PROGRAM

HANDBOOK

Revised June 16th, 2020

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 Table of Contents
I. Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 5

II. Job Classifications, Hours of Work, Timesheets & Paychecks .................................................. 5

A. Exempt & Non-Exempt Status .................................................................................................. 5

B. Shifts ................................................................................................................................................. 6

C. Breaks................................................................................................................................................ 7

D. Shift Staffing ................................................................................................................................ 8

E. Holidays ........................................................................................................................................... 8

F. Overtime........................................................................................................................................... 9

G. “Flex” Time (Exempt Staff Only).............................................................................................. 9

H. Volunteering Time at MHASF ................................................................................................ 10

I. Timesheets ..................................................................................................................................... 10

J. Pay Differentials ............................................................................................................................ 10

K. Paychecks & Paystubs .................................................................................................................. 11

III. General Warm Line Job Expectations......................................................................................... 11

A. Responsibility for Information ................................................................................................ 11

B. True, Accurate & Good Faith Record-Keeping ........................................................................ 11

C. Dress Code ..................................................................................................................................... 12

D. Timeliness & Preparedness to Work ...................................................................................... 12

E. Confidentiality............................................................................................................................... 13
A. SHIFT SCHEDULES ..................................................................................................................... 13

B. STAFF AVAILABILITY..................................................................................................................... 14

C. TIME OFF- ADVANCE REQUESTS ................................................................................................. 14

D. TIME OFF – CALLING IN SICK ....................................................................................................... 15

D. TIME OFF- SHIFT & SCHEDULE CHANGES................................................................... 15

E. PICKING UP ADDITIONAL SHIFTS ............................................................................................... 16

V. Answering Calls, Chats & Voice Messages ............................................................................... 16

A. Staff Call Response Roles ......................................................................................................... 16

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 B. Standard Phone & Chat Greeting ............................................................................................... 17

C. Using an Alias ............................................................................................................................... 17

D. Timely Response to Calls & Chats ......................................................................................... 17

E. Call Triage ...................................................................................................................................... 17

F. Voicemail Messages (x201) .......................................................................................................... 18

G. Feedback Messages (x202) ....................................................................................................... 18

H. Calls from Someone You Know Personally .......................................................................... 18

I. Answering Calls & Chats at the End of a Shift ......................................................................... 19

J. Taking Turns Answering Calls ................................................................................................... 19

K. Matching Callers with Specific Counselors .............................................................................. 19

VI. Other On-Shift Expectations ........................................................................................................ 20

A. On-Shift Supervisor Roles ....................................................................................................... 20

B. Checking Outlook Email.............................................................................................................. 20

C. Keeping the iCarol Database Accessible ................................................................................... 21

D. Keeping BeeBeep Internal Messaging Accessible ................................................................ 21

E. Being Present at Your Workstation ............................................................................................ 21

F. Cell Phone Use .............................................................................................................................. 21

VII. Debriefing, Supervision & Use of On-Call ................................................................................ 22

A. Supervision Assignments ........................................................................................................ 22

B. One-on-One Supervision ............................................................................................................. 22

C. Group Supervision........................................................................................................................ 22

D. Debriefing .................................................................................................................................. 23

Other Types of Support ....................................................................................................................... 23

VIII. Mandated Reporting & Emergency Procedures ....................................................................... 23

A. Mandated Reporting (Child, Elder, and Dependent Adult Abuse) .................................. 24

B. emergency services authorization .............................................................................................. 24

C. Notifying Executive Management of Emergency Response .................................................. 24

IX. Community Care & Use of Shared Space .................................................................................. 24

A. Workstation & Chair Preferences ........................................................................................... 25

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B. Cleanliness of Shared Space ........................................................................................................ 25

C. Dishes ............................................................................................................................................. 25

D. Refrigerators .............................................................................................................................. 25

E. Storing Personal Items ................................................................................................................. 26

F. Noise Level .................................................................................................................................... 26

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I. Introduction

This handbook is designed to help Warm Line employees become acquainted with the program
structure, employee expectations, and administrative procedures of the Warm Line. The
handbook is to be used in conjunction with the MHASF Employee Handbook, not as a substitute.
Information contained in the MHASF Employee Handbook is not reproduced here except to
provide context for Warm Line program-specific discussions. All provisions in the MHASF
Employee Handbook also apply to Warm Line staff.

Like any handbook, the Warm Line Program Handbook is not a technical manual and does not
provide training on the performance of Warm Line job roles. Please refer to the Warm Line
Training Manual or speak with a supervisor, for reference in those areas.

Due to the evolving nature of our program and organization, all policies, procedures, and
guidelines described in this Handbook are subject to change without advance notice. If you are
unsure whether any information in this edition of the Program Handbook is current, contact
Warm Line Management to obtain up-to-date information.

Warm Line Management reserve the right to add to, modify, or delete provisions of this
Handbook at any time, and to interpret or make exceptions to existing Handbook provisions in
any manner they deem appropriate.

Any request for reasonable accommodations in the provisions of this Handbook, or suggestions
for general modifications to the Handbook, must be submitted in writing to Warm Line
Management.

This Handbook is the property of MHASF and is intended for personal use and reference by
employees of the Warm Line. Circulation of this Handbook outside of MHASF requires prior
written approval from MHASF Executive Management.

II. Job Classifications, Hours of Work, Timesheets & Paychecks

A. EXEMPT & NON-EXEMPT STATUS

Each position at the Warm Line has either exempt or non-exempt status. All counselors are non-
exempt. All coordinators and managers are exempt.

It is important to know and understand your job status, because your status affects many aspects
of your job—how you are compensated, the breaks you are entitled to take, how much you are
allowed to work, etc.

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The table below shows the main differences between exempt and non-exempt positions:

Exempt (Coordinators &

Non-Exempt (Counselors)
Managers)
Paid at an hourly rate for all Paid a salary, an annual total
actual time spent working divided evenly across paychecks

Entitled to overtime pay for

Not eligible for overtime pay,
all time worked beyond 8
regardless of how many hours are
hours in a day or 40 hours in a
worked in a day or week
week (Sunday-Saturday)
Depending on the length of Should take rest and meal breaks
the shift, are entitled to breaks comparable to non-exempt staff,
of a certain number and but are not entitled by law to
length, and cannot be asked to specific breaks; may sometimes
work during breaks (see table forego rest breaks or work
below) through meal breaks if necessary

Expected to work all Have more schedule flexibility,

scheduled hours, and only and may sometimes make
scheduled hours, unless given personal schedule adjustments as
prior approval from a long as these do not disrupt
supervisor to adjust schedule program coverage

B. SHIFTS

The Warm Line operates on a shift schedule. This is to ensure that an adequate number of staff
members are present to respond to Warm Line calls and chats at all times during our operating
hours. A shift is a scheduled period of time when the Warm line is open and responding to calls
and chats. Being “on shift” means that you are scheduled to be present and responding to calls
beginning and ending at certain set times.

A standard shift consists of one 8-hour work period. Shifts occur at set times throughout the day:
7am-3pm, 3pm-11pm, and 11pm-7am.

Because of the nature of our program, all counselor shifts take place strictly at their scheduled
times—they are not flexible. For example, a 3-11pm shift begins at 3pm and ends at 11pm; it
cannot be “flexed” to begin at 3:15pm and end at 11:15pm. Exceptions may be made if
arrangements are made in advance and the schedule for the day permits flexibility.

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At the discretion of Warm Line management and based on need, staff may be scheduled to work
occasional non-standard shifts (e.g., a 5-hour shift), or be asked to extend the length of a
scheduled shift. No shifts may be extended without manager approval.

C. BREAKS

Depending on length, different shifts have different minimum break requirements according to
California state law:

Hours Worked 10-Minute Rest Breaks 30-Minute Meal Breaks

< 3.5 0 0
3.5 - 5.991 1 0
6 - 7.99 1 1
8 - 9.99 2 1
10 - 11.99 2 2
12+ 3 2

During both rest and meal breaks, you are relieved from any obligation to perform work tasks.
Depending on workload and at the discretion of the supervisor on duty, breaks may occasionally
be longer or more numerous than the minimum.

The following meal break entitlements and requirements apply for all nonexempt staff regardless
of designated hours per week. Meal break requirements are based on hours actually worked, not
on hours scheduled to be worked.

• Meal breaks required by shift length: All nonexempt employees who work a shift at least
5 hours in length are entitled to receive at least one meal break of 30 minutes, under the
terms described above. In the event that a nonexempt employee works a shift of 10 hours
or longer, they are entitled to a second 30-minute meal break. Employees who work a shift
of less than 5 hours in length are not entitled to a meal break.
• Timing of meal breaks: Meal breaks must be taken during the shift worked. An employee
cannot choose to end a scheduled shift 30 minutes early or arrive 30 minutes late instead
of taking the meal break during the shift itself, or take the “break” before or after the shift.
For shifts 5 to 6 hours long, the meal break must be taken before the final hour of the shift
begins. For shifts longer than 6 hours, the meal break must be taken no later than 4 hours
59 minutes into the shift.

1If you decline to sign the Meal Waiver Agreement, you are entitled to one 30-minute meal break for shifts 5 hours or
longer.

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 • Waiving meal breaks: Nonexempt employees may waive their entitlement to a 30-minute
break for shifts less than 6 hours in length by mutual understanding with their supervisor
that meal breaks will not be given for shifts between 5 and 6 hours in length.
• Beginning October 10th, 2018, MHASF will require all nonexempt employees to have a
signed meal waiver on file. Each employee must elect to either waive their entitlement to
a meal break for shifts at least 5 but less than 6 hours in length, or to retain their right to
take such breaks. An employee may revoke their waiver at any time. Employees may not
waive their right to a meal break for shifts 6 hours or longer.

D. SHIFT STAFFING

Each shift is scheduled to be staffed by 2-6 people, depending on average call volume for the shift.
In general, there should always be at least two people ready and available to answer incoming
Warm Line calls and chats. This means that rest breaks and meal breaks should be taken in such
a way that no counselor is left to work alone. The exception to this rule is during shifts when there
are only two people scheduled, and someone must be left alone in order for a break to take place.

When a staff person calls in sick for a Warm Line shift, leadership staff will attempt to find
coverage for that person’s shift. In some cases, finding coverage may not be possible, and the shift
may need to continue with fewer staff than originally scheduled. It is understood that in these
cases staff may not be able to respond to all incoming calls or return voice messages as quickly as
usual.

In urgent situations, when the Warm Line will be left unstaffed because scheduled staff are unable
to come to work, it is the responsibility of the supervisor on call during the shift to cover the shift
themselves, until substitute coverage can be found.

The Warm Line may not be closed during scheduled operating hours except at the discretion of
Warm Line Management or the MHASF Executive Management Team.

E. HOLIDAYS

MHASF observes 11 holidays per calendar year (see the MHASF Employee Handbook or the
posted Observed Holidays list for the full list). Because the Warm Line remains open on holidays,
all Warm Line staff are assumed to be available to work during holidays and will be scheduled
as such.

Any non-exempt employee who works on a holiday will receive Holiday Premium Pay at 1.5
times their base rate of pay. Any exempt employee who works on a holiday will receive another
day off in compensation for working on the holiday; choice of comp day is subject to Warm Line
management approval and flex time may not be taken in advance of the holiday being flexed.

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Due to program needs, only limited requests for time off on and around holidays can be granted,
with intent to distribute holiday time off equitably amongst staff. If needed for shift coverage, all
Counselors and Coordinators may be required to work a minimum of one out of the three major
end-of-year holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day).

F. OVERTIME

For non-exempt staff, all overtime work (over 8 hours in a day or 40 hours during the Sunday-
Saturday week) must be approved Warm Line management in advance. It is not acceptable for
staff to work overtime hours without first getting manager approval. In order to obtain
management approval, you must send a completed “Overtime Request Form” to
warmlinemanagers@mentalhealthsf.org, and receive written approval before you work any
overtime hours.

This does not apply to exempt staff, who are not eligible to receive overtime pay and may work
longer days and weeks if needed without prior manager approval. Exempt staff who are routinely
working excessive hours beyond the 40-hour work week should discuss ways of better managing
or distributing their workload with Warm Line management.

As a rule, the Warm Line always pursues other options for program coverage before approving
any overtime work.

G. “FLEX” TIME (EXEMPT STAFF ONLY)

In some cases, exempt staff who work significantly more than 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a
week may be approved to “flex off” scheduled hours in compensation for the additional time
worked. Flex time is offered in order to balance occasional instances of exceptionally long work
days or work weeks.

Exempt staff who work instances of an additional half day (4 hours) or more beyond their
schedule should contact Warm Line management about arranging for flex time off, although
smaller amounts of time may sometimes be approved as flex time.

Ideally, any flex time off should take place during the same pay period as the additional time
worked, but at maximum it must be arranged to take place within 30 days of the instance of the
additional time worked.

Since exempt staff are not guaranteed a 40-hour work week cap by virtue of their job status, flex
time is not an entitlement. You may not “accrue” small amounts of time worked beyond your
scheduled hours in order to request larger blocks of time off later, nor may you work significant
hours in excess of the 40-hour week for the purpose of flexing off time in lieu of using accrued
vacation time.

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All flex time is given at Management discretion and must not be disruptive to Warm Line
program operations.

H. VOLUNTEERING TIME AT MHASF

Generally, Warm Line staff are owed pay for all time spent working on the Warm Line, in service
of another MHASF program or project, or in work-related trainings.

In some cases, it is permissible for you to “volunteer” time at MHASF, as long as this time is not
spent performing your regular job duties or otherwise working in service of the Warm Line. For
example, staffing an MHASF table at a street fair or serving as a room monitor at the ICHC
Conference would be acceptable volunteer activities. Coming in to work off the clock to complete
unfinished call reports would not be an acceptable volunteer activity.

All volunteer time for MHASF must be approved in advance by Warm Line management and
will require signed documentation.

I. TIMESHEETS

Counseling staff are responsible for clocking in and out on California Payroll at the beginning
and end of each shift, as well as the beginning and end of their lunch break. It is imperative that
you keep time accurately, so that you can be paid for the work you have completed. If you realize
that you have made an error in your timesheet, please inform your supervisor and the person
responsible for timesheets (as of May 2020, this is Isabelle Fenn), immediately.

All remote employees must submit a “Work From Home” report through a Formstack link. Please
contact your supervisor to receive the correct link, and submit a detailed report of the tasks you
have completed every shift.

J. PAY DIFFERENTIALS

All non-exempt MHASF staff are paid at an hourly base rate. In addition to this base rate of pay,
the Warm Line also offers pay differentials depending on language skills and shifts worked. The
pay differential is added to your base rate for all applicable hours, resulting in a higher pay rate
for those hours.

As of this printing, differentials include:

Weekends (Saturday & Sunday) +$0.75 per hour

Overnights (11pm – 7am) +$2.00 per hour

Threshold Language Capability +$1.00 per hour (applies to all shifts)

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Threshold languages include Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Tagalog. It is
possible to receive more than one pay differential simultaneously. For example, if you work an
overnight shift that started on Saturday at 11pm, you will be paid a total differential of +$2.75 for
each hour of that shift, because it is both a weekend and an overnight.

The pay differentials above are subject to change at the discretion of the MHASF Executive
Management Team. All Warm Line staff affected will be notified of changes to pay in writing.

Exempt staff do not qualify for these conditional pay differentials.

K. PAYCHECKS & PAYSTUBS

Paystubs (for all Warm Line staff) and printed paychecks are distributed in person in the Warm
Line each payday. For those who are not present at the time of distribution, paychecks will be
kept in a locked cabinet in the Warm Line Leadership Office, and can be picked up in person
whenever a Coordinator or Manager is scheduled.

If you are making a special trip in to pick up a printed paycheck, please contact a manager to
make pickup arrangements.

III. General Warm Line Job Expectations

A. RESPONSIBILITY FOR INFORMATION

The Warm Line leadership team endeavors to do their best to provide reminders and
reinforcement of expectations, due dates, meeting times, special events, etc., and to clearly
communicate with Warm Line staff about these things.

However, you are personally responsible for the information given to you in this handbook, in
your training manual and training activities, and through your work email account, as well as
any information posted in the Warm Line or otherwise provided to you for reference.

In the event that you lose, have a problem accessing, or need help understanding any of the
information given to you, it is your responsibility to communicate about the issue with the
appropriate staff person so the issue can be resolved.

B. TRUE, ACCURATE & GOOD FAITH RECORD-KEEPING

On the Warm Line, you are expected to record information about your interactions with callers
and chat visitors, including Warm Line consumers’ demographic and mental health services
information and information about their and your own participation in calls and chats. You are

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also asked to provide other factual information about your work at the Warm Line for payroll,
performance evaluation, attendance record-keeping, and other purposes.

At all times, the information that you record should be true and accurate to the best of your
knowledge. If you record information that you subsequently realize is incorrect or misleading,
you are expected to correct the mistake as soon as possible and to notify the appropriate
leadership staff if assistance with making the correction is needed.

Any intentional falsification of records will subject you to disciplinary action, up to and including
dismissal from employment.

C. DRESS CODE

During regular business hours (9am-5pm), the Warm Line adheres to the same dress code as the
wider agency. See the MHASF Employee Handbook for more information.

Outside of regular business hours, the Warm Line permits comfortable dress. This means that
items such as t-shirts and tank tops, sandals, shorts, sweatpants, athletic apparel, etc. may be
worn. At all times, clothing and accessories should be clean, provide adequate coverage, and free
of any writing or images that may contribute to a hostile work environment.

D. TIMELINESS & PREPAREDNESS TO WORK

As discussed above, the Warm Line’s shift-based schedule requires firm start and end times for
all scheduled shifts.

All Warm Line staff are expected to arrive on time for their scheduled shifts, as well as for
meetings and trainings. In the event that you’re running late to a shift, you must notify the
supervisor on duty via phone as soon as possible; if you are a coordinator running late to a shift,
you should notify both a manager and a counselor who will be on your shift.

Timeliness involves more than just being physically present at the Warm Line. It entails being
prepared to begin working when your shift begins. This means arriving prior to the beginning of
your shift, so you have time to store food in the refrigerator, use the restroom, and so on, before
your shift’s start time.

You are prepared to begin working when you are logged into your computer and iCarol, have
opened your Outlook email, and are able to begin taking phone calls and chats.

Ongoing issues with lateness or lack of preparedness to start working at the beginning of your
shift will be addressed by Warm Line management and may result in disciplinary action.

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E. CONFIDENTIALITY

With the exception of information required to meet mandated reporting obligations and
emergency response procedures, all personal and identifying information regarding Warm Line
consumers is considered confidential and internal to the Warm Line program.

Furthermore, your own and your Warm Line coworkers’ personal and identifying information
is, under most circumstances, considered confidential and may not be disclosed to Warm Line
consumers. The exception to this is the appropriate use of personal disclosure of your own lived
experience in support of a Warm Line consumer. See the Training Manual for clarification.

All paper documentation containing Warm Line consumers’ personal or identifying information,
whether written or printed, must be shredded prior to the end of each shift. Any call
documentation that must be preserved for future use (for example, APS/CPS reports) should be
stored in the filing cabinet and then shredded after it is no longer needed. Remote employees, or
employees working from home, are responsible for shredding any notes or identifying
information immediately after their shift.

For purposes of information security, texting is not considered an appropriate means of

communicating with other Warm Line staff about Warm Line consumers.

Please refer to the Warm Line Confidentiality Agreement for complete confidentiality
information. If you would like a copy of the Warm Line Confidentiality Agreement, please reach
out to Human Resources.

IV. Scheduling & Contact Information

A. SHIFT SCHEDULES
Shift schedules are created by the coordinators a month ahead of time using the Deputy
scheduling software. You are responsible for knowing and adhering to your weekly shift
schedule.

After the schedule has been published on Deputy, staff members are invited to review the
schedule for conflicts with their availability (appointments, social engagements, etc.). If staff
cannot attend any of their shifts for any reason, they may request to swap shifts with other
counselors or offer up their shift through the Deputy scheduling software, and are responsible
for letting a coordinator know. If you are unable to swap or find someone to cover your shift,
your name will remain on the schedule and you will be responsible for coming in during that
shift. The schedule is not open to last-minute vacation requests or requests for changes based on
shift preferences.

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All Coordinators and Counselors will be assigned to one of the following shifts at the time of
hiring and will be expected to work the assigned timeslot for the remainder of their time at the
Warm Line.

7am – 3pm
3pm – 11pm
11pm – 7am

For example, if you are a Counselor and you are assigned to the 7am – 3pm timeslot at the time
of hiring, you will only be assigned 7am- 3pm shifts.

You are expected to commit to the days you are assigned at the time of hire for at least six months.
If you require a timeslot change due to extenuating circumstances, you must submit a request in
writing and provide the appropriate documentation. For example, if your school schedule
changes, you must submit a copy of your class schedule for the upcoming term. Management
may approve or deny this request based on program needs.

The posting of a schedule may sometimes be delayed at management discretion; when this
happens, management will endeavor to provide clear communication about the adjusted posting
date for the shift schedule for the upcoming schedule period.

If shift swaps or other changes must occur, Coordinators will be responsible for updating the
Deputy calendar to reflect the new changes.

Because schedules are created on the basis of program staffing needs, all Warm Line staff
schedules are subject to change from week to week.

B. STAFF AVAILABILITY
The Warm Line requires staff to commit to the availability given during the hiring process. While
Warm Line management may work to accommodate people who have more than one job, attend
school, or have other regular commitments, we are not able to accommodate all schedule
preferences and require a reasonable amount of schedule flexibility from Warm Line staff.
Ongoing external commitments that significantly limit or otherwise disrupt your availability to
work at the Warm Line may be cause for re-evaluation of your employment status.

C. TIME OFF- ADVANCE REQUESTS

The Warm Line uses a “Request Days Off” book for staff to submit requests for days off. (See the
“Request Days Off” book for complete instructions on requesting time off.)
There are two types of requests you can make in this book:

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 1. Availability Conflict – You are requesting not to be scheduled on a day when you are
typically available to work, but you still want to be scheduled for the full number of
hours you usually work for that week.
2. Vacation / Extra Time Off – You are requesting to take time off instead of working—i.e.,
you want to work fewer hours than you normally would.

If your request requires more explanation or is urgent or sensitive in nature, in addition to

entering your request in the book you should speak directly with the Coordinator in person or
via email. No requests for time off will be accepted on a verbal or email basis alone.
In general, time off requests are approved on a first-come, first-served basis. Entering a time off
request into the “Request Days Off” book does not guarantee approval; a Coordinator will contact
you if there is a problem with your request and reserves the right to deny requests for time off in
accordance with program needs.

For all time off that involves the use of accrued sick or vacation time, or other paid leave, you
must submit a completed Time Off Request form with your timesheet.

D. TIME OFF – CALLING IN SICK

When you need to call in sick from a scheduled shift, you must select the shift in Deputy, click
the “can’t work” drop down menu, click “offer shift”, type a brief explanation of why you’re
unable to work your shift (sick, personal emergency, etc.), click the blue “Select all” text, and then
click the “Invite to work this shift” button. Additionally, you must reach out to the coordinators
currently on shift to inform them that you will be calling out.

Any shift you miss due to illness is considered forfeited. You will not be scheduled for another
shift to “make up” for the lost hours, nor does picking up an additional shift during the pay
period negate the need for you to use paid sick time for the day you called in sick. If you would
like to use accrued sick time (as opposed to an unpaid day off), you must submit a “Sick Time
Form” to management immediately after your sick day. If you do not submit this form,
management will assume you would prefer to use unpaid sick leave.

If you are frequently taking unpaid sick time off from scheduled shifts, or are consistently calling
in sick for a specific shift, Warm Line management will address this issue with you. To ensure
that Warm Line shifts are appropriately staffed and that issues causing excessive missed shifts
are addressed with adequate support, non-exempt California Warm Line employees will meet
with Management after missing more than two shifts per month due to calling out.

D. TIME OFF- SHIFT & SCHEDULE CHANGES

After the shift schedule has been published, you are responsible for finding your own shift
coverage in the event that you need to miss a shift for reasons other than calling in sick.
In these cases, you may either swap shifts with another counselor who agrees to the trade or find
a counselor to cover your shift without making up your own lost hours. You can put in a request
to shift swap or offer up a shift for other counselors to pick up through Deputy.

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You are not excused from attending a scheduled shift until you find coverage for that shift. In
emergency situations, when you cannot attend the shift but may not be able to find coverage, you
must follow the same procedure for calling out sick.

E. PICKING UP ADDITIONAL SHIFTS

When Warm Line staff call in sick or need to be absent from a scheduled shift for other reasons,
you may have the opportunity to pick up a shift and work more hours than what you are
typically scheduled to work. Available shifts will be posted on Deputy and you will receive a
notification if you're eligible to pick up the open shift. You are not under any obligation to take
the shift. However, if you do intend to take the shift, you must pick up the shift using Deputy.
Upon Coordinator approval the shift will be added to your schedule.

G. CONTACTING THE APPROPRIATE COORDINATOR

At all times there are Coordinators designated to be the contact person for any supervisory needs
(calling in sick, debriefing after a difficult call, etc.)

When you are not at the Warm Line and need to contact a supervisor, you must make sure you
are contacting the correct supervisor. The supervisor who is scheduled to be on shift at the time
you call is the appropriate contact person.

For example, if you call at 1:00pm because you are sick and can’t make it to your 3-11pm shift,
you must call the supervisor who is scheduled during the 7am-3pm shift, not the supervisor for
the 3-11pm shift.

If you call a supervisor other than the designated contact person, there is a strong possibility that
your call will not be received or responded to in a timely fashion. Repeated failure to contact the
appropriate supervisor when you call for supervisory support will be addressed with you by
Warm Line Management.

V. Answering Calls, Chats & Voice Messages

A. STAFF CALL RESPONSE ROLES

Depending on the shift and the needs of the program, different staff may have different
responsibilities in respect to taking calls.

Possible roles include:

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 Counselor On Shift – (Counselors only) A primary call-taker on shift. You will be expected
to be responsive to incoming calls and chats at all times unless you are assigned a special
project by a supervisor, are attending a meeting, or are taking a break.

Coordinator On Shift – (Coordinators only) A backup call-taker when needed, but

primarily focused on supervisory tasks, such as debriefing, call review and feedback,
profile creation, supervision meetings, etc. Generally, Coordinators should be assumed
not to be available for call or chat response unless they explicitly state otherwise.

B. STANDARD PHONE & CHAT GREETING

You must answer all calls by saying “California Peer-Run Warm Line” and introducing yourself
by your first name only.

When answering incoming chat messages, you should use a variant of the standard phone
greeting, such as “Hi, welcome to the California Peer-Run Warm Line” and introduce yourself by
first name or alias.

C. USING AN ALIAS

You may elect to use an alias rather than your real name when interacting with Warm Line
consumers. You must choose your alias and have it approved by a Warm Line supervisor prior
to the completion of your training period. Switching between different aliases is not permitted;
you are expected to use the same alias on every call and chat, for the duration of your employment
with the Warm Line.

For use on Warm Line chats, your alias should be saved in your iCarol user profile in the “Alias”
field. If you do not add your alias to your profile, your real first name will appear to the chat
visitors you converse with.

D. TIMELY RESPONSE TO CALLS & CHATS

Whenever possible, we answer all incoming calls and chats in a timely manner.

Incoming calls should be answered no later than the fourth ring to avoid unnecessarily sending
calls to voicemail; calls are automatically transferred to the voice mailbox after the fifth ring.

Chats should be picked up within one minute of the chat notification appearing. It is important
to respond to chats quickly because chat visitors are unable to leave messages to receive a call
back, and most chat visitors will abandon unresponsive chats after two minutes of waiting.

E. CALL TRIAGE

When everyone on shift is on a call and another call comes in, whenever possible someone must
put their caller on hold to pick up the incoming call.

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It is understood, however, that there may be times when no one is available to pick up an
incoming call. In these cases, it is acceptable to let a call go to voicemail.

See the Technical Manual for more information about triage procedures.

F. VOICEMAIL MESSAGES (X201)

Voice messages should be checked and responded to as soon as a counselor becomes available to
do so. Ideally, this will be done within 30 minutes of when the initial message was left. Voice
messages that have been left while the Warm Line is closed should be checked as soon as the
Warm Line re-opens.

Both counselors and Coordinators may check the regular Warm Line voice mailbox.

If a feedback message has been left on the regular voice mailbox by mistake, this message should
be forwarded to the feedback extension and deleted from the regular mailbox.

See the Technical Manual for more information about responding to voicemail messages.

G. FEEDBACK MESSAGES (X202)

Feedback messages should be checked and responded to only by Warm Line Management.

If a feedback message is checked by a coordinator and requires a response, the coordinator who
checked the message must notify management via internal chat or email that there is a new
feedback message requiring management’s attention.

Counselors and are not permitted to receive feedback, whether as a recorded message or in a live
conversation, from Warm Line consumers. The Warm Line Program Manager will communicate
feedback to the appropriate staff as needed.

During remote operations, we may not have access to the feedback voicemail. If a caller wishes
to leave feedback, counselors should inform them that a coordinator or manager will call them
back to accept it. Counselors may not receive feedback, per the original policy, but they should
confirm that the caller would like a callback, and confirm the phone number at which they’d like
to be called, as well as whether or not the coordinator/manager may leave a voicemail.

H. CALLS FROM SOMEONE YOU KNOW PERSONALLY

As part of the Warm Line Confidentiality Agreement, staff are not permitted to speak on the
Warm Line with people they know from outside Warm Line interactions. This applies regardless
of whether the relationship pre-dates your start date of employment at Warm Line or began after
you became employed at the Warm Line.

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If you answer a call or chat and subsequently realize that you know the person calling, you must
inform the caller of this fact and discontinue the call as soon as possible. If you intentionally
continue speaking with or taking calls from a caller or chat visitor you know from outside the
Warm Line, this will be considered grounds for immediate disciplinary action.

I. ANSWERING CALLS & CHATS AT THE END OF A SHIFT

The Warm Line must be responsive to calls and chats during all of its operating hours. You are
considered on duty to respond to Warm Line consumers until your scheduled shift is over.

However, you are not permitted to remain on Warm Line calls or chats beyond the end of your
scheduled shift, except in high-risk or active emergency situations.

It is your responsibility to work with your shift partners and the supervisor on shift to delegate
call- and chat-taking responsibilities to ensure that all work is completed by the end of the shift.

J. TAKING TURNS ANSWERING CALLS

In order to evenly distribute call-taking responsibilities, shift partners are expected to take turns
responding to calls or chats. Exceptions to this may be made at the on-shift supervisor’s discretion
or by the consensus of shift partners to distribute calls differently in response to specific
circumstances on shift.

K. MATCHING CALLERS WITH SPECIFIC COUNSELORS

Except in rare circumstances, callers are not permitted to request to speak with specific individual
counselors or with specific types of counselors (e.g., a female counselor, a Christian counselor, a
counselor diagnosed with bipolar, and so on). Callers are expected to speak with whichever
counselor responds to their call or chat.

Similarly, counselors and coordinators should not delegate calls amongst themselves on the basis
of personal preference or being a “good match” due to belonging to a particular group/identity
or having a specific type of lived experience. Counselors and coordinators who are found to be
refusing or intentionally monopolizing calls from a specific caller on these bases will be subject
to disciplinary action.

L. Inappropriate Callers

It is the expectation that Warm Line counselors will use all counseling skills at their disposal to
resolve conflicts with callers prior to taking any disciplinary action. In the event that a caller is
not receptive to redirection and continues to be abusive or inappropriate, they will be placed on
alert. An alert on their profile lasts 2 weeks, during which time their calls will be reviewed by a
coordinator. At the end of 2 weeks, or if the caller’s behavior has escalated, the calls will be
reviewed by the Leadership Team. If the caller’s behavior has improved, they can be taken off

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alert; if it has not changed, they may be left on alert; and if it has escalated, they should be placed
on a script.

A script conversation with a coordinator allows the caller the opportunity to understand why
their behavior is inappropriate, what will and will not be tolerated on the Warm Line, and what
we need to see from them in order to continue supporting them. After this conversation, the
caller’s profile will be updated to reflect these expectations. After the script has been initiated, the
caller has 10 calls worth of an “evaluation period.” After 10 calls, the coordinator who had the
initial conversation with them is responsible for evaluating the calls, and initiating a conversation
with the Leadership Team, who will determine if the caller should be banned, temporarily
banned, left on script, or de-escalated to an alert.

This process is at the discretion of the Leadership Team, and may be altered for certain callers. If
any caller uses hate speech, racial slurs, or other discriminatory language, they should be
immediately banned, and lose the right to this process.

VI. Other On-Shift Expectations

A. ON-SHIFT SUPERVISOR ROLES

Whenever a Coordinator is on shift, that person is responsible for leading the shift and ensuring
that there is adequate coverage for calls and chats at all times. Coordinating the shift may involve
scheduling or approving breaks, delegating follow-up calls to specific counselors, covering the
phones during another on-shift staff person’s meal break, or making calls to find coverage when
someone calls in sick.

When there is more than one supervisor scheduled to work during the same shift, the supervisors
will share shift coordination responsibilities as appropriate.

Warm Line counselors are expected to follow the direction of the supervisor on shift.

B. CHECKING OUTLOOK EMAIL

At minimum, you must check your Outlook email once at the beginning and once at the end of
each shift. This includes reading email messages, viewing your Outlook calendar, and opening
and responding to (if appropriate) any meeting or event invitations you receive.

However, it is strongly recommended that you keep your work email open for the duration of
each Warm Line shift you work, in order to ensure that you see announcements and other
communication in a timely manner.

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C. KEEPING THE ICAROL DATABASE ACCESSIBLE

You are expected to be logged into iCarol in your Internet browser at the start of your shift and
to keep iCarol open for the entirety of your shift (with the exception of meal breaks).

While taking calls, it is also strongly recommended that you open a New Call Report Form and
complete as much of the form as possible while you are still on the call, in order to avoid
forgetting call information or creating a backlog of unfinished call reports.

D. KEEPING INTERNAL MESSAGING ACCESSIBLE

The Warm Line uses Slack for on-shift communication between counselors and coordinators. This
system should not be shared with non-Warm Line staff.

All Warm Line staff are expected to use Slack and to be responsive to any incoming messages.
Your Slack name should follow this template: Firstname Lastname (iCarol Alias), and must
include a picture of yourself.

E. BEING PRESENT AT YOUR WORKSTATION

While all staff are encouraged to take time during shifts to stand up, stretch, and move around as
needed, it is essential that all on-shift staff be available at their workstations to pick up calls, see
chat notifications, and receive Slack messages.

For this reason, staff on shift are not permitted to spend any extended time away from their
workstations except when on breaks. In the office, staff must keep their computer screen visible
at all times (e.g., you must not sit with your back to the computer, or turn the monitor to face the
wall).

Similarly, use of headphones must not limit your ability to hear or see incoming calls and chats
or other Warm Line staff who are attempting to communicate with you.

F. CELL PHONE USE

You are allowed to keep your cell phone with you at your workstation during your Warm Line
shifts. It is understood that you may have some downtime while on the clock, and it is acceptable
to use your phone during these slow periods.

However, in order to avoid disruptions to Warm Line service, counselors’ phones must be set on
vibrate or silent, and all staff must take any personal calls into the hallway outside the Warm
Line. Phone use must not distract or prevent you from responding to Warm Line calls and chats
or from completing call reports and other job duties in a timely manner.

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When on shift, coordinators and managers are expected to keep their cell phones turned on and
accessible, and are permitted to keep ringtones audible, for the purpose of responding effectively
to calls from other Warm Line staff at all times.

You are expected to keep all Warm Line managers’ and coordinators ’ phone numbers saved in
your phone’s contact list. In the event that you need to contact a supervisor, you are personally
responsible for having the needed phone contact information available.

VII. Debriefing, Supervision & Use of On-Call

A. SUPERVISION ASSIGNMENTS

Each counselor is assigned to a supervisor on a quarterly basis (every 3 months). The supervisor
is typically a coordinator, but in certain cases a manager may also be a counselor’s assigned
supervisor.

Coordinators are responsible for assigning themselves to counselors. Supervision assignments

are shared over email.

B. ONE-ON-ONE SUPERVISION

All coordinators are expected to facilitate regular one-on-one supervision meetings with their
assigned counselors. Supervision meetings may involve checking in about wellbeing at work,
discussing job performance, reviewing call report feedback, or troubleshooting challenging call
or workplace situations.

Supervisors must meet for supervision with each assigned counselor once every other week. The
supervisor is responsible for scheduling these meetings, and for rescheduling in a timely manner
if the original meeting time must be changed.

Coordinators also participate in one-on-one supervision with the program management team.
Meetings will be scheduled by management to take place once per week or as time permits. For
overnight coordinators, regularly scheduled phone calls will be used in place of face-to-face
meetings.

C. GROUP SUPERVISION

Group Supervision meetings are a venue for counselors and coordinators to collectively discuss
Warm Line consumer interactions or situations and to seek support and input on best practices
from one another. Depending on need, meetings may also include a staff and program updates
component. Meetings are facilitated by a supervisor and run for approximately 3 hours.

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The Warm Line holds these Group Supervision meetings on a monthly basis. All staff are required
to attend at least one Group Supervision meeting per month, unless they have communicated a
conflict to their supervisor in advance. If you do not attend a group supervision without prior
leadership approval, it will be treated as a missed shift, and will result in disciplinary action. If
you RSVP to a group supervision, and do not attend, it will be treated as a “no call no show”
shift, and will be need to be addressed with a supervisor.

D. DEBRIEFING

Counselors on shift are expected to debrief with supervisors as needed. Debriefing involves the
discussion of a specific call, with a view to exploring how the interaction went, what the
counselor’s concerns are regarding the call, whether the call could have been handled differently,
etc. Counselors are expected to debrief as requested by the supervisor on their shift.

Debriefing may also take place more frequently, on an as-needed basis for particularly
challenging or upsetting calls. Counselors should indicate to a supervisor when they’ve had a
challenging or upsetting call and debrief as soon as time permits.

At the supervisor’s discretion and as needed, debriefing may be permitted to take priority over
responding to an incoming call or chat. Debriefing typically takes place within the call center but
may be moved to a more private location depending on the sensitivity of the situation.

If the on-call supervisor does not answer the phone, leave a message indicating why you called
and request a call back. For urgent situations, you should immediately attempt to contact a
manager rather than waiting for a return call.

Please be considerate during overnight hours (11pm – 7am) and avoid contacting the on-call
supervisor for reasons that can wait until a later shift or that can be addressed through other
media (e.g., email).

OTHER TYPES OF SUPPORT

At times, MHASF may be able to provide additional support, training, and consultation to
Warm Line staff. Such services may include mentorship, job support through PROPEL SF,
clinical consultation groups, and so on.

Warm Line Management will endeavor to make these opportunities known and accessible to all
Warm Line staff, provided that participation is not disruptive to Warm Line program
operations. Staff must obtain prior management approval in order to attend additional support
and training opportunities.

VIII. Mandated Reporting & Emergency Procedures

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A. MANDATED REPORTING (CHILD, ELDER, AND DEPENDENT ADULT ABUSE)

All Warm Line staff act as mandated reporters. The Warm Line must report known or reasonably
suspected child abuse, elder abuse, and dependent adult abuse to the appropriate authorities
when such knowledge is gained through engagement with consumers in the performance of
Warm Line job duties.

All staff are responsible for notifying their immediate supervisor as soon as possible when they
first hear evidence of child, elder, or dependent adult abuse. Warm Line Leadership makes all
final determinations as to whether a report will be made, based on the input of the responding
staff person(s).

In general, mandated reports to Adult Protective Services (APS) and Child Protective Services
(CPS) may be made by a Warm Line coordinators; in some cases, a counselor may be designated
to make an APS or CPS report.

Any staff person who is found to be withholding or concealing information about an instance of
known or suspected abuse, or who makes an APS or CPS report as a representative of the Warm
Line without prior authorization, will be subject to immediate disciplinary action.

B. EMERGENCY SERVICES AUTHORIZATION

In the event that a Warm Line consumer is at imminent risk of suicide, is in the midst of a suicidal
action, is in the midst of another life-threatening situation, or poses an immediate threat of harm
to another person, the Warm Line must contact emergency services. Depending on the nature of
the situation, either Mobile Crisis or 911 may be more appropriate

Any staff person who responds to a call or chat where emergency services are needed must
contact a Warm Line coordinator for prior authorization to contact emergency services. In
extreme cases when a coordinator cannot be reached or any delay in calling 911 would pose
additional risk to life may you contact emergency services without prior approval.

For complete Emergency Procedures information, refer to the Warm Line Training Manual.

C. NOTIFYING EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE

For all call and chat situations that result in an emergency services call, Warm Line Management
will contact MHASF Executive Management to report on the situation. If you participated in
responding to an emergency situation, you may be requested to contribute a report or participate
in an in-person debrief with Executive Management at the direction of a Warm Line Manager.

IX. Community Care & Use of Shared Space

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A. WORKSTATION & CHAIR PREFERENCES

Each workstation and office chair is available on a first-come, first-served basis, except in the case
of ergonomic needs. Stations which are outfitted with an ergonomic keyboard, wrist rests, or
other ergonomic equipment, and chairs designated as ergonomically correct, are prioritized for
use by those with ergonomic needs for the equipment when they are present on shift.

B. CLEANLINESS OF SHARED SPACE

Because the Warm Line is a shared space, with no areas designated for use only by specific people,
staff are collectively responsible for maintaining the cleanliness and organization of the Warm
Line call center. Staff must take personal responsibility for contributing to the collective effort to
maintain a clean and welcoming environment.

At the end of each shift, you are expected to wipe down your workstation—including the mouse,
keyboard and phone receiver—with a disinfectant wipe, as a courtesy to the next person to use
the workstation. Trash at the station must be thrown out, personal items packed up, and any
office supplies, binders or books, documents, or other Warm Line items returned to their place.

Please notify a supervisor in the event that additional cleaning supplies are needed.

C. DISHES

The Warm Line maintains its own supply of coffee mugs and spoons, but you are also welcome
to use dishes from the 781 kitchen area.

Dishes should be washed and returned to the appropriate shelf before the end of your shift.
Because dishes are a shared resource, be considerate of others and do not make dishes inaccessible
to others by storing them in refrigerators overnight, taking them home overnight, or keeping 781
dishes in the Warm Line space after use.

D. REFRIGERATORS

You are welcome to use the refrigerators in the Warm Line and the 781 kitchen area. All personal
food should be labeled with your name and the date, and any unwanted food should be offered
to others or thrown out in a timely manner.

Be advised that any spoiled food, including the container in which it is stored, may be thrown
out immediately and without notice.

Be considerate of limited refrigerator space and avoid storing large quantities of food in the
refrigerator at any given time, as this may prevent other people from being able to use the
refrigerator. In general, it’s not appropriate to store items intended for use over an extended

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period of time (e.g., a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread) in the Warm Line mini-fridge. Exceptions to
this include communal items such as coffee creamer.

E. STORING PERSONAL ITEMS

In general, part-time staff may not store personal items at the Warm Line; due to the amount of
time spent in the office, coordinators may use desk drawers to store some personal items, as long
as these are clearly labelled (either on the item itself or on the outside of the drawer).

Exceptions may be made for part-time counselors in cases where the item is intended to be shared
amongst the entire staff, or the item is necessary for the counselor to have on shift but regular
transport to and from the Warm Line poses an undue burden. You must receive supervisor
approval in order to store personal items in the call center.

F. NOISE LEVEL

All staff on shift are expected to be mindful of the noise level in the call center, and avoid making
noise that is disruptive to their own or others’ ability to work.

It is understood that multiple simultaneous phone conversations will naturally increase the noise
level in the call center, and that this cannot be prevented. However, you should attempt to
minimize the noise level during calls by not speaking at a higher volume than necessary for the
caller to comfortably hear you.

If your work is being disrupted by unnecessary noise in the call center, you are expected to take
personal responsibility for informing your shift partner(s) of the issue and requesting that the
noise level be lower; this may be done either verbally or through Slack messaging. Staff who are
requested to lower the noise level are expected to do so whenever possible.

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