Crisis Support Services of Alameda County, as well as most crisis lines in the US, aim to minimize hospitalizations and police interventions. We call those Active Rescues.

In FY2013-2014, we took 65,729 calls where only 144 calls resulted in Active Rescues. That is about 0.2% of our calls. We would only do an active rescue if the caller has already harmed themselves with the intent to die (It becomes a medical emergency then), or we have exhausted all options in keeping the caller safe and there is a high likelihood the person will die if no intervention is done.

We know going to the hospital can be a traumatizing experience for many people. We understand the real world impact of hospitalization, including medical/ambulance bills, time off from work, and loss of autonomy.

We provide collaborative problem solving, where the caller is in the center of their own care. For most people, talking to someone on our crisis lines and telling their story will bring down the suicidal feelings. Follow up is a way we can minimize Active Rescues. With your help, instead of sending someone to the hospital, we can have our crisis line counselors reach out to the caller at regular intervals to provide additional emotional support, provide linkage to community resources, and help a person get through their suicidal crisis.

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