Colorado Springs student leaders: Teen crisis hotline is available 24/7

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Many of us are trapped inside the house right now -- which can be tough for people dealing with anxiety and depression. Teenagers can face issues like that along with sometimes having abusive family members, or maybe it's an LGBTQ student looking for someone to talk to.

Now, a group of 40 Colorado Springs student leaders are steering their peers to Colorado Crisis Services. The youth leaders are from Below the Surface leadership program and they're doing community outreach to spread the word to students in need.

The crisis line gives students a chance to connect with mental health professionals who can guide them through tough times. It's available through call or text. The youth leaders want their peers to know this is free, confidential, and available 24/7.

"With the school closures, kids are losing a lot of those support resources that they rely really heavily on," said Caitlyn Tabeling, one of the youth leaders. "So we're trying to make sure that they know they have another one and they have this text line and there's always someone on the other end willing to listen. They can almost replace the support that they lost."

Another youth leader, Yesenia Cruz Garduño, wants her peers to know they can ask for help if they need it.

"I think people should understand that even if they are parents or people they live around don't believe in mental health, they should still text in and ask for help when they need it, or call," said Garduño. "It's always readily available. People understand cultural differences don't really matter. If you need help, you should ask for it."

If you want to take advantage of the service, or if you're a parent and want to give your child a resource they may need, you can text "TALK" to 38255 or call 1-844-493-8255.