Dial Help is Asking for Public Input In Order to Better Improve Their Programs and Services
HOUGHTON – Dial Help serves thousands of people each year with their crisis help line. And serves Houghton Baraga, and Keweenaw counties on an in person basis. Their reach to abuse victims, people with mental health disorders, and work with children in schools are incredibly important to the health and safety of communities throughout the Upper Peninsula. Over the years the organization has introduced various programs for outreach and other services in the region. And many of their ideas come from interactions with the community.
“And one thing that always came up in the surveys was the need for more youth services in the community. More support for students in school. In my department, cause Im the Youth Services Coordinator, the program I am most connected to is the Teen Outreach program. Which is an after school club, for the middle school ages, and that is a program that help’s students learn some resiliency skills, team building, and just is a great place for students to come after school.” – Kristine Martens Dial Help Youth Services Coordinator
Teen Outreach is one of many programs dial help has implemented geared toward the youth in the area. The service is probably best known across the Upper Peninsula for their crisis hotline; which is used by abuse victims and those struggling with mental health, to locate services or shelters in their area. As well as have a person to talk with that can listen to you story. Through Dial Help’s stakeholder survey they are able to analyze how their services affect and are used by the community.
“Some of the questions in the stakeholder survey are like, what do you know about Dial Help? A lot of people us for the crisis hotline, but maybe not so much about our other programs. So we want to know what else do you know about Dial Help? And then we want to hear from people who have had services with Dial Help. How was the service you got from Dial Help? Did you feel you were treated with dignity? And respect, and that kind of thing. And another questions that we really value is, what other services would you like to see from Dial Help offer in the community?” – Kristine Martens Dial Help Youth Services Coordinator
Dial Help’s stake holder survey is available online through their website. And can also be found on the group’s facebook page. The survey is quick and easy. And dial help appreciates all the feedback the community is able to provide.