What is "crisislink"

CrisisLink is a non-profit 24-hour mental health and suicide-prevention hot line based in Arlington, Virginia. Founded in 1969, CrisisLink fields more than 20,000 calls annually. The majority of calls to CrisisLink are fielded by trained volunteers. CrisisLink is part of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

CrisisLink was founded in 1969 out of a church basement. It initially fielded calls on teen drug and relationship problems. After the September 11 attacks, CrisisLink set up a center at Virginia Hospital Center-Arlington and fielded 6,000 calls about potential victims in 48 hours. In 2003, the hotline won the American Association of Suicidology’s National Crisis Center Excellence Award

In June 2014, CrisisLink added a crisis texting program in Fairfax County, Virginia. Two texting lines were established, one for the greater community and another specifically for Fairfax County Public Schools. As of September 2014, both lines had generated well over 300 texting conversations.

In August 2014, CrisisLink announced its merger with Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, another Arlington-area mental health nonprofit.