E020 – How Crisis Text Line uses data to save lives

If you’re in crisis, text 741741 if you’re in the US to talk with a counselor now. In this episode we speak with the people behind Crisis Text Line and Crisis Trends, two services that use data to make a difference for those going through a crisis or looking for someone with whom to talk. Overview Texters contact the hotline by texting the shortcode 741741. Volunteers are logged onto “the platform”, which is on CTL’s internal site, to receive these messages and access counselor tools. Their data is collected in real time and is updated in close to real time: https://crisistrends.org/ This is the TED talk where the founder introduced her idea for the organization: https://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_lublin_texting_that_saves_lives This is the TED talk 3 years later where the founder shared an update on CTL’s success and shared information about how they use data intelligently on their platform: https://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_lublin_the_heartbreaking_text_that_inspired_a_crisis_help_line Key Stats Over 1 million messages transmitted per month 75% of texters are under 25 10% under age 13 65% say they have shared something with Crisis Text Line that they haven’t shared with anyone else Usually at least one active rescue per day Take people based on severity and have the ability to initiate an active rescue (via 911) Words like ibuprofen, aspirin, tylenol are more indicative of active rescue need than the words die, overdose, suicide emoji is 4x more of an indicator Roots of CTL go back to 1906 when Save-A-Life League started via newspaper ads The Samaritans was the first phone suicide hotline and started in November 1953 Founded by Nancy Lublin, who is also the CEO of DoSomething.org, in 2011 Introductions – background, how they got their start, how they got involved in CrisisTextLine Staci – volunteer Scotty – Data Scientist History of Crisis Text Line and high-level structure (where they operate, # of locations, # of employees / volunteers) Staci’s experience What was training like? Where do she take sessions and how often? How do she feel after a session? Her experience as a counselor and thoughts on the impact, data, etc. What ways they collect data #s of texters UI platform for counselors Types of data they collect Types of technologies used to collect/manage it – both publicly, behind the scenes, for presentations, etc. What ways they use data CrisisTrends.org site Anonymity, opt-in/opt-out options and how frequent each occur Key stats they feel are most important/surprising/alarming, etc. How has data made an impact to those in need? How has data made an impact to counselors? How has data made an impact to the organization? How has data made an impact to the crisis advocacy sector as a whole? What ways can other people can use their data Do they encourage that visitors explore to find their own insights? Will data be available by zip code at some point? Data Science What tools and techniques do they see being most important in the near term? What do they see as becoming less important in the near term? What is something they could have told their earlier selves that would have made their path to this point easier? Organization Info How someone can get involved What they need most What is in store for the future? New technologies, platforms for contact, etc. How someone can contact them Music Deep Sky Blue by Graphiqs Groove Sources https://youtu.be/KOtFDsC8JC0 – TED talk about origin https://www.crisistextline.org/ https://crisistrends.org/ http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/09/r-u