When Rebecca Fein took the helm at Verity, Sonoma County’s only rape crisis center, she faced a familiar nonprofit challenge: growing needs, limited resources, and staff stretched thin. Rather than accept the status quo, Rebecca made a bold decision early in her tenure that would reshape how the organization served its community. Today, Verity is reaching more survivors, with greater accuracy and less staff burden than ever before.
Rewriting what’s possible for crisis response
Verity had relied on the same answering service for over 30 years. It was dependable in its time, but by 2023, the cracks were showing. Calls were being mishandled. Schedules weren’t lining up. Mistakes—though understandable—were having real consequences.
Rebecca listened carefully to her team. Within weeks, she had a vision for something better: a system that didn’t just answer phones, but gave Verity full visibility into who was calling, when, and how the team responded. A system that respected the complexity of crisis work—and gave her staff the tools to do it well and efficiently.
Leading change, early and decisively
Rebecca was new to the organization. Still, she knew the cost of waiting. “I was a brand new ED,” she says. “But the pain points were obvious, and we had a chance to fix them.”
"I was a brand new ED. But the pain points were obvious, and we had a chance to fix them."
She introduced a new model. Not just a technical upgrade, but a rethinking of how the team worked together. Staff received training. Volunteers learned new systems. And in a matter of weeks, the organization began operating with more clarity, control, and calm.
Verity’s Achievements
- Staff saves 18 hours / week: What once took 20 hours a week – scheduling crisis line shifts, now takes two. Volunteers manage their own availability. Staff use their time to build programs, support fundraising, and deepen volunteer engagement.
- More survivors reached: With better tracking, Verity discovered it had been underreporting call volume for years. “We didn’t start getting more calls,” Rebecca explains. “We just finally saw what was already happening.”
- Better support for volunteers: When someone spends an hour on the phone, the team now knows. They can follow up meaningfully. They can coach. And they can protect the wellbeing of the people on the front lines.
Safety, by design
One of the toughest parts of running a crisis line is dealing with abusive callers. Rebecca didn’t want her volunteers to face that alone. Today, the team can block known numbers, temporarily reject anonymous calls, and instantly alert every person on call when something concerning happens.
“There’s something that feels really safe about that,” she says.
Still adapting, always improving
Rebecca continues to ask: what else can we do better? Her team is testing new features in Helpline Software that allow her to follow up with callers who request ongoing support, all without letting anything fall through the cracks. More than any single tool, it’s this mindset that’s reshaped Verity: clear-eyed about the challenges, but unwilling to accept burnout, disorganization, or wasted hours as inevitable.
“It’s 2025. There is technology that can do work that would otherwise take people power. We need to let it.”
About Verity
Verity is Sonoma County’s sole rape crisis center, offering 24/7 support to survivors of sexual violence. Through advocacy, counseling, prevention, and education, Verity has served its community for over 50 years.
About Helpline Software
Helpline Software is a modern and fully customizable platform built for hotlines, helplines and crisis lines, enabling teams to manage calls, schedules, and follow-ups with transparency and care.