Terms of Use

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Unbroken Voices website located at www.unbroken-voices.org (the “Site”), registering for any of our programs or services, submitting a story, applying to volunteer, making a donation, or otherwise engaging with Unbroken Voices in any way, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use (“Terms”).

If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our website or services.

These Terms apply to all visitors, users, story contributors, volunteers, donors, training participants, and anyone else who accesses or uses the Site.

2. About Unbroken Voices

Unbroken Voices is a nonprofit organization dedicated to trauma-informed storytelling, mental health education, suicide prevention training (QPR), and community connection. Our mission is to amplify lived experiences of trauma, mental health challenges, substance use, and recovery while reducing stigma, increasing mental health literacy, and creating safe, ethical spaces for storytelling.

Unbroken Voices operates as a nonprofit organization. We are governed by a Board of Directors and are committed to responsible stewardship of our mission, our participants, and our community.

3. Not a Crisis Service

In the United States, you can:

• Call or text 988 — the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7
• Text HOME to 741741 — the Crisis Text Line, available 24/7
• Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room for immediate danger

Unbroken Voices is not responsible for outcomes resulting from reliance on this website as a substitute for crisis services or emergency support.

4. Not a Therapy or Clinical Provider

The content on this website, including educational articles, psychoeducation resources, storytelling content, and any other materials, is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing on this website constitutes medical advice, mental health treatment, therapy, counseling, or clinical care.

Unbroken Voices does not provide:

• Therapy, counseling, or psychiatric services
• Medical diagnosis or treatment recommendations
• Personalized mental health advice or clinical guidance
• Substance use treatment or detoxification services
• Crisis intervention or emergency mental health care

If you are experiencing mental health challenges, trauma symptoms, substance use concerns, or any other health issue, we strongly encourage you to seek support from a qualified mental health professional, healthcare provider, or licensed clinician. Our Resources page contains referrals to national and local support services.

Participation in our storytelling programs, educational content, or QPR training does not create a therapeutic or clinical relationship between you and Unbroken Voices or any of its staff, volunteers, or facilitators.

5. Eligibility & Age Requirements

Use of this website is open to the general public. However, certain programs and services have specific eligibility requirements:

• Volunteers: All volunteers must be 18 years of age or older and must submit a valid government-issued photo ID for verification. See Section 11 for details.
• Story contributors: Story submission through the VOICES Approach is available to adults 18 years of age or older. Younger individuals may participate only with verified parental or guardian consent and with appropriate trauma-informed safeguards in place.
• QPR training: QPR Gatekeeper Training is available to individuals 16 years of age or older. Participants under 18 should have parental awareness of their participation.
• General website use: Our educational content is written for a general adult audience. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. See our Privacy Policy for details.

6. Permitted Use

You may use this website and its content for the following purposes:

• Accessing educational content, resources, and information for personal, professional, or community education purposes
• Registering for QPR training, webinars, and other Unbroken Voices events
• Making donations to support the Unbroken Voices mission
• Submitting a volunteer application
• Engaging with the story submission process through the VOICES Approach
• Sharing links to Unbroken Voices content on social media or with your community, with appropriate attribution
• Contacting us with questions, partnership inquiries, or feedback
• Downloading or printing educational materials for personal or professional non-commercial use, with attribution to Unbroken Voices

7. Prohibited Use

You may not use this website or its content for the following purposes:

• Reproducing, republishing, selling, licensing, or distributing Unbroken Voices content without written permission
• Using story submissions, personal narratives, or any content contributed by community members for commercial purposes or without the contributor’s explicit consent
• Impersonating Unbroken Voices, its staff, volunteers, or story contributors
• Submitting false, misleading, or fraudulent information in any form, application, or inquiry
• Harassing, threatening, or harming any person associated with Unbroken Voices or any story contributor
• Attempting to gain unauthorized access to any part of our website, systems, or data
• Using automated tools, scrapers, or bots to collect data from this website without express written permission
• Using our platform to promote hate speech, discrimination, violence, or content that demeans or exploits individuals based on their lived experience, identity, or health status
• Violating any applicable local, state, national, or international law or regulation
• Using this website in any way that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair its functionality

Violation of these prohibited use terms may result in immediate termination of your access to our services and, where appropriate, referral to law enforcement authorities.

8. Website Content

Unbroken Voices makes reasonable efforts to ensure that the content on this website is accurate, current, and consistent with evidence-based practices in mental health, trauma, substance use, and recovery. However, we do not warrant the completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of any content.

Educational content on this website is intended to increase general mental health literacy and is not a substitute for professional clinical guidance. Mental health information, diagnostic criteria, treatment approaches, and resources evolve over time. We encourage you to consult qualified professionals and current clinical sources for guidance specific to your situation.

Resource listings on our website are provided as referrals only. Unbroken Voices does not endorse, certify, or guarantee the quality, availability, or appropriateness of any external organization, service provider, or resource listed on our site. We are not responsible for the content, services, or practices of linked organizations.

9. User-Submitted Content

When you submit any content to Unbroken Voices — including contact form messages, newsletter sign-up information, volunteer applications, or general correspondence — you represent that:

• The information you provide is accurate and truthful to the best of your knowledge
• You have the right to submit the information you are providing
• Your submission does not violate any applicable law or the rights of any third party

Unbroken Voices reserves the right to decline, remove, or not respond to any submission that violates these Terms or that we determine, in our sole discretion, to be harmful, inappropriate, or inconsistent with our mission.

10. Story Submissions & the VOICES Approach

Story submissions through the VOICES Approach are governed by a separate Story Contributor Agreement, which you will receive and sign before any story is published. The following principles apply to all story-related engagement with Unbroken Voices:

• Voluntary participation: Story submission is entirely voluntary. You may withdraw from the process at any point, for any reason, without consequence.
• Informed consent: No story will be published without your explicit, written consent after reviewing the final content.
• Ownership: You retain ownership of your personal narrative at all times. Unbroken Voices does not claim intellectual property rights over your lived experience.
• Right to withdraw: You may request that your story be updated, revised, or removed from the platform at any time.
• Non-exploitation: Your story will not be sold, licensed to third parties, or used for commercial purposes without your explicit written consent.
• Confidentiality of the process: What you share in facilitation sessions is confidential and will not be published without your explicit permission.

By submitting a story, you grant Unbroken Voices a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to publish, display, and share your story on our website and related platforms, in the manner and to the extent described in your signed Story Contributor Agreement.

11. Volunteer Participation

Volunteer participation with Unbroken Voices is subject to the following conditions:

• All volunteers must be 18 years of age or older
• All volunteers must submit a valid government-issued photo ID for verification prior to beginning volunteer activities
• All volunteers must complete a volunteer orientation and agree to the Unbroken Voices Volunteer Code of Conduct
• Some roles may require additional background screening at the discretion of Unbroken Voices
• Volunteer participation is unpaid and does not create an employment relationship
• Unbroken Voices reserves the right to decline any volunteer application or terminate any volunteer relationship at its discretion

Volunteers are expected to represent Unbroken Voices with integrity, respect the confidentiality of participants and community members, and uphold the organization’s trauma-informed values in all interactions.

12. Donations

Donations to Unbroken Voices are processed securely through Stripe and PayPal. By making a donation, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

• Donations are voluntary gifts to support the Unbroken Voices mission and do not entitle the donor to any specific service, product, outcome, or control over organizational decisions
• All donations are final. Refunds are not available except in cases of documented processing error, which should be reported to ryan@unbroken-voices.org within 30 days of the transaction
• Unbroken Voices is a nonprofit organization. Donations may be tax-deductible to the extent permitted by applicable law. You are responsible for consulting a tax advisor regarding the deductibility of your donation
• Unbroken Voices will make reasonable efforts to use donations in accordance with its stated mission and any donor-designated purpose, subject to organizational needs and legal requirements
• Payment processing is governed by the terms and privacy policies of Stripe and PayPal respectively

13. QPR Training

QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Gatekeeper Training offered by Unbroken Voices is provided for educational purposes to increase community awareness of suicide prevention. By registering for and attending QPR training, you acknowledge and agree that:

• QPR training is an educational program, not clinical training or certification in mental health treatment
• Completion of QPR training does not make you a licensed mental health professional, crisis counselor, or clinical practitioner
• QPR Gatekeeper certification is valid for one year from the date of training completion and must be renewed annually
• Participants must attend the full 90-minute training session to receive certification. Partial attendance does not qualify for certification
• Virtual training participants must keep their video on throughout the session to receive certification
• Unbroken Voices is not liable for outcomes resulting from the application or non-application of QPR skills in real-world situations
• Training fees are non-refundable except in the event of a session cancellation by Unbroken Voices, in which case a full refund or credit will be offered

QPR training content is developed by the QPR Institute. Unbroken Voices delivers this training as an authorized instructor. The QPR Institute’s intellectual property is used under license.

14. Third-Party Links & Services

Our website contains links to external websites, resources, and services — including crisis lines, mental health organizations, treatment directories, and educational materials — that are not owned or controlled by Unbroken Voices.

We provide these links as a convenience and for informational purposes only. Unbroken Voices does not endorse, certify, or assume responsibility for the content, privacy practices, services, or availability of any linked external website or resource.

We also use third-party service providers — including Stripe, PayPal, and Calendly — whose use is governed by their respective terms of service and privacy policies. Your use of these services is subject to their terms, not solely these Terms of Use.

15. Intellectual Property

All content on the Unbroken Voices website — including text, graphics, logos, educational materials, article content, page designs, and the VOICES Approach framework — is the intellectual property of Unbroken Voices or is used with permission, and is protected by applicable copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

You may:

• View, read, and access content for personal and educational use
• Share links to our content with appropriate attribution
• Print or download individual articles for personal or professional non-commercial use, with clear attribution to Unbroken Voices

You may not:

• Reproduce, republish, sell, or distribute Unbroken Voices content without written permission
• Use the Unbroken Voices name, logo, or branding without authorization
• Claim authorship of Unbroken Voices content
• Use story contributor content for any purpose without the contributor’s explicit consent

To request permission for use of Unbroken Voices content beyond these terms, contact us at ryan@unbroken-voices.org.

16. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Unbroken Voices website and its content are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis, without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, completeness, or non-infringement.

Unbroken Voices does not warrant that:

• The website will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components
• The information on this website is complete, accurate, current, or suitable for any particular purpose
• The results of using this website or its content will meet your expectations
• Any linked external resources will be available, accurate, or appropriate for your needs

Use of this website and its content is at your own risk. This disclaimer does not affect any statutory rights you may have under applicable consumer protection law.

17. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Unbroken Voices, its directors, officers, staff, volunteers, facilitators, and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from or related to your use of this website, our services, our content, or the actions or inactions of any third party referenced or linked on this website.

This includes, without limitation, damages arising from:

• Reliance on educational content, resources, or information provided on this website
• Participation in story submission, volunteer programs, QPR training, or any other Unbroken Voices program
• Access to or use of any linked external resource or service
• Inability to access the website or any of its services
• Any mental health outcome, crisis situation, or personal decision made in connection with use of this website

Nothing in these Terms limits liability for fraud, willful misconduct, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.

18. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Unbroken Voices and its directors, officers, staff, volunteers, and agents from and against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from or related to:

• Your use of this website or services in violation of these Terms
• Your submission of false, misleading, or unauthorized content or information
• Your violation of any applicable law or the rights of any third party
• Any content you submit, post, or transmit through our website or services

19. Termination

Unbroken Voices reserves the right to suspend or terminate your access to our website, services, or programs at any time and for any reason, including but not limited to violation of these Terms, behavior that is harmful to our community or participants, or submission of false information.

Upon termination, your right to access our services ends immediately. Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination — including intellectual property, disclaimer, limitation of liability, and indemnification sections — will continue to apply.

20. Governing Law

These Terms of Use are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Michigan, United States of America, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of this website shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Michigan. By using this website, you consent to the personal jurisdiction of these courts.

21. Changes to These Terms

Unbroken Voices reserves the right to modify these Terms of Use at any time. When we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we will make reasonable efforts to notify users through our website or by email.

Your continued use of the website after any changes to these Terms constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, please discontinue use of the website.

We encourage you to review these Terms periodically to stay informed of any updates.

22. Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms of Use, please contact us:

All legal inquiries will receive a response within thirty (30) days. For urgent matters, please indicate the urgency in the subject line of your email.