Help Line was established in 1972 after Hurricane Agnes to provide a central resource for vital information for the victims of this devastating disaster. In 1975 Help Line entered into agreements with a number of area agencies to provide twenty-four crisis services. Soon after, other agencies signed onto the service, and Help Line became the crisis center for most Wyoming Valley social service agencies.

Help Line currently acts as the after-hours crisis service for twenty-one different organizations serving Luzerne and Wyoming Counties. It is the central access point for problems and issues regarding:

Mental Health Child Abuse/Neglect Reports

Transportation Drug and Alcohol

Runaway Energy Assistance

Homeless Services Victim Services

In addition to handling crisis situations, Help Line is also an information and referral service. Help Line maintains an active listing of over 300 local agencies, as well as over 16,000 additional regional, state and national resources. If you need to know where the nearest AA group meeting is being held, or the telephone number for the turkey hotline to make sure Thanksgiving dinner is a success, Help Line is there to assist you.

A unique telephone reassurance program for the homebound and elderly is administered by Help Line. The system called "Are You OK?" contacts individuals each day at specified times. When the telephone is answered, a message will let you know that this is your "Are You OK?" call. The system can also be utilized for medication reminders. If there is no answer, the system will call back in fifteen minutes; if there still is no answer, an alert will be issued and Help Line staff will contact a designated emergency contact person.

Help Line also publishes a service directory to aid agencies and individuals identifying and locating human services in Luzerne and Wyoming Counties. Directories are available at Help Line, Family Service Association, and the United Way office in Hazleton or at the United Fund office in Tunkhannock.

Over 143,000 calls were handled by the Help Line staff during the year ending June 30, 2000, approximately 390 calls per day.  The vast majority of Help Line callers were from Luzerne and Wyoming and other contiguous counties.  However, Help Line als oreceives calls from other areas of Pennsylvania, as well as from across the nation.

For additional information contact:

Thomas Foley
Director of I & R Services

Telephone: (570) 829-1341 or 1-800-432-8007
FAX: (570) 829-5055