SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE (212) 673-3000

The Samaritans is non-religious, completely confidential and has no political, social or cultural agenda. We are a non-profit, volunteer organization whose sole purpose is to provide support to those individuals and groups who are in crisis, have lost someone to suicide and/or are feeling suicidal. Samaritans volunteers are caring individuals of every age and walk of life who go through intensive training and donate over 20 hours a month of their time.

Even though it is a lay organization, Samaritans has provided training and consultations to over 30,000 students, parents, teachers, guidance counselors, therapists, police officers, social workers and others from: the NYC Department of Education, NYPD, EMS, Bellevue Hospital, Mt. Sinai Rape Crisis, Safe Horizon, NYC AIDS Task Forces, GMHC, Gay & Lesbian Switchboard, Loisaida Inc., Dept. for the Aging, NYU Graduate School of Nursing, Hunter College School of Social Work, Salvation Army, Women's Prison Association, U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, etc.

Suicidal people are faced with a number of choices. Calling the Samaritans confidential suicide prevention hotline is one of them. The Samaritans hotline offers trained volunteers who are good listeners and are available 24-hours-a-day for anyone who is depressed, in crisis or suicidal. Our non-religious hotline service is free and completely confidential.

The Samaritans philosophy, known as "befriending," provides an empathetic response to every person who calls no matter what his or her issue or problem. Samaritans volunteers do not express personal judgements or values and, instead, focus on the callers' emotions and state of mind. It is a process that requires our volunteers to suspend their own feelings and respond to whatever the caller is feeling or thinking, without focusing on some predetermined outcome or solution.

Often, when a person feels depressed or a friend or family member recognizes someone is feeling suicidal, he or she does not know where to turn. When you need someone to talk to, someone who will listen, someone who cares, the Samaritans hotline is there.