VIA LINK Phone Helplines

Contact Center Specialists include paid staff as well as volunteers. All are trained to assist callers for a wide range of concerns including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, loneliness, interpersonal problems and financial issues. Our Contact Center operates as a blended center, where every Specialist is trained to handle information and referral calls and they are all highly trained in crisis intervention and suicide prevention. This means that calls that come in on the 2-1-1 helpline will be answered by the same Specialists that answer calls on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Icon of telephone

Our Telephone Helplines

All VIA LINK helplines are available 24/7 and they are free to the public. If you or someone you know is in danger or needs immediate medical attention, please call 9-1-1 immediately.

For Information & Referrals:

Call 2-1-1    OR    504-269-2673

2-1-1 is a 24/7 helpline that provides comprehensive information and referral. VIA LINK answers 2-1-1 calls for 10 parishes in southeast Louisiana, including: Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, Saint Bernard, Saint Charles, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Tammany, Washington, Tangipahoa, and Lafourche.

For Crisis Counseling:

Call 1-800-273-TALK

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a 24-hour national crisis line and is a safe space to talk about whatever is troubling you. Trained Crisis Intervention Specialists, also known simply as Specialists, are available to assist you in working through thoughts of suicide and will help you come up with a plan for safety. VIA LINK answers Lifeline calls for three area codes – 504, 985, and 337.

Additional VIA LINK telephone crisis helplines include:

The Baton Rouge Crisis Line (844-452-2133) is available 24/7 to anyone in the following parishes: Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St. James, West Feliciana, and West Baton Rouge.

The Southwest Louisiana Crisis Line, which serves these parishes: Vernon, Rapides, Beauregard, Allen, Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis, and Cameron.

2-1-1 callers in the VIA LINK service area and in the Baton Rouge 2-1-1 service area can connect to a VIA LINK Specialist. When dialing 2-1-1, callers should listen to the prompts and select the “Crisis” option to be routed to a Crisis Intervention Specialist.

Terms of Service

Terms of Service

Nature of VIA LINK telephone helplines
YOUR PARTICIPATION IN ANY VIA LINK TELEPHONE HELPLINES DOES NOT CONSTITUTE MENTAL HEALTH CARE OR TREATMENT AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP, A THERAPIST-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP OR ANY OTHER SORT OF CONFIDENTIAL RELATIONSHIP. THIS SERVICE IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL HEALTH CARE. IF YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE EXPERIENCING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, CALL YOUR DOCTOR OR 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY.

VIA LINK and any of their employees, volunteers or agents are not responsible for any decisions, or results of the decisions that you make during, after, or as a result of using the Telephone Helplines. This includes whether you choose to seek or not seek professional care, or to modify or terminate specific treatment that you are currently receiving.  You assume all risk for use of this service. VIA LINK and any of their employees, volunteers, or agents have no liability for actions taken by you or a third party, or not taken by you or a third party, and you agree to indemnify us and hold us harmless for damages arising out of information provided through this service. Without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall VIA LINK be liable for any special, incidental, consequential, or indirect damages. This service is provided on an “as is” basis and “as available” basis. VIA LINK expressly disclaims all warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, and makes no warranty that VIA LINK’s Telephone Helplines will a) meet your requirements; b) be uninterrupted, timely, confidential, secure, or error-free; or c) meet your expectations.

Modification of the Terms, Conditions and Privacy Statement
These statements may be modified from time to time. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting. Each time you use our helpline services, you will be expected to comply with the current terms and conditions. When you use our services, we assume you have agreed to our most current policies and terms of service.

Terms of Service

Privacy Policy

Nature of VIA LINK telephone helplines
YOUR PARTICIPATION IN ANY VIA LINK TELEPHONE HELPLINES DOES NOT CONSTITUTE MENTAL HEALTH CARE OR TREATMENT AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP, A THERAPIST-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP OR ANY OTHER SORT OF CONFIDENTIAL RELATIONSHIP. THIS SERVICE IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL HEALTH CARE. IF YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE EXPERIENCING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, CALL YOUR DOCTOR OR 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY.

 

Confidentiality

VIA LINK Specialists take your confidentiality seriously.  We do not discuss or release your information to any third parties unless you give us permission,  or in circumstances in which we may be mandated by law to break confidentiality, such as the following:

  • If the Specialist believes that you are an immediate danger to yourself or someone else and needs to contact emergency services to assist.
  • In cases where reportable abuse is mentioned. VIA LINK Specialists are mandated reporters for abuse inflicted upon any of the following populations:
    • Children under the age of 18
    • Elderly persons over the age of 60
    • Any person who is disabled
    • Any person who is institutionalized, such as within a nursing home, hospital, or prison.

You are never required to provide the Specialist with any more information than you want to. VIA LINK Specialists will not make reports of any criminal activity for any reason other than those stated above.

 

COLLECTION AND USE OF NON-PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION
We also collect non-Personally Identifiable Information, which is data that cannot be directly used to identify or contact you. We may collect, use, transfer, and disclose non-Personally Identifiable Information for any purpose, including but not limited to: improving volunteer services; disclosing to third parties to generate support for VIA LINK programs and services; or as required by funders.

Below are examples of the Information that we collect and how we may use it:

  • We may collect information such as age, gender, ethnicity, zip code, disability status, military status, and area code, to better understand our visitors and improve our service.
  • We also may collect information regarding usage of helplines such as the conversation volume, average length of conversation, and other data. This information is aggregated and helps us conduct internal research so we can improve the quality of our services.

 

Third-party disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your Personally Identifiable Information.

No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing / promotional purposes. All other categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.

 

Modification of the Terms, Conditions and Privacy Statement
These statements may be modified from time to time. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting. Each time you use our helpline services, you will be expected to comply with the current terms and conditions. When you use our services, we assume you have agreed to our most current policies and terms of service.

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