LOUIVILLE, Kentucky — Rep. Ken Fleming (R-Louisville) will introduce legislation next week to formally establish the Kentucky Mental Health Safety Center within UofL Health.
The center manages and administers a free, confidential crisis intervention app for students, parents and teachers called SafeKY.
“In addition to helping prevent suicide and help children with depression and anxiety,” Fleming says, “there is another factor.” If we discover that children may be carrying guns or bullying them.”
Based on existing apps in Utah SafeUT.
according to annual reportwhich is home to 96% of Utah’s public and charter school districts, last April, authorities seized weapons at a school after a student used an app to alert authorities.
Fleming’s bill would have created an advisory board to help guide the process and framework for funding projects within budget.
Starting with a small pilot project, UofL Health Peace Hospital will operate a mental health safety center and provide qualified personnel to serve app users, said Liz McCune, the hospital’s vice president and chief operating officer. said.
“We will be piloting this with small schools, medium-sized schools, and large school districts to determine what the student needs and interests are in this particular feature,” she said. “At the moment, our plan is to start with a small core staff who can chat with students 24/7.”
The hospital has raised funds to support the project through its first year of implementation, McKune said.
“It’s designed as a in-the-moment crisis intervention tool to help kids access and connect with services when they have these thoughts and feelings,” she said. I got
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicide or a mental health crisis, we encourage you to call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
For help, call or text 988.
