COVID-19 GENERAL CALLER INFO

Trying times call for patience. Your instinct may be to problem solve.
That may or may not be what caller needs. First befriend!
1. Start calls as trained. – For non-DSC -ask how heard.
2. Please complete call sheet and list all the categories talked about during befriending as well as
referrals.
3. Remember – most people don’t need you to solve any problems, just want to talk about what they
are going through. Helping an adult or teen caller identify the trusted person they can talk to may
be helpful.
4. Invite DSC to call back tomorrow.
5. Educate new callers about how to use our Listening Line for daily support when family, friends and
professionals are not available.
6. For non-ME issues (housing, food, clothing, jobs, etc), if they are currently in care of a social
service agency, caseworker, social worker etc. Suggest they call their care providers directly or the
United Way 211 number and ask for advice.

COVID-19 EMERGENCY REFERRAL SHEET

This is an RI blueprint is for both caller and third-party caller.
Remember – every state has a 911, 211 and Health Department website.
Every country around the world will have similar resources.

There is a new risk group – a. those who have experienced COVID-19; b. those who know people who
have experienced COVID-19 and c. those who know people who have died by COVID-19. We have added
COVID as a call category on the call sheet.

DOESN’T MATTER IF INSURED OR NOT. BEST TO TELL CALLER TO

CALL THE REFERENCES BELOW AND ASK FOR ADVICE.

RI COVID SPECIFIC INFO LINE: Monday – Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Phone: 401-222-8022; Saturday, Sunday, and after hours: Call 211
Out-of-State COVID-19 Call 211 in any state!

1. Medical Emergencies – 911 (Caller not sure? Tell them to call 911 and ask for advice. Remember 911
can tag the callers GPS so it’s still best if the caller calls 911 directly. If caller wants you to call 911,
then our existing ME protocols still in place. You would need the caller’s name address and telephone
number. We DO NOT make 911 calls on behalf of 3rd party callers. The third-party caller must call 911
themselves.)
IMPORTANT NOTE: Reminder – whether callers are calling about themselves or a loved one, friend or
co-worker in their own state or elsewhere in the USA – they can call their own state’s 911 and describe
situation and ask for advice – their state’s 911 should be able to connect them to the 911 in the state
where the suicidal person is located.
SAMSRI COVID-19 INFO SHEET p. 2.
2. If caller is currently in care – refer caller to their primary care doctor and mental health provider.
3. People threatening suicide or addiction issues (but NOT an ME), refer caller and third- party caller to:
BHLINK – 24/7 walk-in triage center staffed by doctors, nurses and social workers. Located at 975
Waterman Avenue, East Providence RI. Telephone: 401.414.5465. (Best strategy: Tell caller or third-
party caller to call BHLink, describe situation and ask for advice.)
4. For anyone asking about children and teens – refer to KIDS LINK – 1-855-543-5465
5. If caller/third party caller does not want BHLink as an option, they can always call their local emergency
room and ask for advice. We do not know how emergency rooms are handling psychiatric/drug
emergencies so its best to say call 911 and ask for advice or call the emergency room directly and ask
for advice. You can give them the emergency room closest to them – numbers listed below.
6. For all other non-ME issues (housing, food, clothing, jobs, etc), if they are currently in care of a social
service agency, caseworker, social worker etc. Suggest they call their care providers directly or the
United Way 211 number and ask for advice.
LASTLY, FOR CALLERS IN DISTRESS OR THIRD-PARTY CALLERS – THE ABOVE IS A LOT OF INFO
TO DISGEST. REMIND THE CALLER EVERYTHING TALKED ABOUT CAN BE FOUND ON OUR
WEBSITE AT WWW.SAMARITANSRI.ORG

SCROLL DOWN FOR LIST OF RI HOSPITALS AND

COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS.

ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS/WALK-IN EMERGENCIES

Northern Rhode Island-Landmark Hospital……………………....769-4100 Extension 2180
Statewide: Butler Hospital (Has a Spanish Program)……………………..……..........434-1000
Statewide: Fatima (Psychiatric Emergency Services Only)…………........456-3000 (24 Hours)
Statewide: RI Hospital-Emergency Room…………………………….....444-4000 (Walk In’s)
Statewide: Hasbro’s Children’s Hospital Emergency Room………………………...444-4900

VETERANS SERVICES

The Veterans Hospital-Providence

VA Mental Health Clinic (8:00am-4:30pm)…………………………………………….457-3083
VA Emergency Room-*Psychiatrist Always on Call…………………………………...457-3028

COMMUNITY BASED COUNSELING PROGRAMS

Community Counseling Center (8:00am-4:30pm)…………………...Intake/Appointment for

English/Spanish………………………………………….……………………………....729-8701
Gateway Healthcare-Pawtucket/Central Falls…………....…...….…EMERGENCY 723-1915
East Bay Mental Health Center (8:30am-8:30pm), Thursdays (8:00am-5:00pm)…...431-9870
For Barrington, East Providence, Warren, Bristol, Riverside and Rumford….
…………………………………………………….....…...EMERGENCY 246-0070
Kent County Mental Health……………………………………..........………………..732-5656
For Coventry, East /West Greenwich, Warwick / West Warwick….…EMERGENCY-738-4300
Mental Health Services of Northwestern RI-Gateway Healthcare……….553-1031/729-8701
For Cranston, Foster, Gloucester, Johnston, North Providence, Scituate,
Smithfield…………………………..…………...24 HOUR EMERGENCY 553-1031/723-1915
Newport County Community Mental Health Center (M, W, and Th-9:00am-5:00pm/Tu
9:00am-7:00pm/9:00am-4:30pm)………………………………………………………...846-1213
For Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, Portsmouth and
Tiverton……………………………………………………………....EMERGENCY 846-1213
Northern RI Community Mental Health Center……………………………………...766-3330
For Burrillville, Cumberland, Lincoln, N. Smithfield, Woonsocket...EMERGENCY-...762-1577
The Providence Center………………………..Intake/Appointment; English/Spanish..273-4020
For Providence……………………………………………..……...…EMERGENCY 274-7111
South Shore Mental Health Center (8:30am-3:30pm/After hours ask for Emergency Services
and they will call back)…………………………………………………….………...…..364-7705
For Block Island, Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Narragansett, North/South Kingston,
Westerly…………………………………………………………..….EMERGENCY 364-7705

*PLEASE NOTE: Access to Professional Services is an important part of suicide prevention.

We are partners in the referral network. Numbers are for callers who are NOT seeing a Mental
Health Specialist.