CRISIS TEXT LINE
Request for Proposal (RFP)
I. Company Background
The service will use text messaging to connect teens in crisis with support and resources. We
plan to launch the CTL in early 2013 in two major U.S. cities and expand nationally by the end
of the year.
Inspired by the work DoSomething.org has done with teens and texting, the Crisis Text Line
(CTL) will be a subsidiary of DoSomething.org . However, Crisis Text Line will have its own
separate Board of Directors, staff, budget, and brand.
II. Program Description
Millions of teens are quietly suffering every day. They struggle with eating disorders,
depression, cutting, bullying, dating abuse, homophobia, suicidal thoughts, sexual assault,
substance abuse, and more.
The Crisis Text Line (CTL) will be a free resource open to all young people. CTL will: (a)
provide crisis counseling and referrals for youth in crisis (b) aggregate data to inform smart
policy, resource allocation, collaboration, etc.
There are several reasons why Crisis Text Line is an exciting solution:
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Texting is private. Phone calls aren't discreet. Social media is inherently public.
Teens less likely to talk. Few teens use a phone to talk on a daily basis. Meanwhile,
according to a study from Pew, the average teen sends 3,337 text messages per month
(or more than 100 per day).
Ability to scale. While a phone hotline operator can help one person at a time, it is
possible to respond to multiple text threads at the same time.
Lack of data. There is no national census on many of these crisis issues. Organizations
are often stuck with conflicting, dated, and unspecific numbers. There is zero realtime data.
III. Crisis Text Line Partners
Leveraging our experience, strengths, and assets, Crisis Text Line will be responsible for (a)
building and maintain the tech platform (b) collecting, storing, analyzing the data (c)
marketing the Crisis Text Line brand widely.
However, we know very little about providing effective crisis counseling and referrals to
youth in crisis. There are hundreds of very smart organizations and individuals who are expert
at providing this kind of support. This RFP seeks those partners.
There are 3 potential partners we could select:
(a) Network Administrator. One organization to handle the entire program side of CTL.
This would include all selection, training, and quality control of all crisis counselors
and referral agencies across all subject matter.
(b) Network Provider. One organization to assume responsibility for certain subject
area(s) only. (Examples: eating disorders, drug abuse, depression, etc.)
(c) Coalition of Network Providers. Two or more organizations submitting a proposal
together to cover multiple subject matter(s).
We welcome submissions from all three partner types.
IV. Crisis Text Line Partner Requirements and Assumptions
Experience: Must have a proven track record developing, launching, administrating and
successfully maintaining broad-scale crisis care networks or single issue or single location
crisis support that assist persons in need 24/7.
Training: Agree to work alongside CTL with regard to the CTL brand, technology platform and
data collection policies. Agree to develop and implement ongoing trainings for all CTL
network providers, with input from CTL advisory board members, on best practices when
using text messaging for crisis counseling with teens.
Quality Improvement: Must have a record of establishing and tracking performance based
metrics for monitoring and improving crisis services, including establishing evidence-informed
standards and guidelines based on performance evaluations to improve service quality.
Collaboration and communication: Must have a record of successfully maintaining routine
communications processes between advisory and provider entities to ensure effective
collaboration.
Financial stability: Must be able to ensure the organization is viable and can fulfill the full
contract term.
Legal liability: Must take on responsibility, liability of direct conversations with users; must
have liability protection.
Capacity to provide 24/7 service: Must be able to recruit and supervise text crisis
counselor(s) who can respond to teens 24/7 in partnership with CTL.
Privacy: Must adhere to CTL’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Credibility: Must be approved by CTL Advisory Board composed of mental health
practitioners, clinicians, and experts in the crisis response field as well as the CTL Board of
Directors.
Compliance: Must comply with relevant law, including COPPA, HIPPA, etc.
V. Submission Information
Deadline: This RFP is being issued on September 17, 2012. In order to be considered, it
must be submitted to RFP@crisistextline.org by 5pm EST on October 5, 2012.
Finalists : Finalists will be notified and additional materials requested at that time.
Selection of Partners: Partner applications will be evaluated by (a) CTL staff (b) CTL Advisory
Board, which is a group of thoughts leaders and practitioners in the youth crisis space. A list
of advisory Board Members is here www.crisistextline.org) . We are especially grateful to the
Advisory Board for their expertise and time. The final determination will be made by (c) the
CTL Board of Directors.
A. Application Instructions for Network Administrators
The application should be complete and contain all information needed for review. In order
for your application to be complete, it must include all the following sections.
Section 1: Experience. (Max 2,000 words) Describe your agency’s history of developing,
launching, administrating and successfully maintaining broad-scale crisis care networks that
can assist persons in need 24/7. Include descriptions of your agency’s experience in:
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Experience managing crisis counseling in some modality, preferably texting, hcat, or
hotline.
Quality Improvement efforts.
Collaboration and communication.
Managing surges and high volume periods of service.
Evidence of accreditations, certifications, awards and/or application of field
standards/best practices
Section 2: Proposed Approach. (Max 200 words each) Please include answers to these four
questions in your proposal:
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How do you currently manage and store client information?
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What is your approach to when parents should be included?
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Will there be an imminent risk guidelines and/or an active rescue policy?
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Will there be imminent risk guidelines and/or an active rescue policy?
Sectin 3: Proposed Staffing. (Max 1,000 words) Tell us how (and who) will be overseeing this
service at your agency and their respective roles. Note any philosophical, statutory or
procedural limitations to your agency’s service with youth, to date, and if relevant to the CTL
service, how those limitations might be factored into CTL’s overall network of services to
ensure that youth have access to all appropriate assistance, as needed. Note the type and
amount of insurance coverage your agency uses annually to support its services to youth.
Section 3: Budget. Please submit two budgets: one assuming CTL gives you 500k per year and
the other 1 million per year. What is the difference in service provision? What additional
funds to you believe you need and how might you raise those funds? What percentage of the
overall budget do you expect to be spent on Network Administration vs Network Providers?
B. Application Instructions for Network Providers and Coalitions
The application should be complete and contain all information needed for review. In order
for your application to be complete, it must include all the following sections.
Section 1: Experience. (Max 2,000 words) Describe your agency’s history of providing 24/7
counseling to youth, including your scope of services and your agency’s approach to working
with youth in crisis. Include descriptions of your agency’s experience in:

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Experience managing crisis counseling, preferably by text, chat, or hotline.
Quality Improvement efforts.
Collaboration and communication.
Managing surges and high volume periods of service.
Evidence of accreditations, certifications, awards and/or application of field
standards/best practices
Types of data you routinely collect and how that is utilized to improve services and
communicate your efforts to funders, etc.
Section 2: Proposed Approach. (Max 200 words each) Please include answers to these five
questions in your proposal:
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How do you currently manage and store client information?

What is your approach to when parents should be included?
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Do you use plan to use volunteers or full-time staff to staff CTL?
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Are there issue areas your org cannot or will not cover?
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Will there be imminent risk guidelines and/or an active rescue policy?
Section 3: Proposed Staffing. (Max 1,000 words) Tell us how (and who) will be overseeing this
service at your agency. Include descriptions of:
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How CTL-staffed services will be integrated into (or apart from) current staffing. How
will you shift (or add staff) to handle text counseling?
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How you plan to train and supervise staff/volunteers to respond to CTL texts
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What staffing will be needed to respond to CTL texts
Section 4: Budget. Please submit two budgets: one assuming CTL gives you 50k per year and
the other 150k per year. What is the difference in service provision? What additional funds to
you believe you need and how might you raise those funds?
RFP Contact Form
Company Name:
Address:
Phone Number:
Primary Contact Name:
Phone Number:
Email:
Website:
Are you a…
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Network Provider
 If CTL picks an administrator, I would like my information sent to them.
Network Administrator
Are you a 501(c)3?
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Yes
No
Are you able to provide national coverage?
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Yes
No