In 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, at CPTCSA we created the ‘Rapha’ crisis helpline. We created this to be a free resource, open to anyone needing to talk to someone about their problems and receive support. We have found that the telephone helpline has provided those with limited access to online services with an opportunity to receive accessible mental health support.
- Callers are affected by conditions including personality issues, disabilities, and depression;
- People can contact the helpline via telephone call, text message or email;
- The helpline is operated by three social workers, as well as a supervisor;
- Many callers have not attempted to seek mental health support previously, in part because they would not be able to cover psychologist fees.
Through the Rapha helpline, CPTCSA makes mental health support more accessible and is able to refer helpline callers to government psychologists when appropriate.
The world doesn’t stop during the pandemic. We should innovate ourselves. Use technology.
You can read more about our interventions to support mental health and emotional wellbeing in the practitioner guidance paper attached.
Do you have any comments you can share with the community relating to our work, or learnings about how your organisation supported mental health during the pandemic? Please share, or post any follow-up questions for us at CPTCSA below - we'd love to hear from you.
The attached resources are part of the How We Care series, an innovative space for those working with children and families to share practice. By practitioners, for practitioners. Learnings from 2 other Family for Every Child members, on this theme, have been shared here.
