Safe Alliance has launched the Greater Charlotte Hope Line (980-771-HOPE or 980-771-4673) to improve the lives of families throughout Mecklenburg County. The free, safe, confidential 24/7 hotline provides critical resources for parent support as well as victims and at-risk citizens of child abuse, neglect and sexual and domestic violence.
Safe Alliance President and CEO Karen Parker explained that “current systems through which we respond to family violence are fragmented and overburdened. Our goal is to provide a streamlined solution to make it easier for people to get the help they need – fast.”
The U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect states that domestic violence is the single greatest precursor to child abuse and neglect in the U.S. “This is about family,” says Safe Alliance’s Deputy Chief Operating Officer Cori Goldstein. “A key piece of our new hotline is to provide families with the information, resources and emotional support necessary to weather life’s turbulent periods. The Hope Line will do just that.”
Safe Alliance has a proven track record of offering a trauma-informed, victim-centered response to survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence on current 24/7 hotlines. The addition of the Hope Line—a collaborative community resource offering guidance to parents—is a great asset to Safe Alliance’s existing services. The hotline is a collective resource that provides trained staff who navigate any parenting concern and continue to offer support for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.
The Greater Charlotte Hope Line represents a unique partnership between Safe Alliance, the county’s only provider of domestic and sexual violence crisis services, and Mecklenburg County’s Department of Social Services, a public entity charged with protecting the community’s most vulnerable children. The service will provide emotional support, education and guidance to parents struggling to navigate challenging parent/child relationships, education about the dynamics and warning signs of interpersonal violence, and crisis counseling, safety planning and education to victims of sexual assault or domestic violence, including guidance for victims seeking to keep their families safe.
The Hope Line is staffed by advocates who undergo 80 hours of cross-disciplinary training to assist in virtually any prevention and intervention scenario. This rigorous training includes motivational interviewing, child development, child abuse/neglect, sexual assault, domestic violence and trauma components. Strong partnerships with organizations throughout Mecklenburg County will ensure that people who call in receive the most relevant information and guidance possible.
As with Safe Alliance best practices, confidentiality and safety are the top priorities of the program.
“Our goal is to change lives for the better,” said Parker. “When we say ‘Hope is Calling,’ we mean it.’”
For more information, visit the Greater Charlotte Hope Line webpage.
If you need someone to talk to, please call 980-771-HOPE or 980-771-4673.