Officials announced on April 4 the launch of the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System, an online portal and hotline where Dallas ISD students in grades 6-12 can send in tips regarding concerns about violence or student safety and mental health. More than 5,000 schools and school districts nationwide already use the program.
According to the district, mental health has become a major concern for students.
“Students are grappling with all kinds of challenges since the onset of the pandemic,” DISD Deputy Superintendent Susana Cordova said in a release.
The reporting tool is available 24/7 as a mobile app, by phone at 844-5-SAYNOW (844-572-9669) or online at www.saysomething.net, according to the district. Students can send tips related to bullying, abuse, harassment and depression. Should a student send in a tip regarding a psychiatric emergency, community health services and law enforcement may be notified, according to the district.
The program is available at no cost to the district through the nonprofit Sandy Hook Promise, which also provides staff training, according to DISD officials.
“We believe it is also our responsibility to help identify behaviors before they escalate into problems, and the [Say] Something model does that, ultimately preventing serious acts from ever occurring,” Cordova said.
