As part of the school district’s emphasis on mental and behavioral health, Sarasota County Schools has reminded students, families and the community about free and confidential resources available to anyone in need of a counselor 24-hours a day, seven days a week. The Crisis Text Line was launched in 2013 by Nancy Lublin and is now available nationwide for people who need immediate help and prefer a text message option. Anyone with a phone can text ‘HERE4U’ to 741741 and be immediately connected with a trained counselor all day every day. The service is available to all students in Sarasota County through a grant from Barancik Foundation. “Suicide is a complex dynamic that requires many prevention efforts, including attention from school staff, families and communities,” said Todd Bowden, superintendent of Sarasota County Schools. “We are thankful to Barancik Foundation for providing our students access to the Crisis Text Line should they need to speak with a counselor whenever they need one.”

Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation