R 182227Z APR 12
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 226/12
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MF(UC)/F002//
SUBJ/MARINE DSTRESS LINE EXPANSION TO CORPS WIDE CAPABILITY//
REF/A/MSGID:MSG/CMC WASHINGTION DC DMCS/YMD:20110103//
REF/B/MSGID:DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC/YMD:20120313//
REF/C/MSGID:DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC/YMD:20111202//
NARR/REF A IS MARADMIN 001/11, MARINE DSTRESS LINE AND WEBSITE ANNOUNCEMENT.  REF B IS CMC LETTER DTD 13 MAR 2012 FOR DSTRESS LINE ROAD SHOW SUPPORT.  REF C IS CMC LETTER DTD 2 DEC 2011 FOR THE CORPS-WIDE DSTRESS LINE MARKETING SUPPORT REQUIREMENT.//
POC/D. G. OLBRICH/COL/UNIT:MFC/-/TEL:703-432-9218//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  THIS MARADMIN ANNOUNCES CORPS-WIDE EXPANSION OF THE DSTRESS LINE ANNOUNCED IN REFERENCE (A).  THE DSTRESS LINE IS A CMC INITIATIVE THAT PROVIDES AN ANONYMOUS, MARINE-TO-MARINE COUNSELING AND REFERRAL SERVICE TO MARINES, ATTACHED SAILORS, AND FAMILIES.  THE CONCEPT WAS TESTED IN A PILOT PROGRAM IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES AND IS NOW AVAILABLE MARINE CORPS WIDE.
2.  THE DSTRESS LINE IS FOR ALL MARINES, ATTACHED SAILORS, AND FAMILIES-ESPECIALLY SPOUSES WHO MAY BE THE FIRST TO IDENTIFY HEALTH AND WELLNESS ISSUES OF THE ENTIRE FAMILY.  CALLERS CAN SPEAK ANONYMOUSLY ABOUT ANYTHING FROM EVERYDAY STRESS TO LIFE-THREATENING CRISES.
3.  CALLERS TO THE DSTRESS LINE WILL SPEAK, CHAT, OR EMAIL ONE-ON-ONE WITH VETERAN MARINES, FLEET MARINE FORCE CORPSMEN, AND MARINE SPOUSES WHO ARE ALL TRAINED IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COUNSELING.  THESE PEER COUNSELORS ARE SUPERVISED BY LICENSED CLINICAL COUNSELORS WITH SPECIALIZED TRAINING IN MARINE CORPS CULTURE WHO ALSO ANSWER THE DSTRESS LINE.
4.  THE ANONYMOUS CHAT FEATURE IS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DSTRESS LINE HOMEPAGE AT WWW.DSTRESSLINE.COM.  THE WEBSITE ALSO CONTAINS AN EMAIL LINK, MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE DSTRESS LINE, VIDEOS, AND AN INTERNATIONAL LIST OF GOVERNMENT RESOURCES FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS.
5.  THE DSTRESS LINE IS AVAILABLE REGARDLESS OF LOCATION OR TIME OF DAY AND OFFERS IMMEDIATE SUPPORT. DSTRESS LINE CONTACT INFORMATION FOLLOWS: VOICE (DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL) 1-877-476-7734 CHAT, EMAIL LINK, AND RESOURCE DIRECTORY WWW.DSTRESSLINE.COM ADDITIONAL EMAIL ADDRESS DSTRESSLINE@TRIWEST.COM
OKINAWA (DSN)                              645-7734
OKINAWA (LOCAL CELL/LAND LINE)             098-970-7734
OKINAWA/MCAS IWAKUNI                       1-877-476-7734
(U.S. BASED VOICE OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL)
MCAS IWAKUNI  (DSN)                        253-7734
MCAS IWAKUNI (LOCAL CELL/LAND LINE)        (0827) 79-7734
6.  DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS THAT SEPARATE THE DSTRESS LINE FROM OTHER COUNSELING SERVICES:
A.  ANONYMITY.  NO NAMES REQUIRED.  NO IDENTIFYING INFORMATION PASSED TO THE MARINE CORPS.  CAVEAT:  THE DSTRESS LINE HAS A "DUTY TO WARN" LEGAL AUTHORITIES AND FIRST RESPONDERS IF A CALLER POSES A THREAT TO SELF OR OTHERS.  THE DSTRESS LINE WILL NOTIFY HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS (HQMC) OF ALL "DUTY TO WARN" SITUATIONS.
B. 'MARINE-TO-MARINE' PEER COUNSELING, WHERE CALLERS SPEAK WITH "ONE OF OUR OWN."
7.  DSTRESS LINE PURPOSE:  TO INCREASE TOTAL FITNESS AND DEVELOP THE NECESSARY SKILLS REQUIRED TO COPE WITH THE WIDELY VARYING CHALLENGES OF LIFE IN THE MARINE CORPS.
8.  SERVICES PROVIDED ARE ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING (PHONE, CHAT, EMAIL, OR SKYPE) AND REFERRAL TO OTHER RESOURCES SUCH AS CHAPLAINS, UNIT LEADERSHIP, MARINE CORPS COMMUNITY SERVICES, NAVY MEDICINE/TRICARE, COMMUNITY RESOURCES, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.  WARM HAND-OFFS AND INTENSIVE FOLLOW-THROUGH ARE KEY FEATURES OFFERED THROUGH THE DSTRESS LINE.
9.  MARKETING PLAN. THE SUCCESS OF THE DSTRESS LINE BEGINS WITH COMMANDERS' ENDORSEMENT AND SUPPORT.  PER REF (B), A HQMC ROAD SHOW WILL BRING DSTRESS LINE INFORMATION TO EAST COAST AND JAPAN INSTALLATIONS DURING APRIL AND MAY, AND ADDITIONAL ROAD SHOWS ARE AVAILABLE TO SELECT MARFORRES CONFERENCES.  PER REF (C), PRINTED MARKETING MATERIALS (POSTERS, BANNERS, FLYERS, WALLET CARDS, MAGNETS, PENS, TABLE TENTS) WILL BE SHIPPED TO DESIGNATED POINTS OF CONTACTS (POCS) AT ALL MAJOR INSTALLATIONS, RESERVE SITES, RECRUITING STATIONS, AND MARINE CORPS EMBASSY SECURITY GROUP.  POCS HAVE ONLINE ACCESS TO VIDEO PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT COMMERCIALS TO BE PLAYED AT BASE THEATERS, E-BANNERS TO DISPLAY ON ALL INSTALLATION AND UNIT WEBSITES, AS WELL AS FORMS USED TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL MARKETING MATERIALS.
10. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY BGEN R. F. HEDELUND, DIRECTOR, MARINE AND FAMILY PROGRAMS DIVISION.//