Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit that helps people in crisis via free texting conversations, is facing turmoil. Employees have staged a virtual walkout, accusing founder and CEO Nancy Lublin of microaggressions, racism and favoritism.
Last year the nonprofit spun off a for-profit company called Loris that will monetize anonymized data from those texts. But that raised privacy concerns.
What is Crisis Text Line?
Crisis Text Line is the first and largest text-based crisis intervention service in the country. It launched in 2013 and today has more than 39,000 volunteer Crisis Counselors across the United States. They have handled over four million text conversations with people in distress and helped them get help.
When a person texts “BRAVE” or “HOME” to 741741, they connect with a trained Crisis Counselor who can listen, offer support and resources and help them de-escalate their situation and find help locally. They can also assist with self-harm prevention and provide access to other support services.
Both the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Crisis Text Line are available via Facebook Messenger. These apps allow for back and forth texting conversations with a counselor while maintaining your privacy and protecting your identity. They will never share your private information without your consent and can only see the content you choose to send them. Your privacy is important to them.
How can I use Crisis Text Line?
Crisis Text Line volunteers can be reached by texting HOME to 741741. The service is free, and it’s available 24/7.
When someone texts in, a trained counselor responds with empathetic and compassionate listening. If the person in crisis is at risk of harming themselves or others, a counselor will help them create a safety plan and identify local resources. If necessary, the counselor will dispatch emergency services to their location.
The volunteer will ask questions to assess the situation and help the person in crisis move to a safer place. But, as Trujillo explains, the counselors are not interrogators and only pry when they sense that someone is in danger.
People can text about any issue, from suicidal thoughts to job stress and breakups. And it’s completely anonymous: No information is collected unless the person explicitly tells the counselor they are willing to share it. For young people of color, the Steve Fund has created a special keyword—STEVE—to connect them with a counselor.
What is the purpose of Crisis Text Line?
As one of the largest text-based crisis intervention services in the country, Crisis Text Line’s mission is to provide help when and where it’s needed. Unlike emergency services, which are only engaged in less than 1% of crises, Crisis Text Line works to empower the texter by de-escalating their situation and helping them problem-solve to find help locally.
The organization aims to serve people from all backgrounds, and is especially committed to addressing the unmet mental health needs of young people of color. In addition, Crisis Text Line is a fully volunteer-run organization that relies on its community to maintain its mission.
According to the organization, the service is free of charge (though standard messaging fees may apply). Unlike many other text-based services, however, Crisis Text Line does not require an identifying number. In addition, the service does not share personal conversation data with third parties, and a texter’s privacy is a top priority. The organization’s terms and conditions are clearly outlined to ensure that users understand what they are agreeing to in a moment of crisis.
How can I get involved with Crisis Text Line?
To volunteer, visit the Crisis Text Line website and click on “volunteer.” You’ll need to provide a name, email address, phone number, and birthday before you can start your training.
After completing your training, you’ll need to sign into the volunteer platform and select shifts that work for you. Shifts are typically 2 hours long, and you should aim to complete at least two per week. You can also sign up to be a shift leader, which requires additional training.
It’s important to remember that Crisis Text Line is not a replacement for professional mental health care. If you are experiencing a serious mental health emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. For other concerns, you can use the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or reach out to Shout, an affiliate of Crisis Text Line in the UK. Both services are free to call/text and available 24/7. You can even connect with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline over Facebook Messenger.