Be An Active Listener for Concern Hotline

Our conversation today took place in the offices at Concern Hotline with Executive Director Rusty Holland and Program Manager Charly Franks. Concern Hotline is a free 24/7/365 anonymous information & referral, crisis intervention, and suicide prevention hotline serving the Northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. We talked about the services offered by the organization over the last 55 years they've been in existence. Charly talked about the value of active listening skills for their volunteers and talked about the empathy and kindness required for those who want to help. Rusty told us about their plans in 2023 to offer group trainings for organizations, businesses, and educational systems throughout our community. We also discussed the need to increase awareness about suicide prevention, Concern Hotline, and teach our community to hear and understand "invitations" to talk about suicide. Find more information on their website: https://concernhotline.org/ and follow them on Facebook. For Concern Hotline calls, dial any of these local numbers: 540-667-0145 Clarke, Frederick, Winchester County   540-459-4742 Shenandoah County   540-743-3733 Page County   540-635-4357 Warren County