Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that suicide is now the second-leading cause of death for children ages 10 to 18. This data point is deeply troubling to the Barancik Foundation and Sarasota County Schools (SCS).
Schools are a hub for connecting teens to valuable preventative resources. In addition to existing mental and behavioral health services, the new Crisis Text Line Awareness Campaign will ensure middle and high school students have even more wraparound services available to them.
Created by child advocate Nancy Lublin, Crisis Text Line is a free, 24/7 support system for those in crisis. Users can text 741741 from anywhere in the US to instantly start a text conversation with a trained Crisis Counselor. The organization has processed over 62 million messages to date, and notes that 75% of their users are under the age of 25 and 10% of their users are under the age of 13.
Through a grant from Barancik Foundation. SCS placed informational signs in high-visibility areas on campuses, such as main hallways and restrooms. These signs will direct students to text the keyword “HERE4U” in their initial message, enabling the service to track trends to better inform Sarasota County Schools about student needs.
