This resource presents options for adapting GBV case management in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic so that survivors can continue to access and receive safe and confidential services. It focuses specifically on phone-based case management.

In this resource, phone-based case management is defined as case management that caseworkers provide over the phone to existing clients (or, in some cases when resources, safety and referral processes allow, new clients through direct referrals). It may be accessed through appointments agreed upon by the survivor and caseworker or through
survivor-initiated calls when the caseworker is available (i.e., not open to the general public, or operating all hours).

This resource also provides recommendations for scaling up hotlines as a strategy for meeting urgent support and referral needs of survivors and those at risk.

A hotline8 is an established phone service that provides crisis support and information to any survivor who calls. It is open to the general public and sometimes, but not always, for extended hours. In many settings hotlines operate with toll-free numbers so that callers can avoid incurring fees.

This guidance clearly differentiates these two types of services, while also recognizing potential issues of overlap, such as with safety planning, referral pathways, etc. It draws from and attempts to synthesize good practices that have emerged in relation to meeting the needs of survivors through these methods in the context of COVID-19. It covers issues including:

- Establishing and Delivering Phone-based GBV Case Management Services;
- Establishing and Delivering GBV Hotline Services;
- Safety Planning and Other Support to High-Risk Clients;
- Updating Referral Pathways;
- Documentation and Data Storage;
- Supervision and Staff Care for Caseworkers and Hotline Staff. (From the document). Record #7506