How safe is Safe2Tell Colorado?

Across the state, it is widely known as a trusted anonymous reporting system designed to protect students and their communities, however, questions have been raised on whether it is truly as anonymous as they promote themselves to be, and how many reports being sent to Safe2Tell are actually being helped/seen.

Safe2Tell promotes itself as a “confidential, 24/7/365-day-a-year anonymous reporting system,” allowing students, parents, and community members to report safety concerns as they come, and while all of this is true, to understand what Safe2Tell is, we first have to understand what safe to tell isn’t.

Safe2Tell promotes itself as a crisis and interventionist resource, what it isn’t, however, is a mental health line. Safe2Tell has a clear purpose, and the purpose is to act quickly, prevent self-harm, and connect with school officials and law enforcement with the intent to save someone in their active crisis. In many cases, Safe2Tell has been proven effective and has led to instances like self-harm, suicide, and or threats to be intervened in effectively and in a timely manner.

Safe2Tell is not an assistant in emotional support, counseling, or real-time reassurance during moments of anxiety/distress. It is only an active line to those who want help in stressful situations or life-or-death situations.

Safe2Tell’s whole role is to make sure that crises and concerns don’t go unnoticed, that warning signs aren’t ignored, and are instead pointed in the direction of people who know how to intervene while maintaining safety for all parties involved. This is why it is best used when it is alongside an interventionist team rather than as a mental health resource.

However, it is important to note the downsides of Safe2Tell. Pedro Linsenmeyer, a Mead High School counselor and interventionist, has brought to light some of the concerns about Safe2Tell while also demonstrating its effectiveness and how it works.

Overall highlighting that some concerns about the anonymity have been raised, and not necessarily because of the concerns that it’s not as anonymous as it claims to be, but actually quite the opposite, that it’s too anonymous.

While Safe2Tell is a good resource for reporting and seeking active help, it is only effective “if the reporter includes name and details.” They are proven to be completely ineffective without that key information, and without that, the authorities and counselors won’t be able to proceed on any claims or calls for help.

So, while Safe2Tell is always here and mostly self-explanatory, it’s also important to know how it works and why it works. Safe2Tell is only as effective as you make it, and when in need, in moments where action is needed, access to help resources like Safe2Tell is always good to have.