New report reveals the broader impact of Crisis Text Line’s volunteer model on volunteers, their communities, and the future of the mental health workforce.
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, September 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Crisis Text Line, a global nonprofit that provides free, 24/7, confidential mental health and crisis support in English and Spanish, today released “Creating a Culture of Connection and Care in the U.S.,” a new report revealing the powerful ripple effect of its volunteer Crisis Counselor model. The findings show that Crisis Text Line’s mental health and crisis response volunteering model may offer a scalable approach to augmenting the overburdened mental health workforce, expanding access to support while strengthening the people who provide it.
Millions of people in the U.S. struggle to get the mental health care they need, care that is often out of reach due to workforce shortages, cost, or geographic location. Since its founding in 2013, Crisis Text Line has helped close that gap, extending the capacity of an overburdened mental health system through trained volunteer Crisis Counselors who provide free, 24/7, live support to people navigating anxiety, depression, loneliness, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and more, under the supervision of mental health professionals.
The report reveals that this impact extends far beyond the people volunteers support directly. Volunteer Crisis Counselors are carrying the skills they build through this role into their everyday lives, supporting their own well-being and their family, friends, and communities, and in some cases, changing the direction of their own education and careers. To understand these impacts, Crisis Text Line surveyed 1,400 active volunteers in 2026 about how the experience of being a volunteer has shaped their own lives and the mental health ecosystem, overall.
“Our volunteers are at the heart of our model, and they benefit from volunteering just as much as our texters benefit from their contributions,” said Priya Gandhi, Principal Evaluation Scientist at Crisis Text Line. “The insights highlighted in this report underscore the power of human connection: when we equip someone to care for others, we strengthen their capacity to care for themselves and the people around them.”
Key Findings:
Volunteers are an important layer of care: In 2025, 14,500 active volunteers supported more than 1.5 million conversations with U.S. texters seeking mental health or crisis support.
Volunteering builds stronger skills and resilience: Nearly all volunteers report improved active listening, empathy, and communication under pressure. 97% say volunteering has strengthened their own resilience.
Volunteering deepens connection: 95% feel more connected to others, and 76% say their volunteer experience has improved their ability to meet new people and make friends.
A ripple effect in their communities: For every conversation a volunteer supports, they help navigate nearly one additional moment of distress in their own community. 98% have used what they’ve learned to support someone in distress outside of Crisis Text Line.
Volunteering opens a path to careers helping others: 87% say the experience has made them want to work in a field helping others, with many now considering careers in mental health, counseling, or social work.
“These findings point to a model that not only expands access to human connection and support, but also strengthens the capacity of individuals and communities to respond to mental health needs,” said Gandhi.
Read the full U.S. report and global brief here.
About Crisis Text Line
Crisis Text Line is a global mental health organization dedicated to supporting people in their most difficult moments. The nonprofit focuses on both crisis intervention and prevention, providing free, 24/7, confidential support in English and Spanish through a text-based platform that meets people where they are. We pair human connection with scalable technology, research, and partnerships to strengthen mental health systems and drive lasting change. Since its launch in 2013, Crisis Text Line has supported over 12 million conversations in the United States and more than 17 million globally together with our affiliates in Canada, the UK and Ireland. Crisis Text Line’s 125,000 trained volunteer Crisis Counselors bring texters from a hot moment to a cool calm by empowering each texter to use their own strengths and coping strategies. In 2025, Crisis Text Line expanded its global reach by joining forces with Aquí Estoy, a nonprofit organization serving people in need across 20 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, Spain, and the Caribbean.To be connected to a live, trained, nonjudgmental volunteer Crisis Counselor, text HELLO to 741741 or 443-SUPPORT in WhatsApp or text HOLA to 741741 or 442-AYUDAME in WhatsApp for Spanish or connect with us via web chat. Visit Crisis Text Line on Linkedin, Instagram and Facebook. Additional information, including how to become a volunteer or how to support Crisis Text Line through donations or partnerships, is available at www.crisistextline.org.
Vanessa Showalter
Crisis Text Line
+1 949-748-0542
email us here
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