Crisis Counseling Via Text Now Available In Santa Clara County

SAN JOSE, CA -- Emotionally or mentally distressed residents in Santa Clara County now have access to a 24-7 text-based crisis counseling service.

The County of Santa Clara Behavioral Health Services Department has partnered with Crisis Text Line, Inc. to provide free, text-based, confidential assistance to people in need in Santa Clara County. To receive text-based support from trained Crisis Text Line counselors, Santa Clara County residents can text “RENEW” to 741741. The support is free, accessible 24/7, and confidential.

To date, Crisis Text Line, a national organization, has answered more than 84 million messages. The organization has more than 4,500 active crisis counselors with strict safeguards and protocols to provide care, safety and confidentiality for each user.

“The ability to offer text-based support to people in need adds a new dimension to our services, and is an especially important tool to offer to young people in Santa Clara County,” said Toni Tullys, director of Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services Department. She adds: “It’s important to make access to counseling easy and approachable, and text-based support does both.”

The vast majority of Crisis Text Line users are under age 25.

The County’s Behavioral Health Services Department already provides a 24/7, free, confidential Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 855-278-4204; mental health services information and referrals at 800-704-0900; and substance abuse services information and referrals at 800-488-9919.

About half of adults will experience a mental health challenge over the course of their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

--Image via Shutterstock