Call Statistics
No identification is ever requested from the callers except in a life-threatening emergency; therefore, no identification as to name or location is possible unless contributed by the caller. All calls are confidential and when personal information is obtained because of the nature of the call, it is never published or distributed. All such identifying information is destroyed immediately after the need has been satisfied.
The Line categorizes the reporting of calls under the following headings:
- Dates of call
- Times of call
- Average length of time of each call
- Guesstimate of age of callers
- Subject discussed (alcohol, authority, depression, employees, etc.) and a brief summary of the call
- Referrals given
Statistics of the calls are used for planning future training sessions and in-services for the volunteers. The statistics also assist the administration and Board of Directors to plan for changes in existing services or adding new ones that will better serve our specific population of callers.
Brief samples of the kinds of calls received on the Line are:
- Loneliness in spite of meeting with brother priests.
- Acknowledges he is drinking too much and how can he go for help?
- Feeling overwhelmed.
- Spirituality is suffering from lack of attention.
- Suffering from compassion fatigue.
- Possible suicide because of family problems; alcoholic, celibacy
- Suicide – potential allegations to be brought against him concerning child pornography.
- Wants guidance to help him decide the changes he must make in life.
- Sexual addictions. He needs and wants help, knowing the risk of STD’s, AIDS, etc.
- Living a double life and is confused, asking for help.
- Depressed thinking of his friend who is imprisoned for sexual abuse.
- Retired, lonely. Has good friends but feels they are one-way.
- Not prepared for retirement. What should he do now?
- Feels unappreciated. He gives and gives, but his generosity is never returned.
- Feels repressed, full of anger, disappointed and frustrated.
- Grateful for his 40+ years as a priest.
- The Upper Room saved his life through the Sunshine Program
- Grateful for our daily calls. He believes that we really care about him and other priests.