We know that some people feel more comfortable texting than talking. Crisis Support Services of Alameda County (CSS) offers an option for Alameda County, CA residents to text with our 24/7 Crisis Line.
Standard message and data rates may apply. Texting with services on the 20121 short code is free on these carriers: Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile, MetroPCS, Sprint, Cricket, Nextel, Boost, Virgin. For all other carriers it’s “standard rate”, which is whatever you pay for messages in your cell phone plan.
Text Line Terms of Service
What can I expect when I text the line?
After texters send the word SAFE to 20121 to start a session, they will immediately receive auto messages letting them know they have texted our Text Line Program. They should then receive a message from a trained counselor within 5 to 15 minutes checking in.
Are you a bot?
Our Text Line team believes in the value of human connection when providing care to our community. Thus, all of our counselors are staffed with real human beings. With the exception of our automessages at the beginning of our text conversations, we do not use bots or AI as a substitute for our services.
Can I request to talk to the same counselor every time I reach out?
While it is possible that texters may get connected to the same counselor more than once, we do not transfer texters to a specific counselor upon request. With that said, all of our counselors are well-trained and able to provide empathy and support.
Do counselors ask lots of personal questions?
Counselors might ask texters how their day has been going, how they are feeling, and if they are having any thoughts of suicide or self-harm for purposes other than to kill themselves.
If the texter expresses thoughts of suicide or self-harm, the counselor may ask additional questions to determine their safety. These questions are meant to help our counselors better understand our texters’ situation and brainstorm ways to help them stay safe. Counselors might ask other personal questions, too, but texters can always decline to answer if they wish.
Can texters talk about suicide and self-harm and keep their privacy?
We will not take any steps to break confidentiality if a person is just talking about feelings and urges. People often text us about their thoughts of suicide and self-harm. We never report it if that person’s life is not in immediate danger. We will listen and support that person to feel better. It is important to have a place, such as our text line, where people can express difficult thoughts, without worrying that their privacy will be disrupted. We often find that after we have texted with someone and spent time listening in a supportive manner, that by the end of the session the person feels better and has a plan for staying safe.
Do counselors offer advice or resources?
Counselors may have their own ideas of what a texter should do; however, usually the person best suited to give advice is the texter themselves. That means that a counselor will work collaboratively with a texter to help them come up with the best plan for themselves. Counselors do have some resources and might ask texters if they are interested in hearing them.
Do texters have to answer everything? What do texters have to say?
Texters can reveal as much or as little of their personal information as they want. We see the phone number, but nothing else.
What do people text about?
People often reach out regarding feelings of loneliness and isolation, bullying, experiences with racism, disabilities, friendship and relationship problems, family issues, grades, suicidal feelings, self-harm, and more.
Texters can reach out for many different reasons. Above are just a few reasons. They may have had a hard day, or feel isolated, or want to talk about feeling confused, angry, sad, or any other feeling. Sometimes they text because they are experiencing feelings of depression, wanting to kill themselves, or hurt themselves in order to cope. And sometimes they don’t know why they text us, but by the end of the text session they feel better. Often people need a place to vent to someone who cares, who listens with no judgment, and who can ask the right questions.
Is this service confidential?
For the most part, yes, this service is confidential. There are some exceptions to confidentiality: for instance, if the texter reports child or elder abuse, underage sex with someone much older or forceful, or if the texter’s life is in immediate danger.
For example, child abuse could be a problem if someone who is older or more powerful is hitting an underage texter in their family, or putting them in unsafe conditions. We will make a report of the situation based on the information that is provided to us, so that we can get help for that texter and the texter’s family.
If a texter’s life is in immediate danger, we will tell someone else to help keep that person safe. This might end up being emergency services, like the police. That is the very last resort, however. We like to do the least invasive measures to keep people safe. (See next question)
Can texters talk about suicide and self-harm and keep their privacy?
We will not take any steps to break confidentiality if a person is just talking about feelings and urges. People often text us about their thoughts of suicide and self-harm. We never report it if that person’s life is not in immediate danger. We will listen and support that person to feel better. It is important to have a place, such as our text line, where people can express difficult thoughts, without worrying that their privacy will be disrupted. We often find that after we have texted with someone and spent time listening in a supportive manner, that by the end of the session the person feels better and has a plan for staying safe.
Do you ever use texters’ information?
We value our texter’s need for privacy. We take great care to keep our texters’ identities anonymous and we do not share personal information. The Privacy Policies for text and chat services can be found here.
At times we will take the aggregate, combined, anonymized information and write reports for funding purposes. This can look like, “in 2022-2023, about 41% of our text/chat conversations talked about social concerns, and also about 27% of conversations included some reference to relationship/family issues.”
Is there an option for me to offer feedback about your services?
Our Text Line is committed to constantly improving our services to further support our texters. Texters are encouraged to share feedback and are welcome to do so by
- Sharing feedback directly to the counselor
- Contacting our feedback line (510) 420-2463
- Completing our Text Line Program survey at the end of the session
Links to Resources for Youth
- Teen Line
Teen-to-teen hotline with online forum and more - Your Life Your Voice:
Chat, text, email, phone, and online forum - The Trevor Project
Text, chat, and phone support for LGBTQ youth - Planned Parenthood
Sexual health information and chat line - RAINN Rape Abuse and Incest National Network
Phone and chat hotline
The Crisis Support Services Text Line program uses PreventionPays™ for its texting platform. It is a secure, enterprise website and database developed according to HIPAA guidelines. PreventionPays™ has worked for over 10 years with agencies within the health and human services. For more information and help: http://www.preventionpaystext.com/policies/ or text “Help” to 20121
Funded by Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services through the Mental Health Services Act (Prop 63)
