EDUCATION + SCHOOLS
SafeUT helps save lives and keep schools safe
Aug 18, 2022, 2:03 PM | Updated: 2:19 pm
The SafeUT app got a new look on Friday. (safeUT)
(safeUT)
SALT LAKE CITY — A smartphone app called SafeUT is saving lives every single day in the state of Utah. To be exact, the Axios Salt Lake City website reports that two lives are saved daily by the app.
Rachel Lucynsky, Director of Community Crisis Intervention and Support Services at Huntsman Mental Health said they responded to over 32,000 chats on the app last year.
Furthermore, she explained how the app features a place to submit confidential tips. This adds a large school safety component for teachers, students and faculty.
Lucynsky said depending on the severity of the tip received, they will coordinate with school administrators or law enforcement if needed.
“Last year we had more than 6,200 school safety tips submitted,” said Lucynsky. “The main tip that’s submitted is pertaining to suicide.”
Tips received also concern bullying, potential acts of violence, flights or planned school threats. More than 314 planned school attacks or potential violent acts were responded to last year on the SafeUT app.
Lucynsky also said they carried out more than 300 life-saving interventions for students last year.
The Utah Department of Health and Human Resources says in 2020 suicide was the leading cause of death for Utahns ages 10 to 17 and 18-24.
According to Axios Salt Lake City, last year, counselors totaled more than 1 million back-and-forth interactions on the app.
To learn more about the app and how it works, click here.
