OUR HISTORY

Concern Hotline was concieved in 1968 by a small group of people who, at that time, were most concerned (a word that kept coming up when discussions were held - hence the hotline name - CONCERN), about the high suicide rate in this particular area. It was not only the highest in the state of Virginia, but also ranked in the top portion of national statistics, being more than double the national rate.

Mental health services at that time were centered around the only community agency in the Planning District- the Northwestern Psychiatric Clinic. A group of "CONCERNED" individuals in the local community was asssembled under the auspices of the Northwestern Mental Health Association to form a task force, study the problem and come up with solutions. At that time not many hotlines were in existence, and those that existed were in major metropolitian areas. After a great deal of study, Concern, was born. The concepts and role model for the hotline were taken from Contact Tileministries, a proven hotline concept that was working in other areas.

Concern went into service in April 1970, and was the second hotline in Virginia, the first being in Norfolk. Until spring of 1994, Concern had coverage 24 hours a day. But, due to a reduction in volunteer staff, was forced to reduce it's hours of coverage to hours outside of NWCSB regular business hours.

In 1978, the Chapter 10 Board(Northwestern Community Services) recieved a mandate from the State of Virginia to provide 24 Hour Crisis Intervention Service to the cntire Planning District. Concern was given the responsibility of providing this service and set about the task of opening up a hotline in the other three counties that were not covered. After planning for providing service, aides were recruited and trained with the assistance of the Mental Health Advisory Board in Shenandoah and Warren Counties. Page County soon followed which meant coverage extended throughout the entire Planning District.

Concern became Concern Hotline, Inc a non-profit corportation, on April 16, 1979, and today is administered by a full time Executive Director and a part time Volunteer Coordinator, who are paid staff. Hotline listeners are all volunteers. There is an 18 member Board of Directors with representation from all the juresdictions we serve.