`Voice that Cares': Psycho-Social First Aid helpline launched in Telugu
This free helpline which is already offered in Hindi and English languages offers free psychosocial counseling support to people in emotional and mental distress.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 9 Feb 2022 4:43 AM GMT
Amaravati: Voice that Cares, a Psycho-Social First Aid (PSFA) helpline offered by the Heartfulness Institute and Ripples of Change Foundation (ROCF), was launched in Telugu for the general public.
The helpline has been launched in collaboration with the AP State Police Department.
This free helpline which is already offered in Hindi and English languages offers free psychosocial counseling support to people in emotional and mental distress.
Additional DGP, IG, DIG, SP, Commissioners, and all police officers up to the rank of Sub Inspectors participated in the event.
Director-General of Police said that mental and emotional health are key factors of overall wellbeing in society. He said AP State Police understand its significance in maintaining law and order.
He said by collaborating with 'Voice that Cares', AP Police is actively addressing issues that are increasingly causing discord in people's lives.
About Voice that Cares:
Voice that Cares was launched during the peak of the COVID pandemic in June 2021. It was aimed to build a mentally resilient nation. The COVID-19 pandemic has created an environment of prolonged fear and uncertainty resulting in shared trauma and mental health issues across communities.
It provides counseling support on a wide range of mental health matters including anxiety, fear, panic attacks, domestic violence, anger, pandemic-induced psychological issues, and more. A team of trained counselors staff this helpline to provide counseling with empathy and care to people in distress, and offer individuals an improved ability to manage their overall wellbeing and mental health.
In the seven months, 'Voice that Cares' has clocked 1,700 hours of counseling support to help 6,500 callers from across 23 states in India. Three out of five callers were youth between the age of 18 and 30, with depression (23%) and anxiety (17%) being the chief complaints. This service is now being offered in Telugu and rolled out across Andhra Pradesh since 19% of the calls received were from this state.
Helpline number- 8448-8448-45
Timings: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
