Crisis Text Line is a mental health organization that offers free, 24/7 nonjudgmental and confidential support. Donating to mental health organizations like these can make a significant impact in several ways. Mental health donations can help support access to care, advance research, reduce stigma, and help create space to advocate for policy change. When picking an organization to donate to, it helps to consider your own values or create space for mental health services that reflect those values. 

Support people experiencing a mental health crisis

Living with mental illness can be debilitating for some people. It can be so overwhelming especially when you feel like you have nowhere to turn. As a society, It is so critical that we break the stigma and support those in mental health crises to create a safe space for everyone, especially those affected by mental health issues like anxiety, sadness, isolation, and depression. 

Supporting someone struggling with mental health can make a significant difference in their journey toward recovery and well-being. There are a variety of ways you can support someone with a mental health condition. First, be sure to listen without judgment, be empathetic, encourage them to seek professional help, respect their boundaries and be patient, and, most importantly, be sure to offer hope. Remind them that recovery is possible and that things can get better with time, support, and treatment. Encourage them to focus on the progress they’ve made and the positive changes they can make in the future.

“Thank you. I was about to do it. You saved me. Thank you. I would have died today if it wasn’t for you.”

Help social work students complete their program requirements

We partner with universities in the United States to help students who are studying social work, and other mental health fields, complete their practicum program requirements to graduate by supporting texters as one of our volunteers. 

In order to complete a Masters of Social Work (MSW), students need to successfully complete between 200-600 practicum hours. This traditional in-person, full-time model is often a barrier to many MSW students who also have other responsibilities and further slows the pipeline of MSW graduates into the workforce. To address this problem, Crisis Text Line designed a national, remote-based Student Learning Practicum (SLP) program that allows students to complete their practicum hours virtually through the Crisis Text Line platform. Since the program’s launch in 2020, it has achieved an impressive  completion rate of over 90% – adding hundreds of empathetic, trained, highly diverse professionals to the mental health workforce.

“The Crisis Text Line practicum has been an enriching, valuable learning experience that continues to hone my communications skills–both written with texters and verbal with peers and supervisors–and reminds me, always, about the depth of the need for human contact and kindness.”

Train volunteers in mental health best practices 

Each Crisis Text Line volunteer must complete a 30-hour training to become a Crisis Counselor. The training is online and completely free to volunteers. We’re able to offer free training because of our generous donors – $1,008 supports the comprehensive mental health training for one volunteer. To date, Crisis Text Line has trained over 65,000 volunteer Crisis Counselors in the US and over 88,000 collectively with our partners in Canada, the UK, and Ireland.

Throughout the learning process, trainees learn key skills like de-escalation techniques, empathy, active listening, collaborative problem-solving, cultural competence, and safety planning. These skills impact our volunteers far beyond the training as these skills are supported with resources, and experiences that result in long lasting benefits for our volunteer Crisis Counselors and others in their families, workplaces, and communities.

“The opportunity to support hundreds of texters has heightened my sensitivity and awareness of each and every person. This has been especially valuable in my various other mentorship roles. Additionally, I’ve learned how to be an effective and empathetic communicator and I’ve witnessed the positive impact that has on my own relationships.”

Raise awareness for mental health resources

Crisis Text Line produces and provides free downloadable toolkits for students, educators, and parents in both English and Spanish. The content we create leverages the deep knowledge base we’ve built over 10 years supporting more than 9 million conversations. These easily accessible mental health resources include coping tips, videos and shareable posts for youth, teens, and college students along with school administrators, educators, and parents.  

We continue to amplify our resources through media experts, such as our Chief Health Officer, Dr. Shairi Turner.

“Our mental health support via text is distinguished by its discreet, accessible, confidential, and anonymous nature. Individuals, especially our youth, reach out to us from various settings such as school, work, while on the go, or from the comfort of their homes. What sets our service apart is the assurance of a private conversation, allowing people to share their concerns without the fear of being overheard.”

Support life-changing research 

For over a decade, Crisis Text Line has been dedicated to producing and sharing valuable insights and mental health research derived from our extensive conversational data.  Through our 10 Years of Impact Research, we aim to make these insights accessible to all and to educate the public on mental health issues in general. Crisis Text Line is committed to conducting internal research and partnering with researchers all over the world to openly exchange valuable insights, learnings, and analytical content. Our goal is to enhance access to mental well-being support, advance crisis intervention on a global scale, and continually refine our services.

Among the resources we produce is our United in Empathy report, where we provide insight into the state of the mental health crisis in the United States. 

“In 2023, over 1 in 3 texters talked to us about anxiety and stress.”

Mental Health nonprofits, like Crisis Text Line, are working everyday to break the stigma around mental health issues. Remember, you can support mental health research and the creation of mental health resources with a donation or with your willingness to become a volunteer. Consider making a monthly donation by joining our Empathy Network, and learn more about how we use your donation on our website. When you’re thinking about mental health charities to donate to, consider Crisis Text Line – help us keep our training and service 100% free, which will support individuals struggling with mental health issues.