G Shapiro: Safe2Say Stays Online During School Closures

Students Encouraged To Keep Submitting Tips During COVID19 Pandemic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE?Wednesday, March 25, 2020

HARRISBURG? Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that Safe2Say Something, the statewide tip line for Pennsylvania students with concerns about themselves or others, remains available to Commonwealth schools through the COVID19 pandemic.

“In this time of crisis, the importance of maintaining this tip line for students to communicate concerns even while outside traditional classrooms is crucial,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “Our 24/7 tip center is open and connecting students with the resources they need, such as school counselors during this time when students are home, may feel isolated, or be struggling with anxiety or depression. I’m grateful for the hard work of the men and women on our Safe2Say team and their dedication to helping students across the Commonwealth.”

While schools are currently closed, students still have the option to submit tips to the Safe2Say Program as they normally would -- through our Safe2Say app, website, or by calling in and speaking with a Safe2Say team member.

“Even during the Governor’s mandatory shut down of our school buildings, students continue to have problems and concerns, and we still receive Safe2Say tips,” said Jeff Doelp, Director of Safe Schools in the Fleetwood School District in Berks County. “As we receive these tips, we are able to enlist the expertise of administrators, counselors, law-enforcement, and mental health professionals to address these student issues. Safe2Say remains a valuable resource to help protect our student body.”

“As the Dover Area School District, we elected to communicate on our social media platforms and website that the Safe2Say program is still operational during the statewide shutdown,” said Brad Perkins, Director of Public Safety, Public Relations, and Child Accounting for the Dover Area School District in York County. “Even though school is currently closed due to COVID-19, life still continues. Students will likely experience situations, or be knowledgeable of situations, that need to be reported in order to save their own, or someone else’s, life.”

“Dover Area High School is so much more than a school to our students and community,” said Smita Weakland, Assistant Principal, Dover Area High School in York County. “We wanted to ensure that our students could reach us in their moment of need using the Safe2Say program during COVID-19 school closure. If a student had a concern for someone’s safety or welfare during the closure, the Safe2Say program would be able to assist them immediately.”

The Safe2Say Program is still in continuous contact with the designated school teams for each district and with law enforcement when tips are life threatening.

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