"Not everyone wants to make a phone call or send a text - some are more likely to report concerns by sending a message through an app or website," said Governor DeWine. "We're making these upgrades so that it's as simple as possible for all Ohioans to quickly and anonymously report any potential school safety threats in a manner that makes them comfortable."
The new Safer Ohio School Tip Line smartphone app, available both on iOS and Android devices, and the online web form include pre-populated prompts to help users quickly upload information.
The tip line will also be newly staffed by crisis response professionals who are trained to help individuals contemplating self-harm.
"Intelligence analysts previously manned the tip line, but we felt that it was important to staff the call center with individuals experienced in helping those with immediate mental health needs," said Emily Torok, OSSC Executive Director. "Now, instead of referring those who need urgent help to other sources of support, crisis response professionals with the Safer Ohio School Tip Line can immediately provide intervention support and notify first responders to conduct a wellness check."
Additional upgrades to the Safer Ohio School Tip Line include more flexibility for schools and law enforcement to increase the number of staff members who receive immediate tips. The call center, which is staffed by multilingual team members fluent in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Russian, German, and Arabic, is now also equipped with telephonic language translation for additional languages including Chinese, Japanese, Pennsylvania Dutch, Somali, Twi, and Vietnamese.
School students, staff, parents, and community members associated with any school in Ohio are encouraged to report any school safety concerns to the tip line including, but not limited to:
- Bullying incidents;
- Withdrawn student behaviors;
- Verbal or written threats observed toward students, faculty, or schools;
- Hazing;
- Weapons/suspicious devices on or near school grounds;
- Gang-related activities;
- Unusual/suspicious behavior of students or staff;
- Self-harm or suicidal sentiments;
Those who report tips can choose to remain anonymous.
October 2023 marks the second annual Ohio School Safety Month. This year's theme is "Relationships for Safety," which recognizes the impact that positive relationships between school staff and students play in maintaining a safe learning environment.
Governor DeWine developed the Ohio School Safety Center within the Ohio Department of Public Safety to be a comprehensive, statewide office focused exclusively on enhancing the safety of Ohio schools. In addition to maintaining and promoting the Safer Ohio School Tip Line, the center assists schools and first responders in preventing, preparing for, and responding to threats and acts of violence including self-harm. Staff also proactively scans social media and websites to identify threats against schools.
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