Colorado AG records 3rd-highest month of Safe2Tell reports for students

DENVER ( KDVR ) — This past school year created concerning records for the Safe2Tell program : The top three months for most reports received all happened this spring.

The program allows K-12 students to report items of concern anonymously through the Attorney General’s Office.

By April of the 2023-2024 school year, the number of Safe2Tell reports made had surpassed those from the entire 2022-2023 school year, according to the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. From August through May, the Safe2Tell program has received 26,852 reports.

The monthly report showed that the program received 3,053 reports in May, down from April’s 3,188 reports and February’s record high of 3,224 .

“Even though categories like bullying and suicide are consistently part of our top complaints, categories like drugs, vaping, self harm, and school threats are close behind. The data tells us how much our kids are hurting,” said Attorney General Phil Weiser in a release. “I am hopeful we can catalyze action to help our children with our new youth mental health funding initiative.”

The top categories reported in May were school complaints (378 reports), bullying (308) and suicide (268), which were also the top categories in April. There were also 233 self-reports in May, with the highest category of self-reports under bullying. Self-reports are made by people who have a concern about themselves. The second-highest category was threats, followed closely by school complaints.

“As we head into June, we want to remind all students that you are not alone, and Safe2Tell is available during the summer months. If you have an urgent safety concern, you can tell us anonymously, any time, any day,” said Safe2Tell Director Stacey Jenkins in the AG’s release.

Many reports concern incidents at school, including two reports highlighted by the Attorney General’s Office.

The May Safe2Tell report referenced a report of a student who came to school with bruises because of a fight with a parent. Law enforcement conducted a welfare check and the Department of Human Services started an investigation.

Another student reported a peer had posted a “concerning image on social media that referenced self-harming.” The school investigated and the student is undergoing a suicide assessment, the AG reported.

Weiser also noted in his announcement of the new Safe2Tell report that his office recently announced a $20 million initiative for “school-community partnerships to promote holistic youth mental health and wellness” across Colorado. The investment was prompted by the U.S. Surgeon General’s warning of a “national epidemic of youth loneliness and need for connection.”

To make a Safe2Tell report, call 1-877-542-7233 from anywhere, at any time. Reports can be made at Safe2Tell.org , by texting S2TCO to 738477, or through the Safe2Tell mobile app.

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