This study examines ERAN, Israel's unique national telephone helpline. We consider the role of the helpline in providing social support for single and married callers, an issue that has received little attention in the literature. We also examine how helpline use in Israel compares with what studies have shown about helpline use in other countries. Focusing on the issue of social support, the study compares married and single calls in their utilization of ERAN. The specific research questions were: (1) what kinds of problems do callers present?(2) what kinds of help do callers request?.Helplines have become an established component of many communities' social services. Their popularity stems from the helplines' accessibility, an increased willingness of people to seek help in times of stress, declining opportunities for intimate relationships, and, as some suggest, a preference for a 'quick fix' over traditional therapies (Goud, 1985). Ouchi and Johnson (1978) attribute the increase of helplines to the weakening of traditional sources of social support -the family, church, and community.