About Us
Backline's Mission
Backline is dedicated to addressing the broad range of experiences and emotions surrounding pregnancy, parenting, adoption and abortion. We provide a forum in which women and their loved ones can engage in discussion that goes beyond political rhetoric. We are committed to addressing the individual and diverse realities within our communities. Our vision is of a society in which pregnancy options are discussed with openness, honesty, and the deepest respect for reproductive justice.
You Can Always Get Through On The Backline...
Many clinics have an unlisted number that they give to people who need to get through directly to the person they are calling. We chose the name Backline because we wanted to create direct access for women and their loved ones to get the support, information, and discussion they need. Our trained volunteers are available to talk about each individual's unique pregnancy experience, and our Talk Line is private, anonymous, and available toll free, seven days a week, from anywhere in the country.
Our History
Based in Portland, Oregon, Backline was founded in 2004 in response to the growing need for women and their loved ones to be able to access confidential, anonymous, and client-centered resources for support around pregnancy, parenting, abortion and adoption. Backline's founders had worked in family planning and abortion clinics, adoption agencies, prenatal healthcare clinics, and political and social service organizations. Through these experiences, they recognized that time restraints and lack of resources meant that it was often difficult to facilitate a comprehensive exploration of the emotions involved with making a decision about pregnancy.
Our toll-free national Talk Line went live on November 1, 2004, with five Talk Line Advocates who had participated in over forty hours of training on pregnancy options and client-centered counseling techniques. In our first year, Backline received over 100 counseling calls from women and their loved ones all over the country. Approximately 25% of these calls were from women calling after an abortion, and approximately 23% of these calls were from significant others. Our first year also brought a comprehensive outreach campaign, and professional training opportunities at clinics and conferences across the country. We have hosted two more Advocate trainings and have brought in an increasing number of dedicated volunteers. As we move forward, Backline is thrilled to be continually expanding our services and building connections with our clients and allies.
Our Vision
Women have the resources they need to make the pregnancy, parenting, abortion and adoption decisions that are best for their lives.
Our Core Values
- Women will be supported in making the pregnancy, parenting, abortion and adoption choices that are best for their lives.
- All people will be treated with dignity and respect. We honor the complexity inherent in personal, political and spiritual realities.
- Pregnancy, parenting, abortion and adoption are a normal part of life. All experiences are valued.
- Backline works in complement with the community of healthcare providers.
- Women will cope best post abortion, postpartum and post placement when they have had emotional support before, during and after their pregnancy.
- Women and their loved ones need a safe space to explore and resolve their own feelings and experiences around pregnancy, parenting, abortion and adoption before they can be mobilized to political or social action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do women and their loved ones need a Talk Line?
Our Backline's toll-free Talk Line allows women and their loved ones to reach an Advocate seven days a week from anywhere in the country. Many of our callers live in areas without family planning clinics., or are unable to find get time away from work or family to make an appointment to discuss their pregnancy options. Some callers prefer the anonymity of a Talk Line, and many call us as soon as they find out they are pregnant, before they have even thought about visiting a clinic or talking to their partners, families, or friends. Finally, our Talk Line allows callers to reach us when they feel ready to talk - after visiting a clinic, or once the initial shock has worn off, or after a heated discussion with a their boyfriend or parent, or late at night when they feel especially isolated. Some people call several times, and some encourage their loved ones to call the line as well. Backline is here for everyone, when they need us most.
Who can call you?
Our calls are from women who represent all ages, races, backgrounds, political parties, and religious beliefs. Women call when making a decision about pregnancy or when they have made a decision and need to talk about what that choice means in their lives. They call us after having had an abortion, sometimes the day after and sometimes decades later. Women call Backline after giving birth or after placing for adoption. Our callers are women who are parents, women who plan to have children someday, and women who don't intend to become mothers. Some are single, some are married, and some are trying to figure out how their pregnancy will affect their relationships. All of these women call because they need a compassionate listener and a place to explore their feelings. Backline Advocates support women regardless of their decision.
Anyone who wants to talk about pregnancy, parenting, abortion or adoption can call Backline. Approximately 1 in 5 of our callers is male. About one in 10 calls are from parents, other family members and friends. We recognize that making a decision about pregnancy can affect everyone involved in a woman's life. Many of our callers want to talk about how to best support a woman they love and get the emotional support they need throughout the decision-making process.
Are you pro-choice?
Backline is a pro-choice organization that supports women's right to parent, have an abortion or place for adoption. We believe that a commitment to each of these options is essential to supporting women in the decisions that are best for their lives, and all of our Talk Line Advocates have a strong commitment to Reproductive Justice. Because of our commitment to true choice, Backline offers unbiased and medically-accurate information to our callers, and our Talk Line Advocates remain politically neutral when speaking with callers.
Backline recognizes that the divisive nature of the pro-choice vs. pro-life debate in this country leaves many women feeling like they must "take sides" or negate the complex feelings that can arise from a pregnancy experience. We train our Advocates to help callers explore the nuances of their feelings and discuss how their communities and beliefs affect the choices they make.
Who runs Backline?
Backline is operated by an all-volunteer board and staff based in Portland, Oregon. We bring experience in nonprofit administration, clinic management, counseling, education, public health, conflict resolution, grassroots activism and international reproductive rights advocacy. Backline was formed in March 2004 and the Talk Line went live in November of that year. Backline currently has over 20 Volunteer Talk Line Advocates who answer calls seven days a week.
How do people find out about the Talk Line?
Many callers find us through our website, www.yourbackline.org. Others pick up materials at clinics and women's health centers. Brochures, wallet cards, and posters, and can be ordered free of charge by contacting outreach@yourbackline.org.
Backline is honored to be a trusted referral source by over 500 clinics and organizations nationwide, including healthcare providers, independent abortion and family planning clinics, national and local advocacy organizations, and local health departments, schools, adoption agencies, teen parent organizations and prenatal care clinics. Our Community Allies, a distinguished group of organizations who not only refer to us but also partner with us on training, outreach, and program development.
How is Backline funded?
Backline's primary funding comes from a strong network of individual donors around the country, as well as several small family foundations. We do not receive any government funding.
How are the volunteer Talk Line Advocates trained?
The volunteer Talk Line Advocates receive 40 hours of initial training in client-centered counseling and all issues surrounding pregnancy, parenting, abortion and adoption. Backline developed the training to focus on our unique mission and created an integrated approach to supporting women and their loved ones in their decisions. Advocates receive ongoing training at monthly meetings where calls are debriefed and new counseling skills are practiced. Advocates also participate in issue-focused trainings throughout the year designed to address recurring themes or topics that arise on the Talk Line. These trainings are facilitated by community experts and have included topics such as domestic violence, sexual assault, and perinatal mood disorders.
Our Talk Line Advocates are currently based in Portland, Oregon. In 2008, we will launch our Regional Outreach Program, training Advocates and providing outreach throughout the country.
