Helping You and Your Child Navigate Challenges—Together
SafeUT brings together expert resources, licensed counselors, and an easy way to submit safety concerns all in one place.
4 ways SafeUT partners with parents
We’re on your team. SafeUT counselors are here as a resource, complementing the support your child receives from you and other trusted adults. Think of SafeUT as a part of your child's mental health toolkit, offering a safe line for them to voice their concerns any time, day or night, year-round.
Guidance for you.
Raising a child isn’t always easy. SafeUT counselors are here to help 24/7, whether you want to talk through a challenge your child is facing or need a listening ear for your own.
Support for your child.
When children and teens are facing challenges, sometimes having a licensed mental health counselor to provide professional support in addition to their family’s support can really help. Counselors can also provide a safe line if you’re busy at work, and help your child know how to bring up a tough issue with you if they haven’t done it yet.
Address safety concerns.
If you're worried that someone is a danger to themselves or others, or have other safety concerns, SafeUT makes it easy to pass the information to the school for follow up. When you submit a tip, a SafeUT counselor reviews the information. Schools use the information SafeUT provides and may follow up with the tip if there’s a safety concern. For high-risk situations, police may need to get involved to keep schools safe.
Mental health resources.
Your child can find helpful mental health resources on our website. The student page includes coping skills and conversations starters to try when they aren’t sure how to talk to you about something difficult.
What are SafeUT counselors
talking to my child about?
SafeUT counselors are here to help students with any worries, stress, or safety concerns they may have. Students often reach out to us about feeling overwhelmed, bullying, thoughts of self-harm, thoughts of suicide, school safety, or concerns about someone hurting others.
We’re on your team. If you’re busy at work or asleep, your student has a safe line with SafeUT. SafeUT counselors can help them learn coping skills and recommend that they talk with a parent or trusted adults in their life. Think of SafeUT as a part of your child’s mental health toolkit, offering a safe line for them to voice their concerns any time, day or night, year-round.
SafeUT counselors work with your child to navigate tough situations, empowering them to share their thoughts and feelings with you. By working together, we can help make sure your child feels understood and supported.
Need help talking to your child about mental health?
Talking with your child at any age about mental health can be tough—but even small conversations can make a big difference. To help you feel more prepared, we developed a Parent Conversation Starters Guide with prompts tailored for different age groups to help you open the door and show your support.
Grades K-5
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
College
Helping elementary-aged students identify emotions that can help them understand their feelings and have compassion toward others.
Sources: Big Life Journal, Kids Health, NAMI
- Have conversations about emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
- Ask questions about how they feel.
- “What feelings do you like and dislike?”
- “What do you do when you feel happy?”
- “What do you do when you feel sad?”
- “What helps you feel better when you feel sad?”
- Teach them what they can say to share how they feel.
- “It seems like you are feeling sad right now. Am I getting that right?”
- Comfort them by letting them feel validated and heard.
- “I would feel frustrated if that happened to me. How are you feeling?”
- Teach them that being positive is great, but it is also ok to not be ok.
- “Everyone gets sad sometimes. I’m here for you however you feel.”
- Model empathy to show what it looks, sounds, and feels like.
- “Your teacher said a classmate was being teased. How would you feel if that happened to you?”
Bullying happens most often and is most frequently reported in grades six through eight.
Sources: Scott A. Langenecker, PhD; StopBullying.gov
- Talk about bullying in a general way.
- If your child witnessed bullying, validate their feelings and listen without judgement.
- “What was it like for you to witness that?”
- “Do you think the child who was bullied is ok?”
- Teach them what they can say to share how they feel.
- “It seems like you are feeling sad right now. Am I getting that right?”
- If your child might have been bullied but isn’t talking about it, let them know you are there for them no matter what.
- “I noticed that you don’t talk about Joey anymore. Has anything happened?”
- If your child might have bullied someone, calmly help them work through the reasons they did this so they can learn new behaviors.
- “What was going on for you when you did this?”
- Some teachers are on top of noticing when bullying takes place. Asking your child if there is a teacher they feel comfortable talking to can lead to a possible discussion of teachers or classes that may be more supportive.
- “If you had a problem with bullying, is there a teacher you feel comfortable talking about things with?”
- Children sometimes experience conflict with peers that can be very stressful even though it may not be bullying. This can be a general lead-in to help your child understand that conflict is not always bullying and may be difficulties in relationships.
Maintaining an open dialogue with teens is crucial as half of mental health challenges begin by ninth grade.
Sources: Barbara JoAnn Cook, LCSW; Mental Health First Aid
- Focus on the relationship, not fixing the problem.
- Be compassionately curious to find out what they are feeling.
- “I want to make sure I can support you in anything you need help with. Can we talk about how things are going for you?”
- Be gentle and persistent. Make sure they know the door is still open.
- “It seems like today was hard. I am here if you need to vent. I won’t offer solutions, unless you want me to. I can just listen.”
- Validate their emotions instead of focusing on their behavior.
- “I understand your feelings and appreciate you being open and sharing them with me.”
- Your child may be feeling anxiety, depression, or suicidal thoughts. Sometimes harder conversations are easier to have when you’re doing something like going for a walk, driving, etc.
- “It seems like you have a lot on your mind.”
- “I’m always in your corner no matter what you choose.”
- “Just because you’re having these thoughts doesn’t mean you are those thoughts. You always have value no matter what you’re feeling or thinking today.”
College is a time of significant transition and greater independence, which can be both positive and challenging.
Source: JED Foundation
- Have a family conversation about mental health and ask how they’re feeling before heading off to school. If relevant, consider sharing family history related to mental health concerns.
- “Before school starts, I’d like to talk with you about some common struggles that might arise.”
- “What are things you do to take care of yourself, and can you make a plan to continue doing those things when you’re on campus?”
- Show support and openness to your student by helping them research available mental health resources on campus.
- “No grade is more important than your mental health.”
- Don’t let the conversation stop there. Keep it going and periodically check in throughout the school year.
- “How do you know you are feeling stressed or homesick?”
How does SafeUT work?
Getting help through SafeUT is simple and immediate. Whether you as a parent are facing a crisis, have a safety concern, or just need someone to talk to, SafeUT makes it easy to connect with a licensed counselor anytime, anywhere.
Connecting with a SafeUT counselor is as easy as opening the app and tapping "Start a Chat," "Submit a Tip," or "Start a Call."
If you can't use your phone or don't have a smartphone, you can connect to SafeUT counselors by using the "Start a Chat," "Submit a Tip," or "Get Help Now" buttons on this page.
A real person will respond within a few minutes to share their expertise as a professional, licensed mental health expert.
SafeUT counselors' goal is to help you safely talk through your situation, feel calmer, and connect with resources to help solve your concern.
SafeUT counselors will keep what you shared confidential unless there's a concern about your safety or others’. SafeUT counselors may take action by contacting relevant authorities, such as your school or emergency services.
Saying something could save someone. Here's how to let SafeUT know in just 4 steps.
School safety takes all of us. Join us in protecting Utah's students from school threats. If you're worried about someone or something, don't stay silent. Sharing a tip to SafeUT counselors is quick, confidential, and can help keep your school safe.
United for a brighter future
The SafeUT & School Safety Commission formed the SafeUT Parent & Family Advisory Committee, a new effort aimed at recognizing, supporting, and enhancing vital parts of the prevention community. Its focus areas include suicide prevention, bullying, and overall school safety. Currently, all positions are filled, but we welcome your interest through an open application process. Feel free to express your interest by completing the form, and if a position becomes available, we may contact you.
Help us help Utah's youth
Your donation helps SafeUT provide critical support, counseling, and resources to teens across Utah. Every dollar makes a difference—and every gift helps us be there when it matters most.
