1. You text 741741 when in crisis, available 24/7 in the United States.
2. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds quickly.
3. The Crisis Counselor helps you move from a hot moment to a cool calm to stay safe and healthy using effective active listening and suggested referrals – all through text message, using Crisis Text Line’s secure platform.

Read more here.

Our Crisis Counselors bring texters “from a hot moment to a cool calm” using techniques in empathetic listening. Once they’ve built rapport and trust, explored the issues, and established the texter’s goal, they collaboratively problem-solve to help the texter come up with a plan to stay safe.

Our Crisis Counselors are dedicated, trained, supervised volunteers from around the United States. After a rigorous multi-stage application process, background check, and training program, each commits to volunteering 4 hours a week until 200 hours are met. Supervisors (staff who all have Master’s degrees in a relevant field, or commensurate crisis intervention experience) oversee the Crisis Counselors.

You’ll receive an automated text asking you what your crisis is. Within minutes, a live trained crisis counselor will answer your text. They will help you out of your moment of crisis and work with you to create a plan to continue to feel better.

Yes. Crisis Counselors only know what texters share with them, and that information stays between you and us, unless sharing it is necessary for safety or legal reasons. We take your confidentiality seriously. See our Privacy Policy here for more detail.

We do not charge texters. If your cell phone plan is with AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, or Verizon, texts to our short code, 741741 are free of charge. If you have a plan with a different carrier, it works just like texting a friend: standard text message rates apply.

Nothing will appear on your bill if your cell phone plan is with AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, or Verizon. If your plan is with another carrier, our short code, 741741, will appear on your billing statement.

Crisis Text Line works on all major US carriers and most minor regional carriers. However, shortcodes (like 741741) are not allowed on many prepaid plans like T-Mobile’s. If you are unable to reach us via text, you can do so via WhatsApp adding our number and texting the keyword directly via the chat.

You can text in again if you are experiencing a crisis. However, you should not feel dependent on us. Crisis Text Line is not a replacement for long-term counseling, in-person therapy, or a friend.

Our goal is to respond to every texter in under 5 minutes. During high volume times, like at night or when we “go viral” on social media, wait times may be longer.

Yes, our system is only able to process 160 characters in one message.

Sadly, there are some carriers who have not adopted the use of shortcodes–and the small percentage of people with these phones can’t use Crisis Text Line via SMS. (We hear that sometimes you get an auto-error response. Sometimes nothing at all. We know this isn’t ideal, and we wish those carriers would enable us!) If your phone carrier doesn’t enable shortcodes, our service is also available via WhatsApp.

In cases when a texter is in immediate danger of suicide or homicide, as determined by a risk assessment by the Crisis Counselor and Supervisor, our first step is to try to work with the texter to form a safety plan. If the texter is unable to plan for their own safety, the Supervisor may contact emergency services, who may dispatch a wellness check.

Yes. In 2024, Crisis Text Line received accreditation from the International Council for Helplines (ICH). ICH accreditation standards define and establish best practices for crisis chat and texting services and ensure high quality standards and ethical practice. In order to be accredited by ICH, organizations must complete a comprehensive evaluation process conducted by officials at ICH.

Our web chat service is a bit different than if you text in. One of the main differences with 

web chat is that while you chat with us you must remain on the website. If you are using a mobile device and navigate away from the chat or go to another app your connection may be lost. When you click on the “Chat With Us” button, a new tab will open up where you will see another button stating “Let’s Chat.” When you click on this button, a chat window will automatically appear with “What’s your Crisis? which is similar to our texting service. Now, all you need to do is start typing to receive support from one of our trained volunteer Crisis Counselors.

No, the wait time is the same if you text in on your phone, web chat or via WhatsApp. 

Our goal is to respond to every texter as quickly as possible. During high volume times, like at night or when we “go viral” on social media, wait times may be longer.

You can seek support by texting HELLO or HOLA to 741741 and you can reach us through through WhatsApp by messaging 443-SUPPORT or 442-AYUDAME for Spanish. 

Please note: We are NOT yet available on other messaging apps, including Google Voice and TextNow. We apologize for any inconvenience and invite you to use WhatsApp or web chat if you’re unable to use regular SMS for any reason.

Yes. Volunteer Crisis Counselors only know what texters share with
them. Sometimes, people reach out to us because they are thinking about ending their life and might be in immediate danger of completing suicide. Our goal is to always work with you to try to create a plan to keep you safe. In rare instances, when we believe a life is at risk, our mental health clinical staff may work with local emergency services to send support to a texter’s location if the texter is at imminent risk to themselves or others and cannot or will not stay safe without emergency intervention. We want you to know that we take your confidentiality very seriously. Feel free to check out our Terms of Service here.

Yes. All you need to do is send us a text with the word DELETE and we will delete your data from our system completely.

So sorry you had this experience. When you use our web chat service on a mobile device, you may get disconnected when you move away to a different tab or application. If you navigate back to the tab within 20 mins, you will get reconnected to the same volunteer Crisis Counselor. If you have moved away from the Chat tab/window for more than 20 mins, the conversation will be closed.

When you close your web chat window from your phone or computer, all your chat history will be lost for privacy reasons. If you go back into your browser, you will not see your chat history.

Yes, we’re leveraging messaging apps!

1. You can reach us through WhatsApp by messaging 443-SUP-PORT.
2. We are NOT yet available on other messaging apps, including Google Voice and TextNow. We apologize for any inconvenience and invite you to use WhatsApp if you’re unable to use regular SMS for any reason.

These services are for people in crisis. Have a general inquiry? Email info@crisistextline.org.

Yes. Crisis Counselors only know what texters share with them, and that information stays between you, unless sharing it with emergency services is absolutely necessary for your safety. We take your confidentiality seriously. Check out our Terms of Service here.

Message us back with the word DELETE and we’ll scrub your data from our system.

By contacting Crisis Text Line through messaging apps (WhatsApp), users agree to the messaging app’s Terms of Service, as well as Crisis Text Line’s Terms of Service.

We are always accepting applications! Apply here.

To become a Crisis Counselor, you must:

1. Provide a US Social Security number and/or US address (if you do not have a US SSN) in order to complete the background check (Crisis Text Line won’t see or store your SSN). Please note, at this time, we’re only able to accept volunteers who can provide a current US address and/or US SSN.
2. Pass a background check as part of training
3. Be at least 18 years old
4. Have access to a private computer with a secure, reliable internet connection
5. Commit to volunteering 4 hours per week until 200 hours are reached. Ideally, we expect you to fulfill your commitment within one year.

Volunteer Crisis Counselors interact with texters through our secure online Platform, from a personal laptop or desktop computer, during their scheduled shifts. Neither sees the other’s phone number.

We ask our volunteers to commit to volunteering 4 hours per week until 200 hours are reached. Ideally, we expect you to fulfill your commitment in one year. However, we understand that sometimes life might happen so will work to support you in meeting this commitment.

Our greatest need for volunteer Crisis Counselors is between 8pm and 4am PT (10pm and 6am ET). Volunteer Crisis Counselors commit to volunteering 4 hours per week until 200 hours are reached. Ideally, we expect you to fulfill your 200-hour commitment within one year. Before you begin as a volunteer Crisis Counselor, you’ll also complete our comprehensive, 15-hour free online mental health training. During this period, you will gain all the expertise and tools you need to successfully and empathetically navigate crisis intervention.

This Mental Health Crisis Counseling training is effective, comprehensive, and completely free for our volunteers. It costs Crisis Text Line $1,008 to train each volunteer Crisis Counselor. We believe this investment in training is critical to delivering a high-quality service, so we are always looking for volunteers who are committed to completing the entire training along with their 200-hours of volunteer service.

However, we understand that sometimes life can get in the way and we will work to support you in meeting this commitment.

Crisis Counselors complete a 15-hour training program that includes video modules that teach specific skills like active listening and reflecting, and issues such as self-harm, suicide, depression, bullying, and LGBTQ issues, as well as quizzes, role plays, and observations shifts. Our training has been vetted by representatives from national organizations like American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network). Throughout training each individual is fully supported by a Learning Specialist, who will be there every step of the way to answer questions, provide feedback, and offer additional information as needed.

Training cohorts are two weeks in length and we estimate will take about 15 hours.  Accepted applicants should evaluate their personal commitments and needs when selecting the cohort dates that best suit their schedule.

We accept applications on a rolling basis and start new training cohorts every Wednesday. As soon as your application’s been approved, you’ll be able to enroll and get started.  We’re excited to meet you!

The short answer is YES! Crisis Text Line is an excellent volunteer opportunity for young people ages 18 and older who are just starting their journey in the mental health field and want the flexibility of virtual volunteering. As a volunteer, you have the opportunity to provide emotional support to those who are in crisis and need immediate help. This opportunity allows young people to gain valuable volunteer experience in mental health while also making a significant impact on the lives of those in need. In working alongside volunteers and staff who are also social workers, therapists, and psychiatrists, young people can build their network and further develop both their emotional awareness and crisis management skills, which can be useful in any future career.

You can also become a Campus Advocate and serve as an ambassador for mental health care on your campus. Last year, more than 600 students all across the country joined us to take a stand for mental health on their college or university campus.  Learn more about our Campus Advocates.

If we do not have a current agreement in place with your university, Crisis Text Line is unable to serve as a field placement for MSW and similar programs.

We cannot provide personal performance evaluations, field instruction, in-person/remote campus visits, virtual meetings/conversations, or sign any third-party documentation.

We do, however, offer letters of verification detailing the number of hours completed, number of texters supported, and give a short summary of the work you do as a volunteer Crisis Counselor. These letters of verification can be downloaded from a volunteer’sProfile page on the Platform at any time. Volunteers are welcome to check with their school or program to see if this letter of verification will meet their service or program requirements.When a Crisis Counselor completes 200 hours of volunteer work, they may be eligible for a Letter of Recommendation.

Our experienced, full-time staff of Supervisors oversee and assist our volunteers on the Platform. They are there to support each volunteer during every single conversation they have with a texter. Additionally, volunteers are supported by a Success Coach when they’re not taking shifts. Success Coaches are available via email and office hours for post-conversation support, skill building and general questions that volunteers may have about this opportunity.

You can read our volunteer Crisis Counselor policies and guidelines here.

See the issues we track at www.crisistrends.org. If you’re a researcher or practitioner with interest in another issue, submit your suggestion in the form at the bottom of www.crisistrends.org.

Visit our Open Data Collaborations page to learn more.

Loris.ai is a mission-driven enterprise teaching people to have more empathy, cultural competency, and hard conversations.

Back in 2018-2022, Loris.ai used insights from Crisis Text Line’s training and de-escalation techniques to improve wellbeing in the high anxiety industry of customer service. 

We believed that this organization could increase our sustainability and promote the public good of putting greater empathy in the world. However, we decided to exit the relationship entirely, with no financial gain and requiring that Loris.ai return or delete any and all data from Crisis Text Line. 

Crisis Text Line has no current relationship of any kind with Loris.ai.

Loris.ai had not accessed any Crisis Text Line data since the beginning of 2020. 

Crisis Text Line did not share personally identifiable data with Loris.ai.

Loris.ai has their own independent leadership team including having their own CEO since August 2019. 

At Crisis Text Line, we rigorously safeguard texter information through encryption, access control, intrusion detection, and other precautionary methods to ensure texters feel safe and secure. 

Crisis Text Line has never monetized personally identifiable information, directly or with any third-party organizations.

Yes, we are! Here are our latest financials.

Our EIN is 46-5039599

We’re privately funded. This means we receive funding from foundations, individuals, and corporations. It’s important to us that a high quality service is accessible to anyone who needs it, and that the data is all in one place. Money shouldn’t be a barrier to help.

Here!

We are focused on three main initiatives:

1. Supporting our Crisis Counselor community with better products and more emotional support
2. Integrating with tech companies (YouTube, WhatsApp, etc.) to provide support to users inside their interfaces.
3. White labeling our service for other orgs and locations– providing a free text service for the National Eating Disorder Association and cities like Newark and Atlanta.

You can donate online here, or by sending a check to:

Crisis Text Line
PO Box 1207
New York, NY 10113

Please make your check out to “Crisis Text Line” and mail the check to our P.O. Box. We check our mail weekly (due to our office closure for COVID) and will send you an acknowledgment letter once your check is received.

Learn more about how to support our work here. Have questions? Reach out directly to our team at development@crisistextline.org.

Yes! Upon receiving your donation, we’ll send you a thank-you letter that clarifies your donation is tax deductible.

We partner with not-for-profits, colleges and universities, and corporations. Want to partner? Fill out this form!

We work with companies like YouTube, WhatsApp, and Netflix to seamlessly connect their users who are in crisis to our trained Crisis Counselors. We also do cause marketing campaigns with brands who want to raise money and/or awareness for Crisis Text Line.

Absolutely. Download our texter one-pager or volunteer one-pager. Also check out our Spread the Word Toolkit.

Email press@crisistextline.org. You’re encouraged to check out our press page first!