877-HOPE-365 Columbia County Community Resource HOPEline

About

In the spring of 2023, the Columbia County Department of Health and Human Services, in partnership with local organizations, convened an Opioid Settlement Workgroup to help inform the use of settlement funds coming into Columbia County.

As part of this effort, four listening sessions were held in Chatham, New Lebanon, Claverack, and Copake in collaboration with Columbia County Pathways to Recovery, ReEntry Columbia, Mental Health Association Youth Clubhouses, Twin County Recovery Services, Greener Pathways Mobile Outreach, Columbia-Greene Addiction Coalition, and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.

Community members—including people who had lost loved ones to overdose and those with firsthand experience navigating local systems—shared consistent challenges accessing mental health, substance use, transportation, housing, food, healthcare, and other essential services.

In response, the workgroup identified the need for a simple, trusted point of access where residents could connect with a real person for help navigating resources and receiving a warm handoff to appropriate services.

Rather than create something new, the group agreed to build upon Columbia County Pathways to Recovery’s existing 877-HOPE-365 Helpline, which has served the community since 2013. The anonymous line is staffed by compassionate, nonjudgmental local volunteers with access to a comprehensive directory of community resources.

HOPE365 is not intended to replace existing hotlines, warmlines, crisis services, or other community resources. Instead, it provides an easy place to start for anyone who needs support but may not know where to turn.