Crisis Text Line – Help is Just a Text Away

In a New York Times piece about the nonprofit, one ex-Crisis Text Line staffer described how Nancy Lublin “has a savior complex.” She also passed over some Black employees for promotions.

When you text HOME to 741741, you’re connected with a trained Crisis Counselor who is available to listen and support you. The conversation can last as long as you need it to.

Free and Confidential

Whether you’re having a crisis or just need someone to talk to, you can text a helpline. These nationwide resources, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Crisis Text Line, are free and confidential. You can find a helpline near you on Find A Helpline.

A trained Crisis Counselor will respond to your text. They’ll ask you questions, listen and support you in any way they can. The goal of the conversation is to get you to a calm and safe place. The conversation can last as long as you and your Crisis Counselor feel comfortable.

In the future, CTL will be expanding its services beyond text messaging to include voice and video calls. The organization will also explore the use of artificial intelligence to improve its response times and effectiveness. In addition, it will continue to research and develop tools to de-escalate agitated callers, including finding out what “magic words” a CC can use to calm an anxious texter.

24 Hours a Day

Whether you’re in a moment of crisis or simply need someone to talk to, help is just a text away. These national resources are free and available over the phone or through a chat app.

Crisis counselors can be reached 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They are trained to listen, empathize, and deescalate. They are also trained to connect you with local support services. Their goal is to move you from a hot moment to a cool calm.

The Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Agencies (OACBHA) has compiled a toolkit to assist community leaders in spreading the word about Crisis Text Line. The toolkit includes digital and print materials to promote the resource.

The Trevor Project has a dedicated text line for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth. Teenagers in crisis can text HELP to 741-741 and receive help from a trained counselor. The Steve Fund has a similar service for young people of color. They can text STEVE to 741741, and a trained counselor will respond.

365 Days a Year

Whether you’re dealing with a crisis or just need a little help, there are people here to listen. These hotlines and online chats offer 24/7/365 support for your emotional needs, mental health or substance use. They’re free, confidential and available in many languages, including Spanish.

Those with thoughts of suicide can call this national hotline for emotional support and information about treatment and resources. They also provide help for family and friends of someone who is suicidal.

This service focuses on the mental health and emotional well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning young people. It has a text line, phone number and online chat that connects young people with trained crisis counselors. The Steve Fund created a special keyword, STEVE, that young people can text to 741741. The service is free, though standard messaging rates may apply based on your cell plan. Developed by SAMHSA, this national helpline provides free, confidential, 24/7/365 treatment referral and information services (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and substance use disorders.

Powered by Volunteers

After receiving a heart-wrenching text message from a young woman, Crisis Text Line founder Nancy Lublin knew the world needed an easy way to connect with trained counselors. Today, volunteers from across the country answer texts from people in need of help and support them along their mental health journey. Our volunteers work remotely from their computers and use their training to bring people out of hot moments through active listening, collaborative problem solving, and safety planning.

In addition to the direct impact on those they serve, volunteers also report a wide range of benefits for themselves and their communities. These include increased social connection, the ability to better manage their own mental health challenges, and a greater desire to be social change agents and advocate for mental wellness in their communities.

If you’re interested in volunteering, visit the volunteer page on the Crisis Text Line website to learn more and access an application. You’ll need to consent to a background check before you can start training.