Teen Lifeline is a suicide prevention hotline available through text and call. Teen Lifeline’s mission is to “Prevent teen suicide in Arizona through enhancing resiliency in youth and fostering supportive communities.” Since 1986, volunteers for the Lifeline have answered over 315,000 calls and texts throughout Arizona.

Teen Lifeline started up when the film Surviving started the conversation nationwide on teen suicide and suicide in general. “Around that time, Arizona ranked second in the nation for its teen suicide rate.” Teen Lifeline started as a school-based program at Central High School in Phoenix.

A few years later, in 1988, the Lifeline began recruiting teen volunteers to help spread the Lifeline’s number and to serve as call recipients. In 1991, Teen Lifeline moved on to be a free statewide organization, with a grant from the Marshall Fund of Arizona. Since then, Teen Lifeline has gotten bigger, recruiting representatives from all over the state to talk to teens in classrooms. Luckily, they are still a non-profit organization to this very day.

Since 2024, in Arizona, 20.4% of teens between the ages of 12-17 have considered suicide. This makes teen suicide in Arizona an issue, and that’s just documented thoughts of suicide. It’s good to at least know where help could be found, no matter where you are in Arizona. If you don’t personally need help, but you know someone who needs help, go to “My Teen Needs Help”. Even if you aren’t the parent or guardian, you’re still someone who wants to help that person.

How to get help if needed:

Phone Number to Call or Text: 602-248-8336

Other resources for help can be found here.