McHenry County launches anonymous texting for teens in crisis

Teenagers in McHenry County now can use an anonymous text messaging service to ask for help for themselves or a friend in crisis.

Crystal Lake Elementary District 47 helped launch the Text-A-Tip service this week for the start of the school year. The district became interested in the service after recent teen suicides in Crystal Lake and because of the popularity of texting among teens, said Denise Barr, community relations coordinator.

Barr said something had to be done to help teens in the community after parents and community members expressed concerns at a community forum on the suicides last May.

Deerfield School District 109 recently rolled out the texting service, which prompted District 47 officials to look into it.

"I was looking to see just how other districts are supporting their students," said Barr, adding that with Text-A-Tip, "teens have a place to go around the clock when they are not in our care, anytime that they need help. We're basically putting the help in the hands of the teens ... in a format that they are familiar and comfortable with - texting."

Another draw was that Text-A-Tip is anonymous. The service is available 24/7, and is staffed with licensed, trained counselors to support teens who have a concern or a crisis, whether struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, depression, difficult family situations, bullying or any other challenges, according to the nonprofit group that developed the service.

"We felt teens might be more likely to use it knowing that their concern can't be traced to their phone number or to them," Barr said. "We're rolling it out countywide."

District 47, which comprises three middle schools and nine elementary schools covering Crystal Lake, and parts of Algonquin, Huntley and Lake in the Hills, is spearheading the effort to bring this resource to all middle schools and high schools across McHenry County.

Students can text "MCHELP" to 274637 to report a concern. They will receive an immediate text response from a trained, licensed clinician from the Child, Adolescent and Family Recovery Center based in Hoffman Estates. The Recovery Center will be working closely with the McHenry County Crisis Center, which will take over the service in six to 12 months, officials said.

The system routes calls through a cloaking server to maintain texters' anonymity. Texts sent to Text-A-Tip are untraceable.

Once the clinician receives enough information from the student and wants to get the student further help, he or she can notify the student's school administration or social worker and/or contact a trusted local mental health provider. If it's an emergency, the clinician will contact McHenry County emergency personnel, officials said.

Lake Forest-based LEAD (Linking Efforts Against Drugs) developed the service as a proactive tool connecting students to mental health resources anonymously. Text-A-Tip is being used in school districts and towns along the North Shore and is expanding to other school districts and communities nationwide.

Text-A-Tip is sponsored by McHenry County school districts and is being supported by local law enforcement and social service agencies. Funding to launch and run the service for three years came from an anonymous, private donor through the help of the McHenry County Community Foundation.

"We are pleased to partner with school districts across McHenry County to bring this new tool to our students," said Robin Doeden, foundation executive director. "Making it possible for our student population to get the help and guidance they need, in a communications format they feel comfortable with, is what makes this such a unique and successful program."

Posters, fliers and stickers have been created for schools and students to help get the word out about the new service.

They can be picked up from the District 47 CORE Center, 300 Commerce Drive, Crystal Lake.