R 031611Z JAN 11
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 001/11
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS//
SUBJ/MARINE DSTRESS LINE AND WEBSITE ANNOUNCEMENT//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC/YMD:20101005/NOTAL//
AMPN/REF A IS CMC LETTER DTD 5 OCT 2010 FOR THE MARINE CORPS DSTRESS LINE MARKETING SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS.//
POC/COL OLBRICH/MRC-5/-/-/TEL:(703)784-9542//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF MARINES AND THEIR FAMILIES IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE.  TO IMPROVE ACCESS AND AVAILABILITY OF QUALITY HEALTH INFORMATION, TOOLS AND RESOURCES, THE MARINE CORPS IS TESTING THE "DSTRESS LINE."  THE DSTRESS LINE IS A 24/7 ANONYMOUS AND CONFIDENTIAL COUNSELING AND REFERRAL SERVICE. THE TEST PHASE WILL SUPPORT DESIGNATED AREAS OF THE WESTERN U.S. REGION AND HAWAII.  DSTRESS LINE: 1-877-476-7734.  WEBSITE URL IS WWW.DSTRESSLINE.COM AND LAUNCHED ON 31 DEC 2010 WITH EXTENSIVE "HELP YOURSELF RESOURCES."  ABILITY TO CHAT ONLINE WITH HELPING PROFESIONALS IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNED FOR RELEASE BY THE END OF JANUARY 2011.  DURING THE TEST PERIOD, THE DSTRESS LINE IS PRIMARILY AVAILABLE TO THREE TARGET POPULATION GROUPS; 1) MARINES SERVING IN THE WESTERN REGION AND HAWAII (TO INCLUDE RESERVISTS), 2) RETIREES AND VETERANS, AND 3) FAMILIES (ESPECIALLY MARINE SPOUSES WHO MAY BE THE FIRST TO IDENTIFY HEALTH AND WELLNESS ISSUES OF THE ENTIRE FAMILY).  DSTRESS IS AVAILABLE REGARDLESS OF TIME OF DAY OR LOCATION AND OFFERS IMMEDIATE SUPPORT.
2.  DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
A.  ANONYMOUS AND CONFIDENTIAL.  NO NAMES REQUIRED.  NO IDENTIFYING INFORMATION PASSED TO COMMANDS.  CAVEAT: THE DSTRESS LINE HAS A "DUTY TO WARN" LAW ENFORCEMENT IF A CALLER POSES A THREAT TO SELF OR OTHERS.
B.  "BY MARINE/FOR MARINE"
(1) CALLERS WILL SPEAK ONE-ON-ONE WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES AND LICENSED COUNSELORS WHO ARE "ONE OF OUR OWN,"I.E., VETERAN MARINES, FLEET MARINE FORCE CORPSMEN, AND CIVILIAN MEN AND WOMEN WITH EXPOSURE AND SPECIALIZED TRAINING IN MARINE CORPS CULTURE.
C.  PURPOSE:  SEEK ASSISTANCE FROM "ONE OF OUR OWN" TO BUILD THE NECESSARY SKILLS REQUIRED TO COPE WITH THE WIDELY VARYING CHALLENGES OF LIFE AS A MARINE AND THE INEVITABLE STRESS OF COMBAT OPERATIONS.
D.  SERVICES PROVIDED ARE ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING (PHONE OR SKYPE AVAILABLE NOW, CHAT COMING SOON) AND REFERRAL TO OTHER RESOURCES SUCH AS MARINE CORPS COMMUNITY SERVICES, NAVY MEDICINE/TRICARE, AND DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.  WARM HAND-OFFS AND INTENSIVE FOLLOW-THROUGH ARE KEY FEATURES OFFERED THROUGH THE DSTRESS LINE.
3.  DURING THE TEST PHASE, THE DSTRESS LINE IS OPERATING IN CONJUNCTION WITH TRICARE'S WEST COAST PROVIDER, TRIWEST HEALTHCARE ALLIANCE, AND SUPPORTS MARINES AND FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE FOLLOWING DESIGNATED AREAS.
OREGON          WASHINGTON      CALIFORNIA       NEVADA
ARIZONA         IDAHO           MONTANA          NEW MEXICO
UTAH            COLORADO        IOWA             KANSAS
MINNESOTA       MISSOURI        NORTH DAKOTA     NEBRASKA
SOUTH DAKOTA    WYOMING         HAWAII           ALASKA
WEST TEXAS (FORT BLISS, EL PASO AREA)
MARINE CORPS LEADERS STAND READY TO EXPAND THE DSTRESS LINE TO GLOBAL CAPACITY PENDING THE RESULTS OF THE PILOT TEST.  UNTIL THEN, MARINES IN OTHER AREAS MAY CONTINUE TO RELY UPON OTHER NATIONAL CALL CENTERS ALREADY IN OPERATION. MILITARY ONE SOURCE:  1-800-342-9647 DEFENSE CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE OUTREACH CENTER:  1-866-966-1020 NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE AND VETERANS SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE:  1-800-273-8255
4.  MARKETING PLAN.  A FULL SCALE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN HAS ALREADY BEGUN.  THE SUCCESS OF THESE EFFORTS BEGINS WITH COMMANDERS' ENDORSEMENT AND SUPPORT.  ADDITIONAL EFFORTS INCLUDE INSTALLATION PRINT MEDIA (POSTERS, NEWSPAPER), ONLINE WEB-BASED EFFORTS TO INCLUDE SOCIAL MEDIA, VIDEO PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT COMMERCIALS, AND HQ SPONSORED IN-PERSON BRIEFS AT UNIT FUNCTIONS.  PER REF A, THE FOLLOWING LOCAL POCS WILL DISTRIBUTE POSTERS.
BASE                  NAME                  WORK NUMBER
MCMWTC BRIDGEPORT     M. MCCLURE            760-932-1425
MCB-MCAS PENDLETON    S. GRAHAM             760-748-4307
MCRD/WRR SAN DIEGO    L. TEXIER             619-524-1200
MCAGCC                K. CRANK              760-830-5053
MCLB BARSTOW          B. QUIROZ             760-577-6733
MCAS YUMA             S. REIDINGER          928-269-2275
MCAS MIRAMAR          S. GOLD               858-577-9201
MCB HAWAII            T. EUCLID             808-257-2087
5.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY GENERAL J. F. DUNFORD, JR., ASSISTANT COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//