EDUCATIONAL MESSAGE SERVICES

"Narrowcasting in Public En iron!"nts"

Text Message Support Services: A Text Help Line for Youth

Engag"!"nt Pac#"t $or Mi%%l" Sc&ools an% 'ig& Sc&ools

Crisis C"nt"r(

Co!!unit) 'otlin"*'"l+lin"

,-./*.0 Sc&ool 1"ar

Educational Message Services, Inc. 2300 Alessandro Drive. Suite 100, Ventura CA 93001 USA | Ph: 80 ! 3 !000 | "a#: 80 ! 3 !0$$

Tabl" o$ Cont"nts(
1. Background, Program Overview 2. Program Procedures 3. School-Based Programs 4. Tex !essage "es#onders and $ommuni % &el#line '. (re)uen l% *sked +ues ions, $ell Phone Bans a Schools, $ell Phone *,use i.e. Tex Bull%ing, S#o % $overage *reas -. Tex Trends, .ocus grou# .eed,ack /. Sam#le !a erials0 1is#la%s, $ards 2. $on ac 3n.orma ion

2014 Educational Message Services, Inc. 1225 Devon Lane Ventura CA 93001 www.preventionpaystext.com

2ac#groun%( Pro i%ing T"3t M"ssag" 2as"% Crisis Su++ort to 1out& SMS Safety Net For Middle Schools and High Schools PreventionPays Text Message Services in conjunction with narrowcast school-based awareness programs are now being used in 3 states to support SAMHSA GLS efforts to prevent youth suicide. Our team has been consulted on numerous panels and webinars for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to explore ways in which texting can be utilized in the prevention of suicide, including bidirectional opt in based suicide prevention for youth as well as optin based follow up care for individuals who call a hotline and request follow up through sms text messaging. The &el#line 4 oge her wi h communi % #ar ners5 and 6duca ional !essage Services, is #roviding ex message crisis su##or o milddle school and high school %ou h wi h he goal o increase hel#-seeking ,ehaviors ,% #roviding he same mode o. communica ion #redominan l% used and #re.erred ,% he #riori % grou# 7 sms ex messaging. 3ni iall%, he ex #rogram and marke ing e..or s will ,e availa,le o #ilo schools so ha $ommuni % &el#line s a..8volun eers can gain ex#erience using his new me hod o. communica ion, and #rogram develo#ers can assess service u# ake and use #a erns in order o im#rove he service. 3n su,se)uen %ears, here are #lans o ex end he #rogram reach o middle schools and high schools hroughou he s a e. S!S ex messaging o..ers a imel% and relevan channel .or ac)uiring ins an hel# wi h com#lex social issues ha hrea en our communi ies, across all ages and demogra#hics. Sim#l% #u , ex ing is how he #u,lic is choosing o communica e, and $ommuni % &el#line is a #ioneer in he crisis su##or indus r% ,% having he .or hough o ex#and heir services o include ex messaging. Program develo#ers have crea ed an in.orma ion #acke .or school adminis ra ors so ha he% ma% ,e er unders and #rogram aims, and o, ain answers o an% )ues ions. Progra! Proc"%ur"s 4O "r i"w5( $ommuni % &el#line is working wi h 6duca ional !essage Services 3nc. 46!S5 o #rovide he ex hel# line service. 6!S has ,een involved in he develo#men , im#lemen a ion, and evalua ion o. numerous school-,ased #reven ion #rograms, .or over 12 %ears. *ll #rograms .ollow a #rescri,ed se o. #ro ocols o ena,le an eas% and e..ec ive communi % colla,ora ion in order o achieve #rogram aims. Previous 6!S #rograms have ,ene.i ed .rom evalua ions ,% ma9or universi ies and :a ional #u,lic heal h en i ies including $1$, &"S*, and S*!&S*. 3n :evada, ;-Smoker B1 was an award-winning, mul i-school o,acco #reven ion #rogram, evalua ed ,% <:=> $anon "esearch 3ns i u e.

2014 Educational Message Services, Inc. 1225 Devon Lane Ventura CA 93001 www.preventionpaystext.com

*s one o. he .irs s e#s in he develo#men o. school-,ased awareness #rograms, #ar ici#a ing schools are con ac ed, and adminis ra ion is given an im#lemen a ion #lan and imeline. *ll #rocedures and #rogram ac ivi ies are summari?ed in his #acke . School adminis ra ors are assured ha he #rocedures are considera e o. school environmen s, and he #rogram develo#men eam is availa,le o assis wi h an% )ues ions or concerns. Prior o #rogram im#lemen a ion, he school #rinci#al will ,e .ull% a##rised o. #rogram o,9ec ives. The #rogram eam will hen work wi h he school s a..8admins ra ion, o su##or an% #rogram launch ac ivi ies and8or #rovide he necessar% in.orma ion o horoughl% in.orm s a.., #aren s and s uden s a,ou all #rogram ac ivi ies. Sc&ool62as"% Progra!s One s ra eg% ha ma% ,e em#lo%ed o raise awareness o. he #rogram is @narrowcas ingA. :arrowcas ing, he o##osi e o. ,roadcas ing, u il?es highl% arge ed awareness s ra egies ha are ailored o he s#eci.ic needs8concerns o. a #riori % grou#. School-,ased narrowcas ma erials are dis#la%ed in loca ions where s uden s will .eel sa.e and secure knowing he% are alone and wonB ,e su,9ec ed o #eer 9udgemen . :arrowcas #rograms are recogni?ed as use.ul mechanisms .or ,ridge-,uilding among communi % services and he #riori % #o#ula ions he% serve. S udies on similar school-,ased social marke ing #ro9ec s, develo#ed ,% 6duca ional !essage Services, were .ound o ,e e..ec ive a increasing heal h-seeking and im#roving access o communi % resources, wi h s uden s a risk .or chemical de#endenc% 4 o,acco, alcohol, and o her drugs5, unin ended #regnanc% and da e violence or assaul . S uden s re#or ed ha he #rogram messages hel#ed hem ,e er unders and associa ed s igmas and how o co#e wi h hemC and in he ;Smoker B3 #rogram, messages encouraged s uden s o consider he heal h risks associa ed wi h smoking, and aimed o reduce he num,er o. s uden s who s ar smoking ,% #or ra%ing cul ural norms in su##or o. he choice not to smoke. 3n he #os surve%, 4DE o. s uden s s a ed he% were more likel% o no ake u# smoking as a resul o. seeing he messages on cam#us. 1 3n a rural :evada #ilo #rogram wi h a #redominan l% :a ive *merican high school, nearl% 'D #ercen o. he s uden s used ex su##or services 4over he course o. he school %ear 2D1D8115 a. er coming in con ac wi h he narrowcas #rogram ma erials.
1

X-Smoker B1 Smoking Prevention, A social marketing campaign developed by Clark County Health istrict and !ducational "essage Services#
2014 Educational Message Services, Inc. 1225 Devon Lane Ventura CA 93001 www.preventionpaystext.com

T"3t M"ssag" Progra! an% Co!!unit) '"l+lin" $ommuni % &el#line will ,e managing he ex su##or #rogram. "es#onders a he cen er are rained o de-escala e crisis and #rovide resource re.erral assis ance when called .or. The $ommuni % &el#line mission has wo ,asic #ur#oses0 o im#rove social ,ehavior and enhance #ersonal recover% and grow h. $ommuni % &el#line crea es innova ive, evidenced-,ased #rograms ha are #roven o solve ough social #ro,lems ha im#ac all mem,ers o. he communi %. Through com#rehensive and #roven solu ions o ,ehavioral heal h challenges, $ommuni % &el#line is ,uilding a s ronger communi %Fone li.e a a ime. Over he #as several %ears $ommuni % &el#line has recogni?ed a growing need .or %ou h cen ered #rograms. 3n order o ada# o he uni)ue communica ion needs o. eens, leardershi# has eamed wi h 6!S o augmen heir .ull ime ele#hone su##or wi h ex message su##or . $ommunica ion #rocedures and goals will u ili?e he same s ra egies ha have made ele#hone su##or success.ul over he %ears. Trained s a.. and volun eers 4a $ommuni % &el#line5 will manage ex communica ion using a secure, we,-,ased service, via s andard com#u er works a ions. 3. %ou have an% )ues ions regarding he ex message #rogram, he s%s em, user in er.ace, securi % #ro ocols, %ou ma% con ac 6!S direc l%0 www.#reven ion#a%s ex .com8con ac .#h# 7u"stions*Conc"rns( C"ll P&on" 2ans at Sc&ools8 C"ll P&on" Abus" i9"9 T"3t 2ull)ing an% :S"3ting8; S+ott) or <"a# Co "rag" Ar"as 'ow is t&" +rogra! a%%r"ssing conc"rns about C"ll P&on" 2ans= 3n develo#ing he #rogram, we have considered numerous issues ha migh arise and we develo#ed he ex message s%s em and su##or ing ma erials o address each o. hese concerns. Tex !essage Su##or Services and he develo#ers unders and ha ex messaging is also associa ed wi h harm.ul ,ehaviors such as ex ,ull%ing and sex ing. Ghile he #rimar% aim is o #rovide %ou h wi h a new wa% o ask .or hel# wi h emo ional crisis, develo#ers reali?e here will ,e concerns ha arise 9us ,% #romo ing sa.e cell #hone ,ehavior. (or ins ance, ,% vir ue o. ,eing a ex message-,ased #rogram, i could inadver en l% encourage ex messaging when cell #hone ,ans are ,ecoming more necessar% and #revalen on school cam#uses. Program ma erials will clearl% s a e he hours o. o#era ion, and ma erials #romo ing he service will encourage eens o ex .rom home, wi h #hrases such as, @Take us home, ex us la er.A <&at about C"ll P&on" Abus"= T"3t 2ull)ing= 1evelo#ers also unders and ha cell #hone rules will var% ,e ween schools. *ll marke ing ma erials will s a e ha PPT!S is a Responsible Cell Phone Use #rogram,
2014 Educational Message Services, Inc. 1225 Devon Lane Ventura CA 93001 www.preventionpaystext.com

and we will su##or secondar% messages like, @Prac ice Sa.e Tex ing,A @1onB ex and driveA @"e#or Sex ing8Tex Bull%ing,A e c. To achieve his, 6!S will work wi h $ommuni % &el#line o crea e and dissemina e educa ion, whenever #ossi,le, a,ou wha i is o ,e a res#onsi,le cell #hone #rogram. Pro9ec u#da es will include in.o8.ac s a,ou een cell #hone use, and i#s .or #aren s and eens on how o #rac ice sa.e ex ing and res#onsi,le cell #hone use. !arke ing ma erials ma% con ain s%m,ols .or an i-,ull%ing 4see exhi,i $.5 and #romo e sa.e ,ehavior hrough ,rie. )ui#s, like, @!ore acciden s are caused ,% ex ing and driving, han drunk-drivingA and @remem,er o alwa%s #rac ice sa.e ex ingHA 6ver% hing ha is wri en a,ou he #rogram, #ress releases, newsle ers, we,si e ,anners and u#da es, will #romo e he service as "es#onsi,le and Sa.e. Ghen in roducing he #rogram o new schools, #rogram colla,ora ors, advoca es, and s#okes#ersons will alwa%s encourage res#onsi,le, sa.e cell #hone ,ehavior as a core concern o. he #rogram. Incr"asing R"ac&( Disa% antag"%8 Un%"rs"r "%8 R"!ot" R"gions $ommuni % &el#lineBs #rimar% aim is o increase access o communi % services using PPT!S. The #rogram will u ili?e ex messaging as a wa% o channel more eens o resources ha alread% exis in heir communi %, however he ex line is no mean o re#lace he ele#hone voice ho line. The eam acknowledges, as wi h an% mo,ile #hone-,ased #rogram, he end user ma% a em# o ex .rom an area wi h wi h low or s#o % coverage. To address coverage issues, #ar icularl% in rural areas, ma erials will #u,lish al erna ive wa%s o make con ac wi h he cen er in addi ion o ins ruc ions .or con ac ing he ex service. *n%one coming in con ac wi h ma erials will alwa%s ,e #resen ed wi h mul i#le wa%s o ge hel#. The 6!S eam con inuall% moni ors similar #rograms8services 4,o h na ionall% and a,road5 o see how issues are resolved, ha we migh #reven issues ,% weaking ma erials or adding logic o he ex message so. ware so ha we resolve #ro,lems ,e.ore he% occur. Preven ionPa%s Tex !essage Services is an innova ive #rogram ha #romises o #romo e ,e er heal h ou comes ,% merging $ommuni % &el#lineBs evidence-,ased crisis res#onse s ra egies wi h cu ing-edge S!S solu ions. All communication is private and protected. 3n.orma ion o, ained during crisis encoun ers will no ,e used .or an% o her #ur#ose ,u o #rovide hel# o individuals who con ac he cen er. The ex #rogram s ric l% .ollows he Online Privac% *c , !!* 4mo,ile marke ing associa ion5 and &3P** guidelines. T""ns an% T"3ting Data 1uring an earl% 6!S ex ing #ilo #rogram addressing de#ression and suicide in rural :evada, wi hin hours o. #rogram launch, area residen s were using he new services. @There was a real and angi,le correla ion ,e ween #lacing marke ing ma erials 4#romo ing he ex line5 in a #ilo school, and same da% #ick-u# among individuals in he arge #o#ula ion.A2 (rom !a% o he ,eginning o. summer recess, over 1DE o. he
$

TextToday Project Coordinator and crisis support responder on text line, Crisis Call Center, Reno Nevada

2014 Educational Message Services, Inc. 1225 Devon Lane Ventura CA 93001 www.preventionpaystext.com

s uden s made con ac wi h he ex line 4and nearl% 'DE o. hose are re#ea users o. he #rogram5 - a rul% remarka,le s a is ic. The average ra e o. ex ing among he #riori % grou# ages 13-1I is 'D-1 4'D ex s .or ever% 1 voice call5 *nd in a 2D11 .ocus grou# among high school s uden s, #ar ici#an s remarked on he na ure o. ex ing rela ed o heir sense o. sa.e % and well,eing0 Yes. I think its really good because texting is way easier to do than talking. There was a consensus among s uden s ha F We all would probably be more likely to use texting than a regular telephone conversation to connect with the call center. It seems sa er. >") ?in%ings( !elplines and hotlines using text "to provide crisis support to youth# have ound that teens are much more likely to ask or help when text is o ered . (ur hermore eens have ,een a,le o ge o heir core issue )uicker and .eel more con.iden doing so, via ex message.

Mar#"ting Mat"rials 4"3a!+l"s o$ !at"rials us"% wit& a sc&ool6bas"% +rogra! in N"w @"rs")5
2014 Educational Message Services, Inc. 1225 Devon Lane Ventura CA 93001 www.preventionpaystext.com

E3&ibit A( Pos er, 11 ; 14, ins alla ions will include #u,lic8#riva e s#aces including res rooms, li,raries, s uden learning cen ers, and classrooms.

$ard holders are ke# res ocked wi h ake-home cards, so s uden s are a,le o kee# con ac in.o wi h hem a all imes and ex .rom home.

* ke% .inding in he #reliminar% da a reveals he ma9ori % o. ex encoun ers occurred during a ter school hours. S uden s using he service are elec ing o ex .rom he #rivac% o. heir home. E3&ibit 2( Take-*wa% or Take-&ome $ards0 *,ou he si?e o. a ,usiness card, encourages s uden s o ake he card home and ex la er, when he%Bre in he #rivac% o. heir ,edroom.

2014 Educational Message Services, Inc. 1225 Devon Lane Ventura CA 93001 www.preventionpaystext.com

Takeor home cards ma% use Take &ome $ards similar colla eral ma% ,e #rovided o re.errals o %ou h resources s uden s a #rogram launch so ha access o he line is readil% in he or communi %, as availa,le and availa,le ha no s uden grou# .eels singled ou ,% onl% well as na ionall% recogni?ed #roviding ma erials o hem. #rograms.

E3&ibit C( 6xam#les o. S%m,ols Promo ing "es#onsi,le $ell Phone Behavior

Practice Safe Cell Phone Behavior, Report Text Bullying and Sexting. 3. %ouBre ,eing ex ,ullied, STOP8 2LOC>8 REPORT Sto+ 7 donB res#ond o he ,ull%C i will onl% escala e 2loc# A 1onB o#en ex s .rom un.amiliar num,ers, or ,lock he num,er .rom ,eing a,le o send %ou ex s. R"+ort 6 ,ull%ing and Sex ing o a rus ed adul .3

!&cerpt 'rom the (Stop Cyber-Bullying )oolkit* provided by +++#+iredsa'ety#org

2014 Educational Message Services, Inc. 1225 Devon Lane Ventura CA 93001 www.preventionpaystext.com

Contact In$o( For info on operational protocols, questions about the service (the responders and responder guidelines) Visit: www.preventionpaystext.com

2014 Educational Message Services, Inc. 1225 Devon Lane Ventura CA 93001 www.preventionpaystext.com

10