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Mercer County Schools rolls out 24/7 "ReachOut" student crisis line; central office cites early usage and required reporting flow
Summary
District staff described a new ReachOut 24/7 crisis‑support service available to students by icon, QR code, text or phone and reported early August usage (presenter said 703 contacts and 57 student counselor connections); staff explained reporting flows for mandated incidents and monthly reporting plans.
Mercer County Schools presented details Sept. 8 about a new 24/7/365 student crisis‑support service called ReachOut that is now available on district laptops and accessible via QR code, text or phone.
A central‑office presenter (S13) said the service connects students immediately with trained crisis counselors and can be used for issues including stress, anxiety, bullying, family concerns and safety. The presenter described operational features administrators had implemented: an icon on school devices, printed cards with a QR code distributed to students, and a flow chart that routes serious, mandated reports to principals, the superintendent’s office and local law enforcement when required.
Citing the service’s first month of data after rollout, the presenter told the board that in August ReachOut logged 703 total contacts, 16 attempted connections that did not complete, and 57 contacts that resulted in students speaking with counselors; the presenter also said some incidents required CPS referrals and that two students were hospitalized after alerts were received. Staff said school‑level staff members (including the superintendent’s team, school counselors and designated contacts) receive notifications for serious reports and that the district will receive monthly reports from the vendor to track utilization and serious incidents.
Board members asked how the vendor determines the student’s location; the presenter said ReachOut captures an IP address and worked with local law enforcement when needed to trace that information for safety investigations. Board members also discussed privacy limits, mandated reporting requirements and how the district will integrate the new data into wellness and suicide‑prevention efforts. Administrators said a card with the QR code and the numbers for 741 and 988 would be distributed to every student and that the district will include the service in 'Wellness Wednesdays' and other outreach.
Presenters asked the board to consider continuing to receive follow‑up data and to evaluate the program’s outcomes over time; administrators said the vendor will provide monthly usage reports and the district would follow up on serious incidents as required by state law.
