FOR YOUTH BY YOUTH, TEEN LINE PROVIDES YOUNG PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
WORLD TEEN MENTAL WELLNESS DAY MARKS A SEASON OF CHANGE FOR TEENS
LOS ANGELES – March 1, 2024 – World Teen Mental Wellness Day is celebrated on March 2 to raise awareness about the youth mental health crisis, destigmatize mental health and spotlight life-saving resources and information. With college admissions, prom, finals and other milestones on the horizon this spring, Teen Line is there to provide young people with youth-led mental health support.
Teen Line, a program of Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, is the leading crisis and support hotline that connects youth with highly trained Teen “Listeners” who provide free, confidential, compassionate peer support and mental health resources. In 2023, Teen Listeners responded to more than 6,400 calls, texts and emails from their peers across the United States and the world. While relationships, anxiety/stress, depression and suicide are top concerns among teens year-round, the stress of what comes next can be heightened in the spring as some teens prepare for graduation or watch their peers grapple with high-stakes decisions about their future.
“Teens are facing an inordinate amount of pressure to accomplish certain things by a certain age, and it’s hard to not compare yourself to others, especially with the rise of social media,” shared Cheryl Eskin, LMFT, Senior Director of Teen Line for Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services. “The power of Teen Line is that it connects young people who are navigating these challenges with other teens who really ‘get it’ and can provide encouragement and support in a safe and non-judgmental setting.”
Teen Listeners offer an empathetic ear and help young people find new ways to cope, identify people in their support system and suggest helpful resources in their communities. In order to become a “listener,” teens complete 65 hours of training on topics such as depression, abuse, self-harm, active listening, crisis and suicide assessment, and over 100 hours observing and practicing taking calls and texts.
While Teen Line does not provide therapy or mental health diagnoses, it bridges an important gap in access to mental health support and resources. According to the CDC, only about 20% of youth with emotional, behavioral or mental health disorders receive care from a specialized mental healthcare provider. Provisional data from the CDC shows that although suicide rates among youth fell in 2022, suicide remains one of the leading causes of death among teens in the United States. Many youth with experience as a Teen Line listener go on to careers in mental health.
“Most importantly, whatever teens are going through, we want them to know that they are not alone and that they matter. Listeners like me can be a sounding board and help navigate whatever challenges they might be facing – no issue is too big or too small,” shared Mendez, a Teen Line Listener.
Young people can call Teen Line at 800-852-8336 and be connected to a Teen Listener 6pm-10pm PST every night. Any calls received outside of this timeframe will be redirected to a crisis line operated by Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services. Additionally, teens can text TEEN to 839863 6pm-9pm PST or email www.teenline.org/email-
