DETROIT -- October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month, and you can help victims of domestic violence by dropping off unwanted cell phones at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan or Blue Care Network offices across the state. For the second year, the Blues have joined a national effort to collect used wireless phones for domestic violence victims during October.

The effort is in conjunction with the Wireless Foundation's Call to Protect Program, a cooperative effort with the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, to provide -- at no charge -- cell phones to those who may need to quickly call for help in a domestic violence situation. Call to Protect phones are programmed to enable victims to reach local police departments, domestic violence shelters and other agencies with the push of a button. Call to Protect also provides wireless phones to domestic violence professionals so they can reach victims, report cases of abuse and contact emergency services.

"Opening our facilities as drop-off locations for the Call to Protect Program is one more way that we are supporting efforts to stop domestic violence," said Diana Jones, Blues vice president of community affairs. "This is a logical next step for us to add to a multi-faceted program we began three years ago to help survivors of domestic abuse and to reduce its occurrence across the state."

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network's award-winning Domestic Violence Program is part of the Blues' Community Health Agenda, which aims to improve the health status of Michigan residents by addressing four key health issues: domestic violence, injury prevention, depression and tobacco use. The Community Health Agenda is part of the Blues' social mission, which also seeks to improve access to health care for all Michigan residents.

"We're eager to be part of this effort to help provide a measure of security for domestic violence victims across the state," said James Neville, corporate security chief for the Blues. "Giving potential victims of violence quick access to help can really make a difference in an emergency situation."

Phones can be dropped off at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network offices in Alpena, Bingham Farms, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Holland, Jackson, Lansing, Marquette, Mt. Pleasant, Muskegon Heights, New Hudson, Port Huron, Portage, Saginaw, Southfield, Traverse City, Utica.

To find a Blues drop-off location near you, go to http://www.bcbsm.com/phone or call your local Blues office. For more information about the Call to Protect Program, go to http://www.wirelessfoundation.org/ .

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit corporation, provides health care benefits to 4.8 million members through a variety of plans: Traditional, Blue Preferred and Community Blue PPOs, Blue Choice Point of Service, and the Blue Care Network HMO. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, visit http://www.bcbsm.com/ .

Source: PRNewswire