HELP Line, a UVA student-led and operated crisis hotline opened its telephone lines for the current school year on September 12, 2022. The HELP Line phone number is 434-924-TALK, and its services are anonymous, confidential, and non-judgmental. The program welcomes a new staff of anonymous volunteers to the phone lines following an intensive semester of training last spring.

For those unfamiliar with HELP Line, this Madison House program provides callers with a judgment-free, confidential, and empathetic space to be heard and helped. The phones are operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the academic school year, and the service is available for both students and members of the Charlottesville community. The student volunteers are trained to listen to callers with a variety of issues, from relationship problems to mental health issues; and while HELP Line volunteers are not professional counselors, they are well equipped to refer callers to appropriate resources to seek long-term help. In addition to telephone support, HELP Line maintains an extensive list of national, local, and UVA resources designed to support individuals through a variety of challenging situations and crises.

Elise Carey, a current fourth year biomedical engineering student serving as HELP Line’s outreach director, joined the program in her second year. She says her desire to become a more empathetic listener for people in communities around her led her to the program. Elise emphasizes that HELP Line seeks to be a resource for students and community members going through all types of issues. She emphasizes that “there is nothing too big or too small” for discussion with volunteers on the line. Elise says, “While some may think that the line is just a major crisis hotline and they can’t call with something small, we’re here to talk about anything.”

HELP Line (434-924-TALK) is a 24/7 free and confidential telephone hotline serving community members and students of the University of Virginia.

Author: Caroline Young