Kids Help Phone will begin powering a Crisis Text Line for students needing mental health support at the University of Regina.
The national charity that offers professional counselling, information, referrals and text-based support, has partnered with the Co-Operators to offer the service, a press release indicated.
Students can text “UofR” to 686868 and they will be “immediately supported by a Kids Help Phone trained volunteer Crisis Responder and can be referred to on-campus resources.”
“We recognize a new school year can be full of change, and we’re committed to helping our students any way we can,” said Dr. Jenny Keller, manager of counselling services, at the University of Regina, in the release.
The Co-Operators partnered with Kids Help Phone back in 2018 to support students at the University at Guelph. Results from that pilot indicated that anxiety and stress were the “highest reported reason students used the texting service.”
The Crisis Text Line powered by Kids Help Phone is free and available 24/7, “providing students greater access to confidential crisis resolution.”
It is worth adding that students don’t need a data plan, internet connection or an app, the press release indicated.
“Our research shows that young people prefer a non-verbal platform to share their more serious mental health concerns, like thoughts of suicide. We need to be there when students need it most,” said Katherine Hay, president and CEO of Kids Help Phone, said in the release.
Source: The Co-Operators
