ASD Implements Suicide Prevention Call Support System To Help Distressed Callers
Media, PA—Imagine a scenario where a call to a funeral home could actually save a life. It may sound illogical, until you consider the fact that every 12 minutes a person in the United States chooses to commit suicide. When someone is feeling hopeless or alone, there is no telling who they might contact, and in some cases they will reach out to a funeral home.
ASD – Answering Service for Directors is known for taking “life’s most difficult calls.” Due to situations that have occurred in the past, the company wanted to do its part to help when a call is answered at ASD from someone who indicates that they are considering taking their own life. ASD created the Suicide Prevention Call Support System to give its operators a way to seamlessly connect with suicide hotline operators 24/7.
ASD Call Specialists can now press an emergency button on their keyboard to immediately alert a Suicide Hotline in the funeral home’s local area when they are speaking to someone in crisis. The call can be made to the hotline without the ASD Call Specialist interrupting the caller or placing him or her on hold. The hotline operator will hear a recording alerting them that a distressed and possibly suicidal person is on the line speaking to an ASD Call Specialist. This alert will instruct the hotline operator to press any key to be 3-way connected into the call.
Although this is a rare situation, these calls have occurred at ASD. In the past,
Call Specialists have been deeply affected and troubled by conversations they have had with those who stated they were contemplating suicide. Now, ASD’s staff does not have to shoulder this burden alone and have greater peace of mind knowing they have standby support 24/7 from experienced suicide hotline operators. This new, unparalleled solution ensures that callers in a suicidal crisis will receive the emotional support and help they need without any delays.
“It is an unfortunate fact that more than 100 suicides occur every day in the United States, and between 50 and 75 percent of people who attempt suicide talk about their thoughts and feelings before the act,” says ASD Vice President and Family-Member Owner, Kevin Czachor. “If ASD’s Suicide Prevention Call Support System can make a difference for even just one of those cases, all of our efforts creating this system will be worth it. By linking ASD staff to qualified, suicide prevention operators, we can help ensure that those who are suffering receive immediate counseling, guidance and support.”
About ASD
Family Owned and Operated since 1972, ASD – Answering Service for Directors has created a new class of answering service for funeral professionals. With a visionary approach to business, ASD blends state-of-the-art technology with an extensive, 6-month training program focusing on compassionate care. ASD is the only answering service that exclusively serves the funeral profession with custom-built communication systems and sophisticated mobile tools designed solely to meet the needs of directors. For more information, visit www.myASD.com or call 1-800-868-9950.
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