EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC, YOU NOW HAVE THE ABILITY TO TALK THINGS THROUGH. A NEW HOTLINE CALLED "HELP 3-0-4" HAS BEEN SPECIFICALLY CREATED FOR WEST VIRGINIANS WHO NEED EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DURING THIS TIME. 13 NEWS REPORTER MORIAH DAVIS HAS THE DETAILS. NATS OF SOMEONE ANSWER PHONE IT'S AN UNDERSTATEMENT TO SAY WE'VE ALL FELT THE IMPACTS OF COVID-19 IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. BUT SOME PEOPLE NEED EXTRA SUPPORT WHEN IT COMES TO COPING.
"HELP 3-0-4" IS A HOTLINE FOR ANYONE FEELING COVID-RELATED STRESS – ANYTIME – NIGHT OR DAY. SHELIA MORAN, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS FOR FIRST CHOICE SERVICES "WHEN THEY CALL, THEY'RE GOING TO REACH A PROFESSIONAL CRISIS COUNSELOR. THE CRISIS COUNSELOR IS GOING TO TALK WITH, PROCESS WHAT'S GOING ON AND HELP THEM SORT OF FIND SOME STRESS MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, SOME PROBLEM SOLVING." IN A RECENT POLL BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION, 36 PERCENT OF AMERICANS SAY COVID- 19 IS HAVING A SERIOUS IMPACT ON THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.
59 PERCENT SAY IT'S HAVING A SERIOUS IMPACT ON THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES. AND, IN A 20-18 C-D-C STUDY, WEST VIRGINIA WAS RANKED AS THE LEAST HEALTHY STATE CONCERNING MENTAL HEALTH. MORAN "WE FEEL A LOCAL LINE IS GOING TO BE VERY HELPFUL AND WE KNOW FROM OPERATING A LOT OF OTHER HELP LINES THAT PEOPLE APPRECIATE IT WHEN THEY REACH SOMEONE THAT THEY KNOW IS FAMILIAR WITH THEM." FIRST CHOICE SERVICES REPORTS CALLS ARE UP 15 PERCENT OVER THE PAST FOUR MONTHS COMPARED TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR. THIS HOTLINE LAUNCHED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. MORAN "AFTER THE FIRST WEEK IT REALLY STARTED RINGING AND WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN QUITE A FEW CALLS, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLING US ARE ANXIOUS, LONELY, WE'RE GETTING CALLS FROM ALL AGES." STAFF MEMBERS SAY THE GOAL IS TO PREVENT A CRISIS BEFORE IT HAPPENS. MORAN "THAT'S WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THEM, WE CAN BE THAT PERSON THAT'S THERE FOR THEM WHEN THEY NEED TO TALK." MORIAH STANDUP: IF SOMEONE MENTIONS WHILE THEY ARE ON THE PHONE, THEY HAVE A DRUG ADDITION OR ANOTHER TYPE OF ADDITION, THE COMPANY OFFERS OTHER HOTLINES THEY CAN CALL FOR HELP.
IN CHARLESTON, MORIAH DAVIS, 13 NEWS WORKING FOR YOU. IN ADDITION TO CALLING, YOU CAN ALSO TEXT THE HOTLINE NUMBER FOR HELP OR GO ONLINE AND CHAT AT HELP 3-0-4 DOT-COM. IF WE WENT THROUGH ALL THAT TOO QUICKLY FOR YOU — WE'VE GOT IT ONLINE AT WOWK-TV DOT-COM. WE HAVE NEW DETAILS ABOUT A BABY THAT WAS FOUND LOCKED IN A CAR IN CHARLESTON. KATHLEEN VETTER OF SOUTH CHARLESTON HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH GROSS CHILD NEGLECT.