New Mental Health Support Line

The Illinois DHS/Division of Mental Health and the Illinois Mental Health Collaborative for Access and Choice have announced the opening of a Warm Line. The Warm Line is a new opportunity in Illinois for persons with mental health challenges and their families to receive peer support by phone.

Peer and Family Support Specialists are professionals who have experienced mental health recovery in their own lives as an individual or family member. They have been trained in recovery support, mentoring, and advocacy and are ready to listen and help you.

The warm line is not a crisis hotline, but it is a source of support as you recover or help a family member to recover. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm.

Call (866) 359-7953 or TTY: (866) 880-4459
Press 2 for Consumers and Families
Press 5 for the Warm Line (Peer and Family Support by Phone)

A "warm line" is generally understood to be a place to call when you need to connect with someone. Reasons for calling might be needing support, feeling isolated, or learning about some recovery skills. Some call because they are feeling frightened, sad, or had a great day or wanted to share a success. It is not a crisis line (traditionally called a hot line), not a referral line, and not a grievance line, but rather a place to talk and be listened to.

Peer supporters, all of whom have personal experience with mental illness and recovery, answer the calls. Warm Lines have been shown to be effective in helping individuals receive support and empathy from peers and thereby to deter crisis and reduce the use of professional emergency services. The line serves to help others work through difficult situations, as well as share in positive experiences.

For more information, Google "peer support warm line."

Source: Nanette Larson, Director, Recovery Support Services, Division of Mental Health, Illinois Department of Human Services