friday, September 25, 1981
page 2
daily nebraskan
Crisis service provides volunteers for listening
By Joi Patterson
The Lincoln Personal Crisis Service has provided Lin
coln citizens with a 24-hour crisis line for almost 1 1 years.
The service, funded by the United Way, is operated by
volunteers, according to Estella Lutes, president of the
service.
' The volunteers take an 11 -week training course that
the Crisis Service directs in the fall and spring. Through
the training program, volunteers learn how to be a good
listener and how to handle crisis calls.
"The volunteers are not counselors," Lutes said. "The
purpose of the hotline is not to provide medical, psycho
logical, legal, or religious counseling, but it is to help peo
ple to help themselves."
The volunteers do, however, have a list of places to re
fer someone whose problem needs more attention, she
said.
The crisis hot line is strictly a "listening service,M Lutes
said.
"Since the calls are anonymous, the caller feels that he
or she can talk to the volunteer," Lutes said.
An answering service refers crisis line callers to the
home of the volunteer on duty. Duty shifts for the volun
teers run from four to six hours and volunteers are expect
ed to sign up for a time slot once a week.
Lutes said the service often receives calls from people
who are apologetic because they are not sure their prob
lem is a crisis," Lutes said. "We get every kind of call you
could imagine." Lutes said typical problems include lonli
ncss, depression, anxiety, suicide thoughts, sexual prob
lems, terminal illness, grief, alcohol and drugs and marital
problems.
The crisis service does evalutions so volunteers realize
what the prominent problems are at the time. Financial
problems are prominent now, Lut?s said, "probably due
tn ih tate of the economy.
The crisis service started in November, 1970. Lutes said
the source began when area mental health professionals
realized one was needed. The Lincoln Mental Health Asso
ciation and Psychology Department of UNL formed the
service.
Crisis service has about 70 volunteers from the Lin
coln area, and last year handled over 3,000 calls. Lutes
has been with the program almost from the start.
"I know the service is helpful and is needed, that's why
I'm still involved," Lutes said.
Lutes said a training program started Monday but
anyone interested can still register tor the class by con
tacting training coordinator Pat Glasier, 472-3881, btclla
Lutes, 466-6953, or by calling Personal Crisis, 475-5171.
The classes are Mondays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., at Be
thany Christian Church, 1645 Cotner Blvd.
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Departments gain
additional space
from relocation
The UNL Department of
Criminal Justice and Physics
have both gained space in
the recent move of the
Criminal Justice Department
from Brace Laboratory to
Neihardt 1100.
James Perkins, a criminal
justice instructor, said both
departments needed more
space.
Perkins said the universi
ty was cooperative in relocat
ing the Criminal Justice De
partment in the former
Centennial College space.
Centennial College
ceased to exist last semester
because of funding cuts.
Since then that space had
been unoccupied.
The Physics Department
now has more lab space in
Brace Lab and the Criminal
Justice Department acquired
four times its previous office
space by the move to Nei
hardt, Perkins said.
start stuff
Students interested in
the Washington Center for
Learning Alternatives in
ternship program for the
1982 spring semester should
make an appointment with
the Coodinator for Experi
ential Education, Oldfather
1218, 472-1452 by Oct. 5
The Non-Traditional
Student Association will
have its weekly luncheon
Friday in the Nebraska
Union. Room will be post
ed. A spaghetti supper will
be Saturday from 5 p.m. to
8 p.m. as a fund raiser for
the National Federation of
the Blind of Lincoln, said
Jim Walker, state president.
It will be at the Pantry
Restaurant in Agricultural
Hall on the State Fair
grounds. Tickets are $3 in ad
vance, $3.50 at the door
and $1.50 for children un
der 12.
Advance tickets may be
bought from staff members
at the Rehabilitation Ser
vices for the Visually Im
paired or by calling or stop
ping by their office at 1047
South St.