Sen. Daniel Thatcher says he’s working on a couple of school safety-related issues for the 2014 session.
First, he wants to establish a statewide hotline for students to use who may be contemplating hurting themselves or for other students to voice concerns about things happening in their schools.
“When this bill passes, it means any student statewide will be able to dial 3-1-1 and be immediately connected to the nearest dispatch center that meets the University of Utah’s neuropsychiatric clinic’s standards.”
Thatcher says his proposal has a real chance of helping students because the hotline will be staffed 24/7 and will offer anonymity that other services cannot.
“What if a kid needs someone to talk to? With 3-1-1, they can talk to a counselor and either choose to share their information or stay anonymous.”
