Every 18 minutes, someone in the United States will complete suicide. More than 30,000 people will kill themselves 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.
The mission of North Central’s Suicide Prevention program is to decrease the occurrence of suicide in the Franklin County community.
1. Suicide Prevention 24-Hour Hotline
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. The volunteer workers also provide information and assistance to relatives, friends, co-workers and others who are concerned about a suicidal individual.
The Suicide Prevention Hotline number is
(614) 221-5445.
2. Teen Hotline
This line is answered by trained teen volunteers during evening hours and by adults during other hours. This 24-hour line provides peer counseling to adolescents who may be dealing with loneliness, depression, and other problems.
The Teen Hotline number is (614) 294-3300.
3. Senior HotlineThis 24-hour line is available to help older adults and their caregivers deal with the needs and issues of aging.
The Senior Hotline number is (614) 294-3309.
4. Speakers Bureau
Staff and trained volunteers provide awareness education about depression and suicide to schools, youth groups, civic organizations and professional groups.
To request a speaker, please contact the
Suicide Prevention Services at (614) 299-6600.
Volunteering
To volunteer for the Suicide Hotline, please contact the Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator at (614) 299-6600, extension #2073, or email volunteer@ncmhs.org. Classes for new volunteers are provided in the spring and fall.
