A telephone service providing help, support, or information to people with particular problems. Often staffed by trained volunteers or professionals offering crisis intervention or guidance.
Compound word formed from 'help' (Old English 'helpan') and 'line' (referring to telephone line). The concept emerged in the 1950s with the rise of telephone-based counseling services. The first suicide prevention hotline was established in 1953 in London by Chad Varah.
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