Texting hotline is matter of life or death

A cell phone could arguably be called a student’s lifeline. For some, it literally is a matter of life or death, according to TXT4LIFE therapists who exchanged 5,658 text conversations last year with suicidal people in 39 Minnesota counties, six reservations and two universities.

The TXT4LIFE suicide prevention program started in Carlton County, which received a federal grant late in 2011 to create a texting hotline. Implemented in seven northeastern counties, it targeted students in grades seven through 12.

“It’s a lifeline in people’s pockets,” said David Lee, director of Carlton County Public Health and Human Services.

In 2013, the program expanded to 23 counties with legislative funding.

Oakdale-based Canvas Health received $625,000 in Fiscal Year 2014 to expand the program, which enables someone to text their suicidal thoughts for help. The same amount is budgeted for Fiscal Year 2015.

Texts are answered daily between noon and 3 p.m. by crisis counselors, according to Laura Weber, crisis connection manager at Canvas Health.

HF1201, sponsored by Rep. Joe Schomacker (R-Luverne), would appropriate $3 million during the next two years from the General Fund to expand the program statewide and to expand service to 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The House Health and Human Services Finance Committee laid the bill over Thursday for possible omnibus bill inclusion. SF1152, a companion sponsored by Sen. Kent Eken (DFL-Twin Valley), awaits action by the Senate Finance Committee.

Another program component includes training in schools, where students are told to bring their phones to an assembly. There they are encouraged to put the text number into their phones.

“They now have that number at their fingertips in case they or their friends need it,” Weber said.