Information and Referral Services Delivered thru the ContactLifeline Crisis Helpline and Website 

Accurate information, respectfully and courteously conveyed, often means the difference between getting the help needed and feeling lost and powerless. Studies show that people seeking services call seven to eight numbers before finding the right one, or they give up before getting the help they need. Calling the ContactLifeline Crisis Helpline or using our online Community Resources Database can eliminate guessing and misdirected calls. 

Delivery Goals:

• A comprehensive statewide database of community resources available 24/7
• A phone and web based system at the fingertips of every resident 
• A communications infrastructure for crisis and social services
• Enhanced professionalism and performance standards 
• Access to help navigating the complexities of the health and social services system 
• An increased capacity to make connections between providers and consumers
• Better conclusions about critical community needs and the ability of current services to address them  

Standards of Excellence

ContactLifeline’s Community Resource Database is a free, statewide system designed to connect people in need of assistance with service providers who can help, while adhering to standards and procedures that focus on compassionate concern and client-driven response. It enables people to find out about vital resources in the Delaware community quickly and easily. You can expect to find the following:

• 24 hour live coverage, seven days a week 
• Toll-free access for callers 
• Computerized database with data collection capabilities that provides current information on state and local community resources 
• Disabled and multi-lingual accessibility 
• Crisis Helpline Resource Specialists who have been trained to provide compassionate care with the goal of helping every client develop a realistic action plan and find solutions 

ContactLifeline’s Call Center is staffed by people who care and who want to help. Resource Specialists will:

• Assess a caller's needs 
• Research to find answers to questions 
• Examine eligibility requirements and possible barriers for services 
• Direct the caller to the appropriate service provider(s) 
• Follow up with callers to ascertain whether or not their needs were met or if additional assistance is necessary 

ContactLifeline Community Resource Database Inclusion/Exclusion Policy

The purpose of ContactLifeline’s Resource Database Inclusion Policy is to ensure that the database includes the most complete, accurate and up-to-date information available for crisis service workers, the callers they serve, other service providers and the general public. As required by the accreditation standards of the Alliance of Information & Referral Systems (AIRS), the following policies are to be uniformly and fairly applied and published such that ContactLifeline staff and the public will be aware of the scope and limitations of the database. It is the intent of ContactLifeline to provide a statewide community resource database that is comprehensive, consistent and reliable.

ContactLifeline uses the “Alliance of Information & Referral Systems Definition of Human Services adopted for the field of I&R” (October 14, 2000), which is as follows: 

Activities that help people to become more self-sufficient, sustain independence, strengthen family relationships, support personal and social development and ensure the well-being of individuals, families, groups and communities. Specific human services include ensuring that people have access to adequate food, shelter, clothing, and transportation; financial resources to meet their needs; consumer education and decision support; criminal justice or legal services; education and employment; health and mental health care including substance abuse services; and environmental protection; both routinely and in times of disaster or other emergencies. Human services also facilitate the capabilities of people to care for children or other dependents; ensure that protective services are available to those who are vulnerable; provide for the support of older adults and people with disabilities; offer social, faith-based, and leisure time activities; provide for the cultural enrichment of the community; and ensure that people have the information they need to fully participate in community life. 

The ContactLifeline resource database is built and maintained with the following public and agency disclaimers in mind.

Public Disclaimers:

• A listing in the database does not constitute an endorsement of or liability for any agency program or service.
• Agencies providing services to specific populations will be so identified in the service description. 

Agency Disclaimers:

• ContactLifeline reserves the right to refuse listing any agency if, in its sole opinion, such a listing is deemed inappropriate based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria set forth herein. 
• ContactLifeline does not guarantee the outcome of any referral to an organization in the database.
• ContactLifeline reserves the right to cancel a listing when an agency no longer meets the required criteria.
• ContactLifeline reserves the right to delete any agency from the database when requests for updates are not provided.
• ContactLifeline will consider the following as a basis for denying inclusion in the database; agencies denying services on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, sexual preference, nationality, creed or whose services are illegal; and when ContactLifeline knows or has reasonable basis to believe services to clients are not in accord with the AIRS standards and commonly accepted professional practices. 

Exclusion does not reflect on any organization's contribution to the community. ContactLifeline neither guarantees nor makes any representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in the respective database. ContactLifeline disclaims any and all responsibility and liability that may be asserted or claimed resulting from or arising out of reliance upon the information and procedures presented in the database. 

Need Further Assistance – Call the Crisis Helpline at 1-800-262-9800 

Whether it is a situation where the caller needs help or is in a situation to give help, ContactLifeline’s services touch the lives of every person in the community.

87 % of service inquiries are from an individual seeking information and assistance for themselves, 67 % are female, 33% are male, and 15% are friends or relatives of the person in need of help.

The needs most frequently expressed include:

		Financial assistance		20%
		General information		16%
		Housing		10%
		Mental health services		7%
		Transportation		7%
		Health and medical care		6%
		Food		5%
		Legal assistance		4%

Another 3% of calls received are from individuals in the community interested in knowing where they can donate their time, money or product to do the most good.

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Since 1974, 
ContactLifeline 
has responded 
to over 
900,000 calls - 
24 hours a day, 
7 days a week.