What is the Safer Ohio School Tip Line?
Governor Mike DeWine established the Ohio School Safety Center (OSSC) in August of 2019 to support schools, first responders, and communities in preventing, preparing for, and responding to threats and acts of violence, including self-harm. One of the resources that the OSSC administers is the Safer Ohio School Tip Line.
This free service is monitored 24/7 for anonymous reporting and can receive both calls and texts. This tip line allows students and adults to anonymously share information with school officials and law enforcement about threats to student safety—whether that involves a threatened mass incident or harm to a single student.
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How does this help my school and students?
Victimizations, bullying, and other disorders such as drug and alcohol use are often not reported directly to school authorities or even to parents and guardians. Oftentimes this is because students do not want to be identified, do not want a friend or classmate in trouble, or do not know how or where to report these threats.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, students may have had outlets within the school through counselors, school resource officers, educators, and peers where they could voice their concerns easily throughout the regular school day. Now that learning has transitioned to a more virtual format in some cases, with little to no in-person interaction, students may feel that they do not have an outlet to express concerns or easily talk with someone about how they are feeling. The Safer Ohio School Tip Line helps bridge that gap and enables information to be shared by students to law enforcement and school officials, even outside of the school day.
Where do I register?
Registration is not required to receive tips reported to the Safer Ohio School Tip Line, but it will allow you to receive free promotional materials for your school and ensure you receive the latest opportunities from the OSSC.
Tip: Don't forget to keep your Emergency Contact Information Sheet up-to-date in OH|ID to ensure we have the correct information for when a tip comes in.
How do I share this free resource with my students?
Two free resources available to your school staff and students are the Safer Ohio School Tip Line and the Crisis Text Line.
The OSSC is asking that you personalize and share the below draft letter with your students, staff, parents, and guardians to make them aware of these services. The letter can be put on your school’s letterhead and easily sent out in an email or printed to send home with students.
Draft Safer Ohio School Tip Line Letter
Download the below images to share on your website, virtual classroom pages, or social media. Tag your posts with #OhioSchoolSafetyCenter and #SpeakUpSaveLives
Safer Ohio School Tip Line Logo
Speak Up Save Lives Images
Tip Line Reporting Poster - Phone
Crisis Text Line Logo
Additional posters and images are available for download on the OSSC Website.
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For questions regarding this free service, please contact us by emailing to OhioSchoolSafetyCenter@dps.ohio.gov.
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