no cheap shots.
Meetings and Time—Meetings start and end on time;
Use only our scheduled time;
Focus on the subject at hand;
Fun and celebration—they are always goals for meetings.
My Crisis Card w/examples
10. No stress—great vacation
9.
8.
7.
6.
5. Feeling bored—go to movie
4.
3. Withdrawn from people
2. Feeling very paranoid, I think people are talking about me.
1. Hospitalization
My Crisis Card (for self examination)
10.
9.
8.
7.
6.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.
Self-Care Plan (for self examination)
Things I will do to take care of myself:
When will I do them?
What do I need to do them?
Is there anything I need from others?
If so, when and how will I ask for it?
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is ensuring the privacy of those we serve. We only use first names for callers and for Warm Line Mentors.
Part of confidentiality is to keep what is learned in the Warm Line meetings and/or on the phone calls within the boundaries of the Warm Line. Feel free to discuss this information with Warm Line Mentors in meetings, with staff advisors or if there is an emergency, with a crisis staff.
If you wish to talk about something regarding the Warm Line with another Mentor find a quiet place so that you will be able to protect the confidentiality of the caller or Mentor.
If you learn that someone is hospitalized from a family member and the Warm Line has not been notified—you CANNOT share that information with Warm Line Mentors!
If someone calls the Warm Line from the hospital, it is within boundaries to share this information with other Mentors.
Mental Health Association of New Mexico
CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT
Check one: ___Employee ___Board Member ___Volunteer ___Student
______(Name)
I understand that all information about all consumers and other staff members is strictly confidential. This confidentiality is required by the MHAofNM and by state and federal laws. Violation of these laws may be cause for immediate termination with prejudice for rehire in any capacity.
I understand that by reason of my association with the MHAofNM I may come into possession of information concerning issues and/or problems of consumers and that I am responsible for protecting that information from unauthorized disclosure.
I shall respect the privacy of the people the MHAofNM serves and hold in confidence all information obtained in the course of my interactions whether it is obtained through written reports or by direct communication. I shall possess an ethical attitude that upholds confidentiality towards consumers served at the MHAofNM, towards other employees, Mentors, students or volunteers and towards any sensitive situations arising within the offices of the MHAofNM.
In the event of termination I shall continue to maintain consumer confidentiality.
I have read and understand the above and agree to abide by the standards and rules of confidentiality as stated in the above.
______Signature ______Date ______Witness Signature ______Date
Warm Line Peer Mentor Policies and Procedures
1. Each mentor is responsible to arrive by 3:45pm for the beginning of his/her shift to assist in preparing for the shift.
2. If a mentor does not arrive by 4:30pm and does not call, staff of MHA, at their discretion MAY call another Mentor to find a substitute to work. If the originally scheduled Mentor arrives after the substitute has been arranged, he/she will be instructed to go home and will not fill out paperwork etc.
3. If a Mentor does not come into work without previous notification he/she will be placed on probationary status, an incident report will be filed detailing the ‘no show’ and a decision regarding continued employment will be made by staff of the MHA; if employment continues additional training will be required prior to returning to work. *Mentors may leave a voice mail on the MHA phone if he/she cannot contact MHA staff prior to scheduled arrival.
4. If a Mentor has 3 or more incident reports in two months, the reports will be reviewed by staff and the oversight committee to determine if this is a chronic problem and if action should be taken.
5. Mentors are to request a change in schedule during weekly meeting, and inform the MHA staff if there needs to be a ‘fill-in’.
6. If a change of schedule needs to be made after the weekly meeting, inform the MHA staff.
7. If an emergency occurs immediately before or during a shift, notify the MHA staff as soon as possible. The MHA staff will assist in finding a replacement or if none is available will fill the position him/herself.
8. Two people will be present for each shift: a Mentor and a staff from MHA. In the event of a crisis call one of the individuals present will than assist with the crisis call.
9. Mentors are to identify themselves on the phone by first name only.
10. Outreach calls are made to individuals and callers who request to be called. Calls are also made to individuals with whom Mentors have spoken to—and there is concern about that individual.
11. Written requests for leave of absence (up to one month) may be scheduled. For any leave over one month the oversight committee will make the decision if it will be scheduled or if the Mentor should consider resigning.
12. Mentors work in close physical proximity; please remember to keep your voice down and avoid unnecessary outbursts.
13. It is unacceptable to eat during a phone call: take a break and please clean up after yourself.
14. Only two smoke breaks per hour are permitted.
15. All Mentors are expected to attend weekly support group/supervision. If a Mentor cannot attend than he/she is to call in advance.
16. No sexually explicit conversation, innuendos, videos, etc. while working on the Warm Line with callers or team members.
17. This is NOT a dating service!! It is NOT appropriate to ask personal questions, flirt or ask a caller out for a date!!! Remember to identify yourself with first name only and do not share personal information with callers. Ask MHA staff for assistance if this is a problem and bring it up for discussion at the weekly meetings.
18. NO ADVICE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OR MEDICATIONS is to be given. Mentors are to acknowledge what the caller is saying and then refer caller to his/her physician, psychiatrist, therapist, case manager, nurse etc.
19. Warm Line calls may be passed on to another Mentor or staff if the call is too difficult to handle but only after getting verbal permission from the caller. In the event of a crisis call the other person in the office should access the crisis line to get more assistance with the call.
20. If a caller requests to speak to another Mentor, pass the call or take a message if the other Mentor is busy or unavailable. The Mentor will return the call when he/she is finished with the other cal or returns to workl.
21. Do not answer questions about who is working or when he/she is working. Do not give out information on the location of the Warm Line.
22. Any difficulties experienced by the Mentors are to be kept within the program and discussed at the weekly support/supervision meeting. If there is a particularly difficult problem it will be taken to the oversight committee for review.
23. Breech of confidentiality is grounds for immediate dismissal from the Warm Line. This includes giving out confidential information.
24. Only MHA staff will have keys to the building.
25. Radios and TV may be played as long as the volume is low so the noise level does not disturb callers and Mentors.
26. Keep personal phone calls to a minimum (5 minutes) so that the Warm Line phone line is not tied up.