• The California Peer-Run Warm Line is a 24/7 non-crisis emotional support phone and chat line serving residents of California. The California Peer-Run Warm Line is made up entirely of peers, meaning that all Warm Line Counselors have lived experience with mental health challenges. Our goal is to support our callers in emotional distress before they reach a crisis point.

• Anyone residing in California can call the California Peer-Run Warm Line. We serve people of all demographics. Anyone who wants to connect with a peer counselor is encouraged to call.

• Warm Line Counselors will hold space, listen and support you. The California Peer-Run Warm Line is not an advice line. It is our goal to empower our callers to identify their own path forward, offer support, and increase resiliency and self-advocacy.

• You can call the Warm Line three times per day. Your call count will reset at midnight 12 AM. Calls of any length with a peer counselor will count towards the 3-call limit. If your call gets disconnected a few minutes into a call, and you call back immediately, this will count as one call. In the event that you are asked to call back due to high call volume or shift changes, this will not count as a call.  

• When you call the California Peer-Run Warm Line, you will be routed to the next peer counselor who is available to take your call. We are not able to match callers to specific Peer Counselors. If you do not wish to speak to the Peer Counselor who picks up your call, you may choose to end the call and call back at another time. Please keep in mind that if you do choose to end a call it will still count towards the 3 calls per day limit.

• Everything you say on the California Peer-Run Warm Line is confidential and we do not share your information with any third parties. However, Warm Line counselors are mandated by law to report specific instances of suspected abuse or threats of violence.

As peers, we know that suicidal thoughts are part of many people’s experience with mental health and are not always indicative of crisis. We strive to support callers having thoughts of suicide by exploring their resources, holding space, and scheduling follow-up calls for ongoing peer support. In rare instances of crisis, Peer Counselors will collaborate with callers to find support that meets the caller’s needs.  

The California Peer Run Warm Line does not practice non-consensual active rescue. We will not call emergency services unless the caller says it's ok.

As a peer-run warm line, we value mutuality between our staff and callers. Just as we honor the choices and boundaries of our callers, we also want our counselors to feel safe by having their boundaries respected. Callers are required to speak respectfully to peer counselors and honor any boundaries communicated by a counselor. Any of the following behaviors will result in a ban from using the California Peer-Run Warm Line: 

• Use of hate speech. This includes harassment and discrimination based on race, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, religion, age, ability, and more.
• Harassment including sexual harassment.
• Failure to respect Warm Line policies.

If you would like to appeal a ban from contacting the California Peer-Run Warm Line, you may do so here.

• There are a number of ways to get in touch with us and your feedback is welcome. A feedback voicemail box is available as a call menu option, or you may request to speak to a supervisor. If a supervisor is not available to take your feedback in that moment, you are welcome to leave your phone number and give permission for the supervisor to leave a voicemail if they cannot reach you.