Txting

@ CCC: What The Responders Have to Say

CCC Staff Feedback About Being The First 24/7 Text line for Crisis Support in the Nation Crisis Call Center has been in the spotlight lately for being the first Crisis Center in the United States to offer crisis intervention via text messaging. There has been a lot of focus on how the community will respond and if it will be effective in reaching the teen population. However, there are pieces of the picture that have not experienced their ten minutes of fame, particularly, the responders who anxiously wait for the troubled teen or conflicted adult to text in about their strife. This article is meant to provide you with an inside look at staffs opinions on the texting program and the challenges they face with this new technology. Texting is todays language. No one can say it clearer than our own full-time graveyard New Yorker, Stefanie. There isnt a single staff member that doesnt agree texting is how people of the generation are choosing to communicate. Webster has even added lol to its dictionary and some linguists are seeing a strong enough trend with txt lingo to consider it an actual dialect. Word Purists are fighting to preserve the English language and the grammar it encompasses while the younger generations are dropping the rules faster than a bad habit and tossing sentence structure out the window with spelling in tow. Wht means what and whr u goin 2nte? translates into Where (are) you going tonight? These are just a few examples of how words and sentences are scrunched to fit the ever-popular 140 -160 character limitations on most (now outdated) cell phones. With the constant upgrades, smart phones today (as of January 2011) can send an unlimited number of characters not to mention picture attachments, embedded videos and links to a desired website. Rose, a part-time employee working over the weekend, believes, it is important to reach the age group who are more prone to using the newest technology. There is no way to do that unless you adopt the technology yourself and Crisis Call Center was the first to implement a program to do just that. As is common with most new software programs, it is difficult to know where problems are until it is used in real life. The texting system is up and running, and as with any new system, we face some frustration over the bugs. The part of the program I like the least are the technical glitches that come up, like garbled messages from Verizon Droid phones. If someone writes a long text (more than 140-60 characters or uses characters unique to Droid Operating Systems; Droid signatures also pose problems) the message can come through garbled, says Debbie Gant-Reed, Crisis Lines Coordinator. Not being able to understand what someone in crisis is attempting to share can be extremely frustrating. I think the most difficult part is when a teen is pouring out their heart and you have to ask them to repeat themselves because the message was unreadable. It doesnt do well for rapport building, states Cassondra Schoppe, Crisis Lines Program Assistant. In todays world, the term technical difficulties is well known within the Centers walls; however, the positives of technology definitely outweigh any negatives. When you are paving a new path in the world of technology, bumps in the road are
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Txting @ CCC: What The Responders Have to Say

to be expected, claims Crisis Call Center Executive Director, Kathy Jacobs. Being the first in the nation to implement a program like this, we never expected it to work flawlessly from the start. The glitches are being worked out as they arise, and thankfully, the staff has been able to focus on the ultimate goal of reaching new populations while allowing the frustrating moments to pass like water under a bridge. With texting taking the world by storm, Crisis Call Center has risen to the challenge by providing a service that matches the demands of the community they wish to serve. Morgan, a part-time employee of five years, appreciates, that this service allows our community access to crisis intervention in a different way, allowing us to serve more individuals in crisis. Not only does the texting program reach the young adult population, but it is also being pushed in the deaf/hard of hearing community. It allows for more privacy and eliminates the need for a middleman. Rather than calling through a relay service, this connection is one to one, which may help this population to feel more comfortable with contacting us for crisis intervention. The Centers crisis lines staff sees texting as a wonderful opportunity to reach secluded populations that may shy away from using the telephone as their main tool for communication. Many of the initial text messages from the teen population have been pranks shock and awe stories meant to scare, threaten and ultimately test our reaction. As most parents can attest, a teen will push every button and challenge every boundary in order to see if the environment offered is safe and secure enough to be trusted. We provide that along with the chance for anonymity and the teens are catching on. During the first month of live service, we had around 200 messages, whereas, we are now averaging 2,500 text messages per month. Along with a safe place to talk, our staff understands that teens (and most everyone else) prefer talking with someone who cant identify them. There are many people who need our services but may not want to make a phone call. Texting is more anonymous, states Sherry, the CCC staff hired to answer text messages full-time. Many studies have shown when a person doesnt have to interact face-to-face with someone, inhibitions are lowered (take the Milgram study for example) which allows for more open and genuine conversation. The texting program allows the person to keep their privacy more so than a phone conversation might. Nestled in the positive aspect of anonymity is probably the most difficult part about the program: not being able to hear the persons voice. Arnie, an employee of over 15 years, considers this his biggest challenge. I can pick-up on a sense of despair in a human voice, whereas with texting, I am unable to it is a little more difficult to sense if they are suicidal. This is easily the staffs most common worry when it comes to the texting program. It can be very hard to get a sense of someones emotional state via letters on a screen. However, part- time staffer Mari, enjoys the challenge of not hearing someones voice. Its a learning opportunity for me, to provide validation and support without using tone of voice. Inferring
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Txting @ CCC: What The Responders Have to Say

emotion from text is not impossible emoticons, specific words and direct expression are all helpful tools the crisis line staff uses to connect with the texters. Although text messaging, because of its newness, may be a little more difficult, the CCC staff is excited for the chance to help anyone who reaches out for support and assistance. There are high hopes within the staff for what texting can bring to the Center. It has brought us into the spotlight for innovative technology and will hopefully also bring additional funding to help with staffing levels, says Gant-Reed. Like most other agencies in the country, Crisis Call Center has been impacted by the economy and budget cuts. The Center has done a great deal of reorganization in order to help with cost-savings including the integration of some paid positions. The impact of trying to hold on with fewer staff will be telling as we get busier, Debbie states. Within the fear of not being able to help all individuals that text into the center, lays a dream of more funding and increased staffing levels. In turn, Mari hopes the texting program will open the door to additional technological advances. The possibilities are endless when you are not scared to dream! On the whole, Crisis Call Center responders are anxious for the program to take off. I dont think the word is getting out fast enough each day a child does not know about this service, could mean one less child the next day! Stefanie exclaims. Regardless of the challenges of not being able to hear a voice, the consistent testing of boundaries and various technical glitches, Were here to save lives and this gives us another route to do so! says Sherry, and all are anxious to help their community in every way available. Contact: Kathy Jacobs, Executive Director, Crisis Call Center, Reno, NV. Email: kathyj@crisiscallcenter.org TextLine Service Provider: Educational Message Services, Jonathan Holly or Tom Evans, 805- 653.6000 or email jonathan@emsmail.org

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