There is nothing shameful about suicide or the feelings behind it.
There may be pain, hopelessness, and feelings of isolation; but there never needs to be shame. And with help, there can be hope.
If you are in pain and would like someone to talk to, please call our crisis lines. We’re here to listen.
All calls are anonymous and confidential.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911.
Samaritan volunteers are here to listen whenever you need someone. You do not need to be suicidal to call.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911.
Samaritan volunteers are here to listen whenever you need someone. You do not need to be suicidal to call.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911.
Samaritan volunteers are here to listen whenever you need someone. You do not need to be suicidal to call.
Yoga for Grief — A SharingKindness Healing Workshop
International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day is the one day a year when people affected by suicide loss gather around the world to come together to find connection, understanding and hope through their shared experience. Join the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Cape & Islands Suicide Prevention Coalition, and the Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands on November 23rd as we remember those we have lost to suicide and those who have been affected by their loss. For more information and to register for this event, please click on the link below: https://afsp.org/survivor_day/barnstable-county-massachusetts/ To download the 2019 flyer: Survivor Day 2019 Flyer
We are a non-denominational, non-profit volunteer organization whose mission is to provide emotional support to those who are lonely, depressed, or suicidal.
Samaritan volunteers provide non-judgmental active listening to callers in need on our crisis lines, older adults in our Senior Outreach program, survivors in our Safe Place support groups for those who have lost someone to suicide, and suicide attempt survivors through our A Second Chance support program.
As members of the oldest and largest suicide prevention network in the world, The Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands encourages our community to talk openly about suicide in order to best help and provide hope to those in need.
In the Cape and Islands region, we’re most well-known for our signs posted at the Bourne and Sagamore bridges imploring tourists and locals alike to call our crisis lines if they need to talk. Although our crisis lines are an integral part of our work, The Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands offers a variety of outreach programs for people in need and educational opportunities for community members eager to learn how to help save lives.
Samaritan volunteers make a difference in the lives of our callers every day – just by picking up the phone. Our volunteers are a fantastic group of people who care. They are not counselors or therapists. They do not diagnose or offer solutions. They simply listen with empathy and compassion to callers who need to hear a friendly, caring voice.
It’s normal when you start thinking about volunteering with the Samaritans to wonder if you’ll be able to do all of this. But don’t worry. We’ll train you extensively in non-judgmental active listening and help you learn the critical skills necessary to be a Samaritan volunteer.
Without our volunteers, we couldn’t do the work we do. Will you help us make a difference?
We are a non-denominational, non-profit volunteer organization whose mission is to provide emotional support to those who are lonely, depressed, or suicidal.
Samaritan volunteers provide non-judgmental active listening to callers in need on our crisis lines, older adults in our Senior Outreach program, survivors in our Safe Place support groups for those who have lost someone to suicide, and suicide attempt survivors through our A Second Chance support program.
As members of the oldest and largest suicide prevention network in the world, The Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands encourages our community to talk openly about suicide in order to best help and provide hope to those in need.
In the Cape and Islands region, we’re most well-known for our signs posted at the Bourne and Sagamore bridges imploring tourists and locals alike to call our crisis lines if they need to talk. Although our crisis lines are an integral part of our work, The Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands offers a variety of outreach programs for people in need and educational opportunities for community members eager to learn how to help save lives.
Samaritan volunteers make a difference in the lives of our callers every day – just by picking up the phone. Our volunteers are a fantastic group of people who care. They are not counselors or therapists. They do not diagnose or offer solutions. They simply listen with empathy and compassion to callers who need to hear a friendly, caring voice.
It’s normal when you start thinking about volunteering with the Samaritans to wonder if you’ll be able to do all of this. But don’t worry. We’ll train you extensively in non-judgmental active listening and help you learn the critical skills necessary to be a Samaritan volunteer.
Without our volunteers, we couldn’t do the work we do. Will you help us make a difference?
We are a non-denominational, non-profit volunteer organization whose mission is to provide emotional support to those who are lonely, depressed, or suicidal.
Samaritan volunteers provide non-judgmental active listening to callers in need on our crisis lines, older adults in our Senior Outreach program, survivors in our Safe Place support groups for those who have lost someone to suicide, and suicide attempt survivors through our A Second Chance support program.
As members of the oldest and largest suicide prevention network in the world, The Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands encourages our community to talk openly about suicide in order to best help and provide hope to those in need.
In the Cape and Islands region, we’re most well-known for our signs posted at the Bourne and Sagamore bridges imploring tourists and locals alike to call our crisis lines if they need to talk. Although our crisis lines are an integral part of our work, The Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands offers a variety of outreach programs for people in need and educational opportunities for community members eager to learn how to help save lives.
Samaritan volunteers make a difference in the lives of our callers every day – just by picking up the phone. Our volunteers are a fantastic group of people who care. They are not counselors or therapists. They do not diagnose or offer solutions. They simply listen with empathy and compassion to callers who need to hear a friendly, caring voice.
It’s normal when you start thinking about volunteering with the Samaritans to wonder if you’ll be able to do all of this. But don’t worry. We’ll train you extensively in non-judgmental active listening and help you learn the critical skills necessary to be a Samaritan volunteer.
Without our volunteers, we couldn’t do the work we do. Will you help us make a difference?
Our Fall 2019 newsletter is hot off the presses. Be one of the first to get a glimpse by clicking here: Newsletter Fall 2019 2
12th Annual Upper Cape Bocce Festival a Great Success!
Samaritans on Cape Cod & Islands Welcomes Opportunity for Public Response
Submitted by Stephanie Kelly, Executive Director, Samaritans on Cape Cod & Islands
Date: September 26 ,2019
The September 20th Cape Cod Times article reporting unanswered calls coming into the Samaritans hotlines required and received immediate attention.- Technical issues on the statewide line 877-870-4673 occurred during a period of time when we had a single volunteer assisting other callers. Volunteers avoid ending a current call abruptly to take another. That resulted in a longer than usual wait.
- According to Steve Mongeau, Executive Director of Samaritans, Inc. in Boston, who oversees the statewide line, the problem has been rectified.
- To the best of our knowledge, we have not received any complaints about being disconnected prior to last week. On our internal call lines, our policy was to let calls ring because callers told us they would rather hear a ring than a message. To avoid any possibility of disconnection or unnecessarily long waits, we have implemented a voice message that explains our volunteers are assisting others and encourages the caller to call back shortly. If in crisis, the message encourages the caller to contact 9-1-1.
- Sincere apologies if this temporary situation left the caller who contacted the Cape Cod Times or any other caller without a response.
- Our work is 99% “upstream”, meaning prevention rather than intervention. The majority of calls are from people in need of connection: isolated, lonely, and depressed. Our role is primarily befriending and providing a listening, empathetic ear.
- The number of calls from people at imminent risk is almost non-existent. Calls come through anonymously. Volunteers have no access to Caller ID. If a person were in immediate danger, our only recourse (and our policy) is to get permission from the caller to intervene on their behalf. Over the last five years – over 100,000 calls answered – this situation has occurred only twice.
- We enjoy a very high coverage rate (98%) over three seasons and we face lower numbers when volunteers go away for the winter. Recruitment of more year round as well as seasonal volunteers is a key focus of ours.
- The primary challenge to volunteer recruitment for crisis line coverage is directly related to the misperceptions described above. Potential volunteers fear that they might at some point be responsible for someone’s life or death. That is not the case. We are not “rescuers or fixers.” We are not a mental health agency. We are not 911. What we ARE is a group of caring, compassionate, empathetic listeners and a friendly supportive voice.
- Emotional readiness – survivors who want to be volunteers need time to process their grief and have enough separation so that attention is always on the caller’s immediate needs.
- Geography – volunteers work on site at our Falmouth location so the commute must be realistic for them to be accessible when coverage is needed.
Lots of new additions!
On June 24, 2019, Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands held its 18th Monica Dickens Golf Tournament fundraiser at the beautiful Pocasset Golf Club. The weather was perfect for the event and everyone enjoyed friendly competition and camaraderie while showing commitment to the Samaritans and its mission! Our sincere thanks to everyone who helped make this event such a success!