Crisis

Textline Saves Lives This Project and Findings Were Presented at Sex:Tech 2012 Brief Synopsis I. PPTMS Crisis Textline is a collaboration between EMS, the Crisis Call Center, and the Nevada State Department of Health to provide live 24/7 crisis support to Nevada youth. Like other crisis centers and hotlines, CCC has struggled over the years with reaching the younger groups. They tried a youth based website and several school-based programs however, text messaging was the first project to show an immediate impact with youth. Key strategies for implementing a text line Training protocols and understanding the medium of texting prior to live text sessions. Process data - efficacy of text program among youth III. Two-way live texting can help bridge the gap with certain issues, particularly when one's sexual health has been compromised as a result of unprotected sex, date rape, or intimate partner violence. Early adopters are finding that teens contacting the service are initially blinded by feelings of desperation and are not receptive to practical advice. They must first de-escalate the crisis, or in certain cases work past several other issues before they are willing to look more closely at their core issue. Abstract: PPTMS Crisis Textline Utilizes two-way text messaging to reach youth in their most vulnerable moments. The vast majority of crisis helplines have struggled with reaching young people over the years. Two-way texting offers an innovative and highly effective method for increasing communication among youth seeking help with acute emotional issues. Text messaging offers a timely and relevant mechanism for acquiring confidential help with complex social issues that threaten our communities across all ages and demographics. According to recent data published by CDC, young people use text more than any other form of communication. Early adopters are finding that text messaging can sufficiently manage acute crisis and in most cases responders are able to de-escalate crisis without shifting individuals to a telephone voice call. Moreover, efforts to convert a text encounter to voice often resulted in refusal and/or opt out. Based on the success of the Nevada program, EMS is now working with other crisis lines, hotlines, helplines, warm lines and 211s to add a textline to their core services.