Text Box: Excerpts from our business plan (November 2008) When a group of enthusiastic, progressive and recovery-oriented people got together to develop a warmline nearly 10 years ago, they thought that they were doing just that – creating a phone line. As it turns out they created a community. Warmline, Inc. is a magnificent community that grows together, celebrates together and provides support. Over the past decade, over 100 people have been trained to become Volunteer Peer Counselors (VPCs); they answer the phone with compassion and attentiveness. Warmline, Inc. has received over 45,000 calls from consumers in the community who are lonely, anxious and isolated. Due to the high prevalence of stigma in regards to mental illness, many people have become disconnected from family friends and have a very small support network, if any. Usually, non-crisis paid professional support is not available to consumers after 5:00 p.m. After people finish supper and settle in for the evening, the sense of isolation kicks in. As paid staff are not available at this time, support evaporates. Fortunately, Warmline, Inc. VPCs are available and looking forward to taking calls from other consumers in the community who want to talk about their day, their problems and their successes. Sometimes a caller simply needs the phone number of a community resource. Other times, a caller may want to role-play with a VPC to prepare for an uncomfortable meeting that is coming up. The role of Warmline, Inc. is significant in the community in that callers often relay that they would have gone to an emergency department or placed a crisis call if Warmline, Inc. was not available. This has saved local public and private hospitals thousands of dollars. Additionally, members of law enforcement and the Milwaukee County Crisis Team are more available to work with those actually experiencing a crisis. Warmline, Inc. not only diverts people from unneeded services, but assists callers in developing alternatives to the high-end services described above. By collaborating with NAMI and managed care organizations, we are able to connect with those most in need. We partner with a homeless shelter so that guests there are able to access a telephone to call Warmline, Inc. during their stay. Therapists, case managers, social workers and even psychiatrists notice a positive difference in their clients who call Warmline, Inc. These positive differences are also evident in the VPCs who take the calls. Most people who volunteer at Warmline, Inc. report an increase in self-esteem due to their involvement at Warmline, Inc. It’s always surprising when someone in the community says that they haven’t heard of Warmline, Inc. “How can that be,” we wonder! Description of Services The telephone lines at Warmline, Inc. are open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm. At 7:00 p.m., the phones begin ringing. Each caller is allowed up to 15 minutes to talk with a VPC. When there are about two minutes remaining in the phone call, the VPC will gently let the caller know so the call doesn’t end abruptly. Callers do not have to use the entire 15 minutes, but most do. If they would like to call back, they need to wait an hour between calls so that everyone has a chance to talk with a VPC. During the shift, the supervisor listens to the VPC’s part of the conversation. This is so that they can be ready to provide additional support and resources. For example, the caller may need information about food pantries or a phone number to a community resource. The supervisor will look up this number and pass it on to the VPC so that she or he can remain focused on the caller. Supervisors also share insights and feedback with the volunteers. If a VPC indicates that the call is difficult or hot, the supervisor is on hand to step in to take over the call, or get additional help from the crisis team. The crisis team is located two doors down from the office. When necessary, a member of the crisis team comes to the Warmline, Inc. office and will talk with the caller. The supervisor acts as a liaison between Warmline, Inc., and the Crisis Team. Less than 1% of the 45,000 calls that Warmline, Inc. has received over the past 8 years have been considered hot calls that required assistance from the crisis team. Many of these calls may have turned hot if a person having a difficult time couldn’t get through to anybody to talk with. By having someone to talk to during early signs of distress, crisis can be averted. The VPCs listen and provide support so that the caller may make decisions that will have a positive outcome. Because the caller makes the decisions, they feel more empowered and are more likely to act on them. Sometimes all a person needs is for somebody to be a cheerleader for her or him to validate his or her concerns. Warmline, Inc. VPCs serve as role models for the callers and the community. By being active members of the community, VPCs demonstrate that recovery is possible and stigma can be fought. This is imperative because stigma is the number one reason that many people do not seek out help and treatment. Who Do We Serve? We serve people in Milwaukee County who are living with mental illness who often feel hopeless, helpless, isolated or lonely. By having the ability and power to call Warmline, Inc. callers take an active role in their recovery. Callers feel reassured and positive after a call and don't have to bother caseworkers or therapists after hours. People can also call Warmline, Inc. instead of a family member since all too often conflict, misunderstanding and strife exist in many of their families. We often hear from callers that they are told “if you call me one more time this week I'm not going to give you your check on Saturday.” One caller stated “being able to call Warmline makes me feel like someone cares about me and will listen without judging.” Warmline, Inc. receives calls from people living in group homes, with their family or roommates, or on their own. Some of the Warmline, Inc. callers are homeless. Consumers who are staying at one of the shelters in the community are allowed to use the office phones at night to call Warmline, Inc. These phones are usually off limits to guests of the shelter. Each of these environments can be lonely and isolating even if there are other people around. We serve consumers who are at a place in their recovery where they want to and are able to give back to community by becoming Volunteer Peer Counselors. For many, this is the first time that their mental illness is viewed as strength rather than something to be ashamed of or to hide. “It gives me a great deal of purpose- it’s a chance to give back to the community.” -- from a VPC Here is some of what the community says about Warmline, Inc.: The Director of the Crisis Service says “Warmline has been a godsend not only to the Crisis Services but also to the Milwaukee County community as a whole.” The intake coordinator of a major metropolitan hospital shared that she feels good when “we provide a Warmline, Inc. brochure and business card to patients when they are discharged.” An officer from the Milwaukee Police Department stated that when “a referral to Warmline is be made, the law enforcement resources are then freed up to assist with other calls in the community.” There is no other business like Warmline, Inc. in Milwaukee County. We are carrying out duties that used to only be performed by professional, accredited, paid staff. We are completely staffed by consumers, or people who “have been there.” While other programs have come and gone, we have been able to thrive over the past eight years. Most significantly, we provide services for the people who call Warmline, Inc. and for those who volunteer at Warmline, Inc. Callers feel really “listened to” when they call. We know this based on the number of repeat callers we get, by their willingness to do things like role playing what they might say to their therapist at their next meeting, the questions they ask, and the results of problem solving conversations that have taken place during a Warmline, Inc. call. Callers appreciate how nonjudgmental and caring the VPCs are and feel empowered from these conversations. When we created Warmline, Inc. we thought we were simply creating a telephone line, but what we've learned is that we have created a community. A recovery-oriented, vibrant community that values the strengths and contributions of each member. The mission of Warmline, Inc. is to provide mental health consumers with a non-crisis support line that is staffed by people who “have been there.” These trained peer counselors will listen and provide emotional support in a caring, non-judgmental manner. They will help with problem solving and refer callers to additional resources when appropriate. Warmline, Inc. will therefore support and promote the process of recovery, empowerment, hope and healing to people with mental illness.

Winter 2008-09
Text Box: Behind the Scenes at Warmline, Inc.

“GEP peer support has helped me understand how to deal with my mental illness, how to be a better person, being able to advocate for my peers.

I have attended the last four GEP Conferences and have learned a lot from these informative and educational courses that were provided by GEP.

GEP has helped me know how to manage and handle my mental illness, and to make life more enjoyable as I struggle hard to recover.” - Cliff P.

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Text Box: Creating opportunities for people with mental illness to exercise power in their lives