
Many suicide hotlines face the challenge of long wait times, with callers often left waiting when they need urgent support. Counselors spend valuable time figuring out who is in immediate crisis versus who is at lower risk. This can delay help for those in the most danger. Our project provides a Suicide Hotline Triage Assistant, a calm, supportive first point of contact. It greets callers, asks a few short safety questions, and quickly identifies whether someone is highly risky, less risky, or unclear. The assistant then connects the caller directly to a trained human counselor. By reducing wait times and sorting callers by risk level, this system ensures that those in greatest need receive faster attention, while all callers are treated with empathy and respect. It does not replace human counselors but supports them by streamlining the process and improving response efficiency.
21 Sep 2025