The IASP Helplines Best Practices Special Interest Group (SIG) was established to facilitate the exchange of information and research across helpline services. With our shared interest in helplines and related online and social media services for suicide prevention, our objective is to make a substantive contribution to improved understanding, practice and policy relating to helplines’ operation, effectiveness and impact.
To continue this mission, we are pleased to announce, and to introduce the SIG’s two new Co-Chairs, Dr Gillian Murphy, Lifeline USA’s Assistant Deputy Director and Dr Elizabeth (Liz) Scowcroft, Head of Research and Evaluation for Samaritans UK.
Drs Murphy and Scrowcroft, along with SIG Coordinator, Alena Goldstein, of Lifeline USA, recently launched the first of a new Helplines Best Practices SIG Newsletter. The Newsletter serves as a space to spotlight new helpline research and program updates and encourages its members to share their own research and learnings with the group via an elective submission form. In light of COVID-19, we recognize that Helplines across the globe have had to adapt their practices, learn new technologies, and respond to help seekers changing needs as the pandemic evolves. As this has been a difficult time for all, we are especially interested in signposting any information that may aid our fellow helpline partners in continuing to provide consistent and effective services.
The SIG welcomes submissions in any of the following categories to be shared with the group at large:
· Plans for new research and/or evaluation
· Recent publications or presentations
· Recent developments in clinical best practices
· Program innovations, and
· COVID-19 related challenges & adaptations
Lastly, for anyone who is interested in receiving updates and is not currently, please send us an email, and we’ll add you to our distribution list.
