Call FAMILY. It’s free, confidential, and anonymous. 24 hours a day 

NEW in 2006!  JustConnect Countywide Teen Hotline.
(845) 331-5565 or 679-5999

“Hello, this is FAMILY. My name is Sarah. How can I help you?”This familiar greeting is repeated hundreds of times every day, in person and on the telephone. Only the name changes as more than one hundred trained volunteers help in our communities each week.

FAMILY is built on the idea that people can find a way to their own strengths if they have the help of someone who is a caring listener. FAMILY'S Hotline and Walk-In Centers provide that service and a lot more.

Sometimes a person calls the Hotline or comes to a Walk-In Center because they are being evicted. Sometimes they are fleeing abuse. People call because they are anxious and need to hear a calming voice. They are looking for the name of a doctor or a babysitter, or they just need to talk. Often calls are anonymous, but our counselors and case managers also work with people over time, helping to rebuild shattered lives, deal with the ups and downs of mental illness, and find a path through overwhelming circumstances requiring linkages to other helping agencies.

In 2006, FAMILY inaugurated JustConnect, our teen line. Teens are most likely to confide in a peer when it comes to talking about family problems, drugs and alcohol, peer pressure, depression, and sex. JustConnect is a great opportunity for teens to become part of a helping community, while gaining skills and building their own confidence. Find out more about JustConnect in our Just for Teens section.

Each FAMILY Walk-In Center is a unique community hub offering:

• Referrals and information on just about anything
• Twelve-step and other self-help meetings
• Individual and family counseling and case management
• Parenting support groups and classes
• Community bulletin boards, mail boxes, and free telephone calls
• Emergency food and fuel, free clothing, and housewares

FAMILY staffs the Ulster County AA Hotline and is the official after-hours, weekend, and holiday hotline for the county’s Mental Health and Social Services Departments.