National Violence Prevention Hotline's Crisis Support Program
We are committed to providing the same resources and support for everyone struggling with thoughts of violence regardless of ethnicity, sex, orientation, or background.
Critical Need
The National Violence Prevention Hotline’s (NVPH) addresses a critical gap as it is the only national resource dedicated specifically to violence prevention for perpetrators as opposed to focusing solely on victims. While support for victims remains essential, research and practice show that many violent acts can be prevented when intervention occurs early (as well as people who are worried about someone in their life acting out violently).
Tragically, this gap has left individuals and communities without a clear, accessible way to seek help before violent behavior escalates. NVPH believes prevention is always preferable to intervention. Our goal is to become a household name—similar to how the Domestic Violence Hotline is widely recognized—so that potential perpetrators, their friends, and family members know there is a trusted resource available before violence occurs.
Michelle, the Lead and Supervising Crisis Counselor at the National Violence Prevention Hotline (NVPH), previously served as a counselor for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. During her time there, she experienced an exponential number of callers reaching out because they were experiencing violent thoughts and desperately seeking help to prevent themselves from acting on them. In her final months at 988, Michelle received an average of one to five of these types of callers per day—despite the fact that 988 is not designed or equipped to support this form of crisis. In fact, 988 counselors are instructed to end calls of this nature and inform the individual that the hotline is not designed to support that type of crisis. This speaks to the critical gap in our national crisis support systems: many people who are struggling with violent ideation do reach out for help, but until now, there was no dedicated resource for them.
This highlights the need for NVPH, where we strongly believe that providing crisis support to people with homicidal ideations or those that may be contemplating violence is how we protect and save innocent lives. While not all violence can be prevented without large interventions by law enforcement and mental health professionals, most perpetrators show signs of behaviors long before most violent individuals take action, and thus we believe that widespread adoption of NVPH could offer a significant decrease in violence in the United States over time.
Countless acts of violence have been carried out by perpetrators that showcased observable warning signs and concerning behavior beforehand—making it evident that, with the right reporting system, these acts could have been prevented. The bar graph below illustrates the FBIs findings in tracking patterns of pre-attack behaviors as far back as 2000, highlighting that over 50% began displaying concerning behavior more than two years beforehand.
Silver, J., Simons, A., & Craun, S. (2018). A Study of the Pre-Attack Behaviors of Active Shooters in the United States Between 2000 – 2013. Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice. https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/pre-attack-behaviors-of-active-shooters.pdf/view
The original study covers the period from 2000 to 2013, and the past decade has shown an even greater escalation in these warning signs—driven in part by the rise of social media, where individuals now frequently broadcast threats and violent intent in highly visible ways. Platforms like Discord, launched in 2015, have especially amplified this broadcasting of warning signs, as they are often used by perpetrators to share manifestos and immerse themselves in radical or extremist ideologies with little oversight.
The FBI recently validated this ongoing rise of prevalent warning signs. In July 2024, Shohini Sinha, the special agent leading the Salt Lake City FBI Field Office, presented a briefing on the agency’s new Prevent Mass Violence campaign, to equip the public with knowledge on the behaviors often exhibited by those who carry out mass violence. Specifically, she stated “Mass shooters don’t just snap—whether it’s changes to their behavior or personality, comments or jokes about self-harm and violence, or obsessing over past mass shootings and perpetrators, they leave behind a trail of warning signs that can sometimes span years.”
Source: Mass shooters ‘do not just snap’: How to spot violent people, according to the FBI • Nevada Current
NVPH is committed to widespread public education on the FBI-identified warning signs of pre-attack behavior, combatting bystander fatigue, and building a future where every community knows when, and how, to turn to the NVPH for confidential reporting of alarming behavior before tragedy unfolds. NPVH will also work to coordinate with local law enforcement when behaviors are reported that meet the mandatory reporting threshold.
A Licensed Counselor and Former FBI Special Discuss the National Violence Prevention Hotline
NVPH's Crisis Support Program
NVPH was founded to save lives by offering free, confidential, compassionate crisis counseling to individuals at risk of causing harm, as well as those concerned about potential threats. Our program focuses on prevention through early intervention and education.
Counselor Recruitment and Training:
We are building a team of trained crisis counselors, specializing in threat assessment, de-escalation techniques, and trauma-informed care.
Protocol Development:
Legal and clinical teams have developed evidence-based scripts and procedures to guide counselors in responding to calls. Protocols also define when law enforcement should be engaged. We consult regularly with experts, including representatives from the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals.
Data Collection:
A secure system tracks caller insights, identifying common warning signs, stressors, and the effectiveness of de-escalation techniques. This real-time data is one of the nation’s most unique datasets on violence prevention, informing future strategies, counselor training, and evidence-based protocols.
Connection to Resources:
Every caller is connected to a curated directory of nationwide services. Safety plans include both immediate assistance—such as mental health support or escaping a dangerous situation—and long-term care recommendations to address underlying stressors.
Awareness Campaign:
Public awareness is central to NVPH’s mission. Current outreach includes:
- Schools and Colleges:Educating students and faculty on warning signs and how to access the hotline.
- Local Law Enforcement:Providing a proactive resource to share with individuals at risk of committing violence.
Soon, we will expand this to a national Public Relations campaign, supported by media expertise from former Marine and FBI Special Agent Robert D’Amico, producing videos and content to increase public awareness.