In the nearly nine years since first launching, the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline has responded to more than 78,000 calls, texts and chats.
Today the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline was featured in a special report by KTVB 7 news in Boise, which highlighted their services and impact on the community.
Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline Director Lee Flinn shared that, “Idaho’s suicide rate right now is 46% higher than the national rate. So it’s quite high…We really are here for anyone who is in crisis, whether it’s a suicidal crisis or a different kind of crisis, and we want people to know that we’re always here and we’re always ready to listen.”
The volume of incoming requests for help is increasing, with August bringing in the most contacts to date. And while helping a record number of people is keeping their 80 volunteers and staff busier than ever, Lee Flinn feels it’s a good sign, saying, “it means that people are reaching out for help, and we want people to reach out for help.”
To watch the video and read the full story, visit the KTVB website.
When your organization is featured in the media, be sure to let me know so I can share it on our blog!
When the Coronavirus pandemic forced daycares and schools to close, many Canadians, especially women, had to reduce their work hours or leave their jobs entirely. According to Statistics Canada, more than 48% of Canadian parents struggle to find affordable childcare, leading to 27% delaying their return to work and 41% adjusting their work schedules to accommodate caregiving.
An Angus Reid poll found that more than 70% of Canadians favour a national childcare program. The upcoming election will give Canadians their say on which plan they prefer, with the Liberal Party advocating for government subsidization that results in C$10/day childcare costs for families. The Conservatives prefer offering up to C$6,000 per year to parents to help them pay for childcare costs.
Returning to school and beginning a new academic year can cause feelings of anxiety and uncertainty in any circumstances, but the impact of COVID-19 makes the event extra stressful on students, parents, and educators alike.
Each year, Mental Health America releases a back to school toolkit aimed at helping people start the new school year right with healthy habits and an awareness of stress and mental health. MHA focuses on the need to prioritize mental health and emotional well-being so that all students can thrive both in and out of the school setting.
The 2021 Toolkit is titled Facing Fears, Supporting Students and contains hands-on materials such as:
iCarol is very proud and excited to be an exhibitor at the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) virtual conference and tradeshow July 19-22.
This will be iCarol’s third year in attendance at n4a, and second year exhibiting virtually. We are excited to once again celebrate the work of Area Agencies on Aging and Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) and continue to be amazed at how these organizations have responded and provided continuity of services amidst the Coronavirus pandemic. Older adults and those with health conditions are particularly vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19, but maintaining social connections and other services under social distance has been critical to these individuals. These organizations have stepped up in amazing ways to provide consistency and reassurance.
At our virtual n4a booth we’ll have information to share about how iCarol empowers ADRCs, AAAs, and Senior Information Lines, and other services for older adults, individuals with disabilities, and their caregivers to:
Provide social connection and ease loneliness through Telephone Reassurance Programs
Collaborate with Community-Based Organizations to address Social Determinants of Health
Participate in Health/Community Information Exchanges and No Wrong Door initiatives
Provide comprehensive I&R, Closed-Loop referral and collect outcome data
Document information included on reimbursement requests
Meet people on preferred communication channels
Integrate with other software and systems
If you’re attending the conference, be sure to visit the iCarol virtual booth to learn more, download the resources we have available, and contact us with your questions!
From Reuters: 39 million U.S. households will be issued monthly federal checks started Thursday as part of a massive expansion of the child tax credit. The Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University estimates that the expansion can lift 5 million children out of poverty and reduce the U.S. child poverty rate by up to 45%.
The approach is notable both for its wide reach – the checks issued this week will reach nearly 90% of U.S. children, according to Internal Revenue Service estimates – and for distributing half the money monthly instead of in one lump at tax time.
The program, which is not limited to low-income families, is being likened to a universal basic income for children. Single parents earning up to $75,000 and couples making up to $150,000 can receive the full credit.
Under changes made by the American Rescue Plan passed in March, families will receive up to $3,600 for every child under age 6 and $3,000 for those ages 6 to 17, up from $2,000 per child. A minimum income requirement was removed and the credit was made fully refundable, making it more accessible to parents who don’t work and those with low tax bills.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is distributing $62.4 million in grant funding to provide and increase access to effective treatment and services systems in communities throughout the nation for children, adolescents, and their families who experience traumatic events. The White House is bolstering these awards with $800,000 in American Rescue Plan (ARP) support.
In 2000, Congress established the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCTSI) as part of the Children’s Health Act. Through this initiative, a collaborative network of experts was created to further the development and dissemination of evidence-based clinical interventions for systems that serve children, adolescents, and families.
SAMHSA’s NCTSI raises awareness about the impact of . . . Learn More.
Family & Children’s Service Nashville is looking for a Data Manager to assist with the implementation and maintenance of databases, data collection systems, and strategies that optimize the efficiency and quality of data. In coordination with the Director of Data Analytics, this position helps maintain the data infrastructure to support operations, including reporting and quality assurance. This position will also support a partner nonprofit agency with database administration and reporting.
Responsibilities Include:
Create, refine, and generate reports on data and outcomes.
Identify and interpret trends or patterns in complex data sets.
Provide technical support for end users for databases and data collection systems.
Assist in quality assurance reporting by filtering and cleaning data to locate and correct problems.
Troubleshoot systems to ensure error-free functionality and end-user satisfaction by conducting research on specific issues related to individual queries or systemic issues.
On Wednesday, June 16, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced that Vibrant Emotional Health will be the administrators of the new 988 dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the United States. Vibrant, in partnership with SAMHSA, has administered the Lifeline since its creation in 2005. Click here to read SAMHSA’s full statement.
The process of creating the three-digit national number to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has been ongoing for several years. Click here For more information on 988.
The team at iCarol extends our congratulations to Vibrant Emotional Health for being designated as administrators of the 988 dialing code. Through our years working with Vibrant Emotional Health and the many Lifeline Network Centers answering calls to 1-800-273-TALK, we have seen firsthand the passion and professionalism these teams bring to their work addressing the critical public health issues of suicide and mental health. We believe that 988 will improve accessibility and equity for Americans seeking emotional support and assistance. By designating a three-digit number for suicide prevention and mental health crises, our leaders send a clear message that these concerns deserve the same immediate attention and access to assistance as a physical health emergency, while also reducing harmful stigmas that create barriers to treatment. As the leading software provider among the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network of centers, we stand ready to support our customers making the transition to answering 988, and welcome new centers coming on board for the 988 initiative.
Do you have sales experiences, experience working in or with a not-for-profit, or Admin Experience with iCarol Software? If you said yes to two or more of these, you could be the person we need!
iCarol is currently seeking candidates to fill the position of Solutions Expert, which is a sales representative role. Below is our full job listing. Interested parties can apply using the link at the bottom of this listing!
Solutions Expert/Sales Representative
The Solutions Expert is a sales representative that is part of the Business Development Team and reports to the Director of Business Development. As a Solutions Expert, you will join the Sales Team with a primary focus on new prospects to increase new sales and help with the overall growth of the company, and additional sales to current clients to ensure stability for the future of the company.
As a Solutions Expert you will work remotely within Canada or the United States. Depending on location, an office may be available at one of our many offices, if the successful candidate prefers to work within an office setting.
What we are looking for:
Experience as a sales representative
Some technical aptitude
High character, be trustworthy, authentic, and do what you say you will do
A desire to learn with the ability to be trained, take responsibility for your actions, and are able to be coached to improve
Ability to work well autonomously, and be authentic in their abilities and demeanor
Self-starter and highly motivated for success
What would make you stand out:
Experience in information technology or software sales
Experience working in a not-for-profit setting or demonstrated understanding of not-for-profit structure and needs
Experience working with the iCarol solution, preferably as an iCarol Administrator
What we can offer:
3 weeks’ vacation and 5 personal days
Comprehensive Medical, Dental and Vision coverage from your first day of employment
Employee stock ownership and 401K matching programs
Lifestyle rewards
Flexible work options
About us:
CharityLogic, a division of Harris Computer, is the makers of iCarol software. iCarol is the first and only commercially available, subscription based, helpline software management system that automates all the processes associated with managing contacts and providing iCarol Messaging (live chat and texting/SMS). While iCarol was originally built specifically for non-profit helplines, our solution serves not-for-profit agencies and government organizations of many different scopes and types who serve people in need not just over the phone, but in-person, on the web, and through live chat or texting conversations.
Did you know that iCarol can work with many telephony systems to “pop” iCarol Contact Forms onto your volunteer/staff screens when a call rings through to their workstation? These Contact Forms can even be configured to pre-populate fields based on data from the telephony system, such as whether the call may be coming from a recognized caller with a profile, or if the caller pressed certain options into your telephony’s interactive voice response (IVR) or “Phone tree” menu while they waited to get through to a specialist.
If you want to learn more, we hope you’ll join our June Support Training where we’ll share more about iCarol Telephony Integration. We will cover:
A live demo of iCarol Telephony Integration in action!
What is iCarol Telephony Integration?
What additional software is needed to subscribe to iCarol Telephony Integration?
What are some use cases for iCarol Telephony Integration?
While we typically hold our Monthly Support Trainings on the third Wednesdays each month, iCarol’s Monthly Support Training in June will take place on the last Wednesday of the month, June 30th at 2pm Eastern.
We welcome and encourage our customers to attend! You can find the registration link on the Admin Dashboard or in our Help Center announcements.
