Wendy Williams Launches A Substance Abuse Hotline

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Wendy Williams Just Launched A Substance Abuse Hotline

Wendy Williams is back, and she’s doing her part to help those in need.

A week after returning to her talk show following a long and mysterious hiatus, Williams announced on Monday that her family’s Hunter Foundation has partnered with T.R.U.S.T., an organization dedicated to building a bridge from treatment to long-term recovery, to launch a national resource hotline.

1-888-5HUNTER will provide resources to those suffering from drug addiction or substance abuse, their families and loved ones, or the general public to receive education and awareness information.

“The Hunter Foundation launched a 24-hour nationwide hotline to offer treatment resources to get help for you if you happen to be addicted to drugs and substance abusing,” Wendy told viewers on her show. “What you do is you call, and your call will be answered by specially-trained, certified recovery coaches. These people will provide you, should you want help, with referrals and treatment facilities. If that’s you, we’re here to help.”

The 24-hour hotline is going to be fully staffed by specially trained certified recovery coaches who will conduct assessments and match callers with lists of treatment facilities including detox, rehabilitation, sober living, and outpatient centers throughout the country.

In a statement about the hotline, Williams said: “We must all come together to respond to this crisis of addiction and substance abuse. Everyone is at risk from the inner cities to more affluent communities. My family and I are very proud to partner with T.R.U.S.T. to get people the help that they so desperately need, especially if they or their families have given up hope. There is hope.”

Ron Clinton, President of T.R.U.S.T. also commented on the endeavor, saying, “We are pleased to partner with The Hunter Foundation to help spread the message that there is hope and recovery can work! With over 70,000 overdose deaths in the past year, we can make an impact together to combat this crisis through awareness and treatment. We are grateful to the Hunter family for undertaking this initiative and for asking T.R.U.S.T. to facilitate this life-saving effort.”

Williams has been open about her own struggles with addiction in the past, including a cocaine addiction in her 20s and 30s. “Drugs were a demon I had to overcome,” she told PEOPLE back in 2014.

Last year, she launched the “Be Here” National Campaign designed to combat drug addiction and substance abuse in communities.

If you or someone you know is in need of help, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.