1. Hotline Center Transfer Policy 3/24/2011 Jodi Russell, Hotline Manager Lauri Wildgoose, Director of Contracts and Grant Administration

2. Changes to Contract  Centers no longer need to report hotline outages as an incident to the contract dept. after the four hour time marker.  We ask however that you report to statewide hotline within the hour.

3. Reason for the change:  The statewide hotline currently routes callers to the local centers, when that hotline is out of operation it allows us to safety plan with the survivor directly and inform them of the mean time options.  This will also allow FCADV the ability to provide immediate technical assistance, should the need arise.

4. Transfer Process:  Centers shall inform the statewide hotline that the local hotline is temporarily suspended within an hour of learning the hotline is not in working condition.  Center staff will be able to transfer to either the 1800- 500-1119 hotline number or to a pre-designated sister center.  FCADV hotline back up staff will be available through the hotline to provide any technical assistance needed in the process of transferring lines.

5. A. If the local hotline is non-voluntarily downed centers will now be able to transfer lines to the 1800-500-1119 statewide hotline number:  Contact your local provider (ATT, century link, Verizon) and inform them that you need to transfer to the 1800- 500-1119 or sister line during the outage.  If you currently do not know how the process works for your center, please contact a representative of your service provider to initiate the process.  Call the hotline directly to inform them of the transfer.  Please state your center’s name,  who is calling on behalf of the center  and a phone number that the staff can be reached at.

6. A. Cont.  Please inform the statewide hotline advocate how long the line is expected to be down, if at all possible.  Once the local provider has transferred the line; please test call the line to assure the transfer is successful.  Once the local hotline is running and has been transferred back; please inform the statewide hotline, so that they can resume referrals to the center.

7. B. If the center is voluntarily transferring the line while it is in working condition (for upgrades, technical reasons, staff/center needs):  Most phone systems come with an internal transfer process allowing lines to forward from one location to the next. Please utilize this feature to forward calls as needed.  If your system does not allow for this; follow the instructions listed above in the bullet A. process.  Call the hotline directly to inform them of the transfer.  Please state your center’s name,  who is calling on behalf of the center  and a phone number that the staff can be reached at.

8.  Please inform the statewide hotline advocate how long the line is expected to be transferred.  Once you have forwarded the line; please test call the line to assure it has transferred.  Once the local hotline is running and has been transferred back; please inform the statewide hotline, so that they can resume referrals to the center.

9. C. If the center is transferring the line to another certified domestic violence center:  Please call the center ahead of time to assure the staffing availability to take additional hotline calls.  Call the statewide hotline directly to inform them of the transfer.  Please state your center’s name,  who is calling on behalf of the center  and a phone number that the staff can be reached at.  Once the local hotline is running and has been transferred back; please inform the statewide hotline, so that they can resume referrals to the center.

10. Questions:  Materials will be made online on Friday, March 25, 2011  Questions regarding the process, or other questions about the hotline, can be emailed directly to FCADV_hotline@fcadv.org FCADV_hotline@fcadv.org  Or to reach Jodi directly by phone: 850-216-3218