A Crisis Line That Calms With Texting and Data

Preventing suicide and helping people when they feel most alone are big goals but they are exactly what 'Crisis Text Line' aims to do. This hotline allows individuals to text trained counselors when they are at their most vulnerable, the counselors can talk to them and reach First Responders if the situation warrants it.

After shortages of mental health options for kids and untold grief, counties in Wisconsin have responded with new kinds of support for at-risk youth. Wisconsin communities have increased access with reduced wait time, and have used horse therapy, support groups, charity golf that raises awareness, school-group therapy, as well as mobile live chat sessions, among others.

Mental health care often requires a human touch and a personal connection. Tucked quietly in an office park in Grafton, volunteers at the COPE Hotline field nearly 23,000 calls a year from all over the Milwaukee area and some points beyond.

A middle school in New Hampshire has piloted a program that focuses on dividing the school into different wings and offering classes on "mental wellness, conflict resolution, and healthy ways to communicate" with the goal of better addressing the emotional wellbeing of students. The outcomes have been promising thus far, with students reporting improved effects on their mental health.

Connecting to peers makes coping with emotional distress easier for youth. Youthline, a youth suicide crisis intervention service operated by Lines for Life puts those struggling in touch with volunteers their own age via call, text, or email. The youth volunteers are supervised by a clinician and are trained in SafeTALK and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST).

Communicating with volunteers via text message can be less intimating for young people than dialing a hotline. Mental Health Innovations, a UK-based charity, operates the Shout text hotline. The service is part of an initiative supported by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge mental health campaign. Those suffering from depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts can simply text the resource to connect with a volunteer.

Creating a more compassionate working environment helps lead clinicians suffering from depression, trauma, or burnout, to seek care. The University of California San Diego’s medical system has piloted several approaches. Code Lavender encourages small acts of intentional kindness toward co-workers. Caregiver Support Teams identify peer mentors that can provide emotional support and help struggling colleagues.

The Confess Project trains barbershop workers in black communities about creating pathways to talk about mental health and recognize and respond to signs of a mental health crisis. This training expands mental health services—especially culturally competent services—and parlays what is often a close, trusting relationship to raise awareness and provide an effective intervention.

Rural Wisconsin has a shortage of mental health resources for youth. Supported by private grants and public funds, Wisconsin's statewide hotline offers counseling via text. The hotline was founded on the belief that young people may be more open to discuss their problems over text than through in-person conversations.

Connecticut colleges are implementing QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training to teach students how to recognize suicide warning signs, ask direct questions like "Are you thinking about suicide?" and connect peers to professional help. Since 2022, over 1,000 people have been trained through Connecticut Children's Youth Suicide Prevention Center alone, with hundreds more trained at individual campuses like Southern Connecticut State University.