Suicide hotline faces deadline for own survival

Thursday, Sept. 24, 1998 | 10:54 a.m.

An organization that has spent the past 30 years talking people out of killing themselves may find itself at the end of its rope Sept. 30 because of a lack of financial support.

That is the deadline facing the Suicide Prevention Hotline, which answers an estimated 500 calls per month from people who are desperate and have no where else to turn, according to the private, nonprofit organization's director.

"We are in immediate need of about $5,000," said Dorothy Bryant, the group's chief executive officer almost since it was organized with funds provided by a UNLV grant in 1969.

The organization needs between $20,000 and $25,000 above the $5,000 to stay afloat for the remainder of the year.

The annual operating budget of Suicide Prevention Hotline is $100,000.

Bryant says the money comes from private donations. Attempts to use professional fund-raisers in the past have failed.

"We would like someone to help us write a grant," she said.

Nevada leads the nation in suicides, according to Bryant, with a ratio of about 24.5 per 100,000 population compared to about 12.5 per 100,000 nationwide.

"Our rate has gone down a little bit," Bryant said. "It had been 27 per 100,000."

She said donations have begun decreasing at a time when expenses are increasing, making it impossible to continue manning phone calls after the end of the month.

"We've gotten to the point where we can't go on because of the increase," she said.

At least one new program, one that involves using the Internet as a resource, has been put on hold until the organization knows if it is going to survive.

Bryant said United Way has been helpful in the past, but the Suicide Prevention Hotline is not among its umbrella organizations and so the group has depended almost entirely upon a helping hand from private individuals.

There are three part-time workers who receive pay, unless there is no money, and then they, too, become volunteers, Bryant said.

Volunteers man the calls that mostly come from Southern Nevada, but many also come from Southern California and Arizona.

"We have one of the lowest operating bills in the nation," Bryant said.

She said the organization has tried many ways to raise funds, even holding yard sales.

"But doing our own fund-raising depletes our effectiveness," she said, explaining that they have to focus their attention on helping those in need.

Donations may be mailed to Suicide Prevention Center, 3342 S. Sandhill Road, No. 9-528, Las Vegas, NV 89121.

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