A Safe2Tell report after suicidal social media post saved a Colorado student’s life

A student’s quick action in making a report to Colorado’s anonymous Safe2Tell program stopped a suicide attempt in progress in a child’s home, state officials revealed Tuesday. 

A peer who saw another student’s social media post about wanting to kill themselves made a report to the school safety program, which resulted in police officers driving to the student’s home. They found the student “actively attempting suicide” and took the student to a hospital, according to information released by the state Attorney General’s Office, which oversees the Safe2Tell program. 

The student was admitted to the hospital on a mental health hold. No other details, including the student’s hometown or age, were released. 

Attorney General Phil Weiser said in an emailed news release that the program was celebrating a “proven success story” and a life saved. “The intervention prompted by the Safe2Tell report prevented a tragedy and serves as a powerful reminder of the impact we can achieve when we come together to protect our youth,” he said. “I sincerely want to tell the person who submitted the report how proud we are of you.”

In another recent case, a person reported that a student was feeling depressed and not taking their medication. The report prompted an investigation by school officials and a conversation between the student and the school psychologist. Parents were notified and school officials are monitoring the student’s wellbeing, state officials said. 

Safe2Tell, which accepts reports via app, text or call, received the second-highest monthly volume ever recorded in November, with 2,999 reports. So far this school year, the system has received more than 10,000 reports, which is about 40% more than last year at this point in the school year. 

In November, 336 of the reports concerned suicide, while 307 were about bullying. 

The examples are “a poignant reminder of the program’s ability to turn collective vigilance into tangible, life-saving outcomes,” Safe2Tell director Stacey Jenkins said.

Suicide has been the leading cause of death for young people in Colorado for about a decade. In 2022, 56 children and teens ages 10 to 18 died by suicide, according to the state health department. 

So far this school year, only 3.5% of Safe2Tell reports were false, meaning they contained untrue information for the purpose of trying to bully or hurt someone. Past examples of this include students who report student athletes for drinking alcohol or using drugs so that they face consequences from school administrators.

To make a report, call 1-877-542-7233 any time of day. Reports also can be made online at Safe2Tell.org, by texting S2TCO to 738477, or through the Safe2Tell mobile app.