Call 1-800-871-7741 anytime to talk to an advocate.
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Are Helpline Advocates trained mental health providers?
Our Helpline Advocates go through extensive training to prepare them to take helpline calls, but they are not trained or licensed mental health clinicians. This means that they can’t provide mental health counseling or respond to mental health crises. If a Helpline Advocate feels that a caller needs support beyond what they are trained to provide, they will offer the caller additional helpful resources. |
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Can advocates provide legal advice?
Our Helpline Advocates cannot provide legal advice. However, they can refer you to our Sexual Assault Response Team who can assist you in getting connected to free, local legal services for survivors.
Are Helpline Advocates mandatory reporters?
While our helpline is confidential, Helpline Advocates are mandated reporters. Learn more about that here.
I am under 18 years old. Will you tell my parents/caregivers if I call the helpline?
We are mandated reporters, but we will not tell your parents or caregivers if you call our helpline. We try to let a caller know that we are mandated reporters so they can make an informed decision when they talk to us. If we have to make a mandatory report to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services they might investigate. This could result in someone from DHHS speaking with your parent/caregiver. However, callers do not have to give their name or age when they call our helpline.
Can I call the helpline if I don’t speak English?
Yes! We use phone interpreters to help us talk with survivors and their loved ones who speak other languages. When you call, you can tell us the language you speak, and we will invite an interpreter to join the call for free. If a Helpline Advocate speaks your language fluently, they may offer to speak with you in your language.
Our Helpline Advocates cannot provide legal advice. However, they can refer you to our Sexual Assault Response Team who can assist you in getting connected to free, local legal services for survivors.
Are Helpline Advocates mandatory reporters?
While our helpline is confidential, Helpline Advocates are mandated reporters. Learn more about that here.
I am under 18 years old. Will you tell my parents/caregivers if I call the helpline?
We are mandated reporters, but we will not tell your parents or caregivers if you call our helpline. We try to let a caller know that we are mandated reporters so they can make an informed decision when they talk to us. If we have to make a mandatory report to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services they might investigate. This could result in someone from DHHS speaking with your parent/caregiver. However, callers do not have to give their name or age when they call our helpline.
Can I call the helpline if I don’t speak English?
Yes! We use phone interpreters to help us talk with survivors and their loved ones who speak other languages. When you call, you can tell us the language you speak, and we will invite an interpreter to join the call for free. If a Helpline Advocate speaks your language fluently, they may offer to speak with you in your language.
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Can I call the helpline if I have a speech disability or am D/deaf or hard-of-hearing?
Yes, we use Video Relay Services (VRS) to support survivors and their loved ones with speech and hearing disabilities. How Video Relay Work: Video Relay Service (VRS) allows persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing to communicate with our helpline through the telephone system with hearing persons. The caller can use a computer or phone with a video camera device and a broadband (high speed) Internet connection to contact Video Relay Service by calling 711, which will provide a qualified interpreter. The interpreter can place a telephone call to our helpline and relay the conversation back and forth between the caller using sign language and a hearing helpline advocate. Can I call the helpline if I am currently in jail or prison? Yes, we support survivors who are incarcerated. You have the right to call us for free from any phone in your facility. If the phones don’t work, ask for help calling us. Clients who are incarcerated can pass messages to their SART advocate through the helpline, but cannot be directly connected to them at that number. |
