What women need immediately upon discovering they are unexpectedly pregnant is someone who can listen to their problems in a friendly manner without judgment and provide comprehensive information to aid in decision-making, as well as assistance that aligns with their situation and life conditions to help resolve and address the issues effectively. Therefore, service centers need to have alternative counseling providers to allow women to make decisions that align with their life conditions, personal potential, and readiness to handle the consequences of their decisions.
Alternative counseling aims to provide women with unplanned pregnancies with sufficient and clear information about their options to alleviate feelings, gain understanding, build strength, see life solutions, and make decisions that are appropriate and consistent with the problem and their needs. The qualifications of alternative counselors are as follows (reference: Women’s Unplanned Pregnancy Support Network)
- Skilled in providing counseling services
- Neutral perspective and awareness of personal biases related to unplanned pregnancies
- Sensitivity to gender issues
- Ability to assess feelings and evaluate potential based on the client’s choices
Alternative counseling services are available in some hospitals in units called “One-Stop Crisis Centers” and “Teen Clinics,” where counselors listen to problems and provide information to find solutions for unplanned pregnancies. If one is uncomfortable with face-to-face counseling, they may opt for telephone counseling services. Telephone counseling is an important access channel because it is a service that can be contacted immediately without having to reveal one’s identity.
Currently, there are agencies providing telephone counseling services related to unplanned pregnancy issues, including:
Hotline 1663 for AIDS and Unplanned Pregnancy Counseling In 2013, the Health Promotion Foundation (HPF) supported the development of the AIDS and Unplanned Pregnancy Counseling Hotline 1663 to assist those facing unplanned pregnancy issues. It has 10 lines and offers anonymous counseling services available from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, including public holidays, by trained and quality-assessed volunteers, with staff available to refer services according to choices. The service guidelines are as follows:
- Provide counseling on unprotected sex issues, pregnancy concerns, HIV infection, and unplanned pregnancies over the phone
- Help assess risks related to both HIV and unplanned pregnancies, and assist in finding prevention options that align with lifestyles to access safe public health services
- Anonymous service, confidential, no name asked, no number displayed, and a personal code is given for future consultations, ensuring privacy
- Provide unplanned pregnancy counseling and individual assistance in case of service referrals to access safe services
- Provide information on postnatal or post-abortion contraception with effective contraceptive methods
Mental Health Hotline 1323 provides counseling services for those with mental health issues, under the Ministry of Public Health, specifically the Department of Mental Health and the Galya Rajanagarindra Institute. The Mental Health Hotline 1323 operates 31 lines and connects with lines at hospitals within the Department of Mental Health network nationwide. All counselors are well-trained in counseling courses, mostly psychologists, social workers, and professional nurses. The 1323 service guidelines provide initial counseling to resolve mental issues, with staff screening problems before referring to specialized psychologists for further consultation. If ongoing care is needed, 1323 does not have a referral or follow-up system via phone.
Hotline 1300 OSCC Social Assistance Center, formerly Hotline 1300, is the Prachabodi Center under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, providing counseling, advice, and assistance for various social issues, available 24/7. In 2013, the government established the Social Assistance Center, and Hotline 1300 was developed into a Social Problem Reporting Center for four areas: violence, human trafficking, child labor, and teenage pregnancy. For teenage pregnancy issues, the Prachabodi Center provides initial counseling and then refers to hospitals under the Ministry of Public Health for alternative counseling services and appropriate assistance planning, except in cases where the decision is to continue the pregnancy and a maternity home is needed, in which case they are referred to child and family shelters. It is found that most calls to Hotline 1300 are related to violence issues, with relatively few teenage pregnancy cases. If a client cannot find a solution or alternative to resolve the issue, Hotline 1300 will refer them to the Unplanned Pregnancy Counseling Hotline 1663 for further alternative counseling services.
Source: Unplanned Pregnancy Network Book