Our Services
Samaritans’ goal is to reduce the risk of suicide and increase awareness about suicide prevention throughout Greater Boston and MetroWest. We accomplish this through these suicide prevention programs:
24 Hour Helpline
The Samaritans provides a free and confidential 24-hour phone befriending line: 617.247.0220 or 508.875.4500. Or you can reach us toll-free at 877.870.HOPE. more
Samariteens - We’re Here to Listen. Teen to Teen
Samariteens is a special part of our befriending service dedicated to assisting teens in despair. This help line, 800.252.TEEN(8336), is free, confidential and staffed by teenage volunteers who are trained to be compassionate and supportive listeners. more
Grief Support Services
Samaritans offers peer support services to those who have lost a loved one to suicide, including our SafePlace support groups in communities throughout greater Boston and Metrowest, and visits by trained Survivor to Survivor Network Volunteers. more
Community Education & Outreach
Education is an important and effective suicide prevention tool. Through our education and outreach program, Samaritans provides education and training on identifying those at risk for suicide and suicide prevention strategies. We are available to train schools, professional groups, civic, religious and social organizations and we target our education and outreach efforts to those groups that are at high risk for suicide including teens and elders.
In an engaging workshop, customized to run from one to three hours based on the needs of the group or school involved, participants learn important information about suicide prevention, as well as the basic concept and skills of befriending.
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As our efforts to build community awareness about suicide, suicide prevention and Samaritans’ services grow, we are more and more often called upon to provide assistance, support and counsel in the aftermath of a suicide. Our postvention program trains teachers and other adults who work with youth with a combination of previous tested crisis curricula and Samaritans’ befriending techniques.
Seniors expereince suicides at one of the highest rates of all age groups. Samaritans education and outreach efforts include prevention services to elders in our communities, primarily through two programs:
Outreach to Seniors
This program, funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, provides direct suicide prevention and wellness workshops to Seniors in independent living centers throughout Greater Boston. For more information about the program, or to request a training, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Elder Community Care
This is a collaborative program that Samaritans participates in with Advocates, Inc. and Baypath Elder Services in which seniors identified by the program are able to sign up to receive and outbound befriending call from a trained Samaritan volunteer who is also a senior. More information about the Elder Community Care program is available through its website.
Lifeline- Suicide Prevention and Intervention
The Samaritans facilitates Lifeline, a unique suicide prevention and intervention program, in selected Eastern Massachusetts correctional facilities. Through Lifeline, volunteers provide face-to-face befriending to fellow inmates and detainees who have expressed feelings of despair and isolation, or who may have signaled in some way that they are at risk of suicide.
