We know that locating trauma resources can often be difficult, and we are here to help. This service is offered to you at no charge.

We provide information to 
     • Survivors
     • Family Members
     • Friends
     • Professionals
     • Students

Our Trauma Resource Specialists can help you find resources to aid your progress toward recovery.

We have a trauma resource database of:
     • Therapists Located Near You
     • Treatment Centers All Over the Country
     • Organizations Dedicated to Survivor Groups
     • Peer-Support Groups in Your Area
     • Books, Articles, CDs, DVDs, and Videos
     • Professional and Survivor Newsletters and Journals

The Help Desk DOES NOT provide clinical or counseling services. Please seek the guidance of a mental health professional for any of your needs beyond our stated purposes.

The Help Desk is NOT A HOT LINE. If you need immediate help, please call 911 or go to an emergency room.

Here are some hotline numbers that might be useful:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK
National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-422-4453 (Call this number for help if you have been abused, suspect a child or teenager is being sexually abused, or if you are an abuser.)
Covenant House (Youth and Parents): 800-999-9999

All of our Trauma Resource Specialists volunteer for Sidran. They have a natural ability to be warm, caring, and empathetic. These Trauma Resource Specialists have a variety of backgrounds and experiences. They are trained by Sidran to provide information and resources; however, they do not provide clinical or counseling services. For more information about how the Help Desk works, click here to see a PDF copy of an interview with Sidran's Director of Trauma Resources.

The information provided by Sidran’s Help Desk comes from our large trauma database. Therapists and other mental health care professionals from around the nation contact Sidran and ask to be listed in our database. Information on resources outside the United States are also included in the database, but are limited. We have not verified the credentials or experience of, nor can we be responsible for the quality of services provided by, these therapists or other mental health care professionals. We highly recommend that you verify credentials and experience before employing any of the therapists or mental health care professionals provided in a list by Sidran.

We have chosen not to post our database to the Web because we want to customize each response to the unique needs of each person who contacts the Help Desk. Our Trauma Resource Specialists are happy to guide you through the process of finding a therapist. A good place to start is to read the article entitled "Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress and Dissociative Conditions: What to Look for and How to Choose a Therapist."

All inquiries are kept strictly confidential. Sidran will not share information about you with anyone. When returning phone messages, the Trauma Resource Specialist will identify him or herself as calling from the Sidran Institute. No further explanation will be given about the purpose of the call. If it is safe to leave a message on your answering machine with the information you have requested, please let us know in your email, phone call, or letter.

To Contact the Help Desk:

     E-mail your request

     Call: 410-825-8888, ext. 203
     (confidential phone messages are accepted 24 hours a day)

     Write:
     Help Desk, Sidran Institute
     200 E. Joppa Road
     Suite 207
     Baltimore, MD 21286

The Trauma Resource Specialists follow the duty to warn policy. This means that if an individual makes a credible threat of violence to someone, we are bound to report that information to the authorities.

VOLUNTEER AS A TRAUMA RESOURCE SPECIALIST
Come join our team! You do not need to be a trained professional to help others. Sidran will teach you what you need to know to advocate and help trauma survivors find ways to empower themselves. The Help Desk has a wealth of information to offer. If you are interested in becoming a Trauma Resource Specialist and you live in the Baltimore, Maryland, area, please feel free to contact us.