NEWS RELEASE
ATTORNEY GENERAL PHIL WEISER
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Safe2Tell report volume decreased 12% last month when compared to April, according to the monthly report released today. April 2023 was the first month the program received more than 3,000 reports to date, and the program typically sees a decrease in reports during summer break.
In May, the Safe2Tell program received 2,662 reports. Bullying (286), suicide threats (242), and school complaints (234) were among the top categories of reports. This May was the first month since February of 2018 in which suicide threats moved from the top category — aside from occasionally being topped by duplicate reports, which are reports regarding a concern or event that has already been reported.
To date for the 2022-2023 school year, Safe2Tell has received 21,445 reports.
“In the past five years, suicide threats have regularly been the top report to Safe2Tell,” said Attorney General Phil Weiser. “Although that category moved from being the most reported concern last month, reports of both bullying and suicide threats are a continued reminder that we need to check in with our youth and ensure they know that mental wellness services and urgent safety help are available.”
In this school year, false reports are 2.7% of all reports submitted to Safe2Tell. False reports are those that contain untrue information and are submitted with the intent to harm, injure, or bully another person.
In May, anonymous reports to Safe2Tell from students and other individuals successfully helped protect students’ safety. For example:
- A person reported that a student was verbally aggressive towards their peers. School teams investigated and contacted the student's parents. Additionally, the school counselor had a restorative conversation with each student involved, and all students agreed to keep their distance from each other.
- A person reported that a student expressed feeling afraid to go to their parent's house, because their parent has been violent towards them. School teams investigated and the school counselor spoke with the student, which led to DHS involvement.
Safe2Tell is a successful violence intervention and prevention program for students to anonymously report threats to their own, and others’, safety. Safe2Tell is not an emergency response unit nor mental health counseling service provider; it is an information pathway for distributing anonymous reports to local law enforcement and school officials pursuant to state law.
To make a report, individuals can call 1-877-542-7233 from anywhere, at any time. Reports also can be made at Safe2Tell.org or through the Safe2Tell mobile app which is available on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
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