Phone line Training By Wendy H, Dan M and Troy J

Preparing volunteers  Leadership qualities such as integrity, the ability to listen, and sound judgment are essential in providing phone line service.

Preparing volunteers  Responsiveness is a key principle for phone line service. This means that trusted servants should engage with callers in a sensitive, appropriate, and helpful manner.

Preparing volunteers Do not make commitments on behalf of the area, region, or NA fellowship. If a professional or member of the public contacts an NA phone line, volunteers should provide as much information about NA as they can, then contact appropriate trusted servant to connect with professional.

Preparing volunteers Avoid using NA jargon (such as “it works when you work it”, home group” get a sponsor”, etc.

Who calls the phone line?  Addicts  Non-addicts  Family members  Professionals  Clergy  Telemarketers

What type of phone calls  Requests for meeting information  Requests for general information about NA  Requests for public relations efforts (H&I, PI presentations)  Crisis calls  12 step calls  Difficult calls from addicts  Telemarketers

Requests for meeting information  Give up-to-date, accurate meeting location and times of the nearest meeting to the caller as possible.

Requests for information about NA  Meeting times, locations of nearest meetings  Service structure  Open or closed groups  Handicap accessibility  Policy

Crisis Calls  Volunteers should be very clear about where their responsibility ends.  Phone line volunteers are not counselors or crisis workers.  Threats to commit suicide, a drug overdose, or talk about being a victim of violence  Refusing to refer such callers to qualified outside crisis agencies could have legal implications, depending on the local law.

Meeting recommendations  Volunteers can respect callers’ request and recommend a meeting where they are likely to find addicts with whom they may identify.

12 step calls  A 12 step call is usually a request for assistance to get to a meeting. We carry NA’s message through 12 step calls.  A 12 step call can mean that 2 or more addicts provide a ride to an NA meeting or that volunteers simply talk with the caller, helping the potential member get to a meeting on their own.  When possible, members meet those requesting a ride to a meeting in a public place.

Difficult calls  Under the influence  Prank calls  Those who suffer from mental illness

Referrals  We do not give referrals to one specific treatment center or detox unit.  We can give a list of any and all local treatment centers and not align or affiliate ourselves with one in particular, or we can inform members of generic treatment referral numbers, such as the national treatment referral line in the United States.

Preparing volunteers  Phone line volunteers often have to perform in higher pressure situations, and they are likely to be the firsts contact that people have with NA.

Do’s  Do encourage addict to attend meetings

Do’s  Do answer all calls if possible.

Do’s  Do give them the next available meeting

Do’s  Do take their number for a follow up call

Do’s  Make sure if you are a male; and a female calls, you refer them to a female.  Make sure if you are a female; and a male calls, you refer them to a male.

Do’s  Do remember they are hurting and how much courage it takes to make this call.

Do’s  Do use NA language.  Clean  Recovery  Just for today

Don’ts  Do not make a commitment for NA as a whole.

Don’ts  Do not use the phone line to send or receive personal phone calls.

Don’ts  Do not return phone calls unless they leave a voice mail and they say to call them back.

Don’ts  Do not give out personal phone numbers of another member.

Don’ts  Do not give out specific information that does not pertain to Narcotics Anonymous.  Treatment centers  Detox centers  Half-way houses

Don’ts  Do not talk on the phone longer than 15 minutes.

Don’ts  Do not hesitate to hang up and call 911 if they are threatening to harm themselves or others.  Make sure if you get a phone call like this, you get the address of where they are, so you can relay that to 911.

What information should be given  Meeting locations of the nearest meeting available to them  Time that meeting starts

Questions?  Please feel free to ask any and all questions to someone who has attended phone line training.