A national crisis support network that offers free text-based conversations with trained Crisis Counselors. This service is available 24/7.
The majority of Crisis Text Line’s conversations are with teen-agers. They often contact the service between classes or before soccer practice. Peer-reviewed research on chat-line suicide crises enhances understanding of suicidal texters by exploring meaningful subgroups.
Accessibility
Crisis Text Line connects people in distress with a network of volunteer crisis counselors, using the medium that most people already have on hand: text. The service is free and available 24/7. In addition to offering texting support, the organization is also accessible via Facebook Messenger and through The Trevor Project (a suicide prevention hotline for LGBTQ youth).
When someone texts BRAVE to 741741, they’re connected with a trained crisis counselor who helps de-escalate their situation and connect them to local resources. They also help the person create a safety plan, and will alert emergency services in the event that they are at risk of harming themselves or others.
In 2020, they supported 843,982 people in crisis with 1.4 million conversations. They learned that anxiety was at the top of their conversation volume, as well as depression and grief. They also noticed that texters were talking more about body image and eating disorders than in previous years.
Privacy
Crisis Text Line volunteers are obligated to keep conversations private and to not share them with anyone. Violations of this policy can result in disciplinary action, including termination from the program.
Harnessing and analyzing data has been a major focus of the nonprofit since its launch. The organization’s website details its data philosophy and notes that machine learning algorithms and research are the backbone of the service.
According to Politico, a VP of the company, Shawn Rodriguez, claims that CTL’s data-sharing policies are clear and that users consent to them in order to be paired with a counselor. He also states that texters agree to a Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, which discloses the potential for future data use, before being matched with a volunteer.
However, several studies have found that people can be re-identified from anonymized data—whether it’s for purposes of understanding cholesterol levels or predicting suicide hotlines. If this breach in data privacy is enough to make people distrust Crisis Text Line, it will stop them from using the service or other similar hotlines that can help them.
Confidentiality
Whether you are in a crisis or just want to talk, Crisis Text Line offers a safe place for support. You can text HOME to connect with a trained counselor who will listen and offer guidance. You can also reach out by calling 1-800-273-8255.
While the organization focuses on suicide prevention, they can help anyone in crisis. They are also open to conversations about self-harm, relationships, addictions, abuse, and other issues. They serve people of all ages, genders, races, and ethnicities.
The organization claims that its data-sharing practices are clearly stated in a terms of service and privacy policy, to which all texters must consent in order to be paired with a crisis counselor. However, the document is lengthy and would require a significant amount of time for someone in crisis to digest and comprehend. Moreover, multiple studies have shown that personal details can be re-identified from anonymized or seemingly de-identified datasets. This makes it difficult for users to truly consent to these practices.
De-escalation
For individuals who don’t feel comfortable calling 911, Crisis Text Line offers free and confidential support through text messaging. The service works through a network of volunteer crisis counselors in the United States, Canada and Ireland.
Using a patented triage technology, the Crisis Text Line connects individuals who are most at risk to a live counselor in eight seconds or less. The empathetic counselors provide help and resources, and encourage the caller to use healthier coping mechanisms. The back and forth texting conversation can last as long as the person wants it to, and the caller never has to share anything they don’t want to.
The scholarly community is interested in understanding how users experience the service, and the potential for crisis hotlines to increase help-seeking. Despite limited peer-reviewed research, evidence indicates that text-based crisis support services are useful in helping people work through rough patches and access local resources. This includes reducing harm and de-escalating the situation by empowering the individual to identify and communicate their needs, while ensuring that emergency services are only involved when necessary.