Empowering youth to speak up can save lives

For a young man, Conner Mertens has had quite an impactful life.

Most people know Conner as the brave, vocal activist who made headlines by being the first openly LGBTQ college-football player as a freshman kicker at Willamette University in Oregon. But I came to know the Tri-Cities native when he showed up at my door with an idea for saving the lives of students at risk of suicide, bullying and various other forms of school violence.

That idea - a tip line and mobile app to allow students to confidentially report potential self-harm or criminal activities directed at schools, students or school employees - is now Senate Bill 5327, which last week received a hearing in the Senate behavioral health subcommittee.

For years, I have worked with members of our community to tackle the issue of teen suicide and increase support in the state Legislature for addressing our state's mental-health crisis. It was this work that brought Conner to my door.

Even though he had always been a great athlete, like many young kids, Conner was also forced to deal with teasing and bullying. But it was his coming out, and the lack of acceptance he received, that lead him to thoughts of self-harm. Conner says he will never forget the taste of metal from the gun he once put between his lips during his darkest moment, or his 18th birthday, when he looked in the mirror in shock that he was still alive.

After coming out about his sexuality, Conner used his new platform to travel the country, raising awareness for youth-suicide prevention and anti-bullying efforts.

The confidential tip line was an idea that he kept hearing about during his travels. The program was being approved in state after state, with tremendous results. When Conner brought the idea to me, I knew it was exactly the kind of program we needed in Washington to help save the lives of our at-risk young people.

SB 5327 is about providing our communities with another tool in the box to help our most vulnerable youth.

In preparing this bill over the past two years, we looked at other states that have had a tip-line program in place for years - from Michigan and Connecticut to Nevada and Oregon. We soon realized these states are eager to help us develop our own tip line. Also, the legislatures in many of these states have already received reports detailing how many lives their programs have actually saved.

Unlike 9-1-1, a tip line helps address an issue before it becomes an emergency. The Youth Empowered to Speak-up (or YES!) program would provide a path for young people to make reports directly to either local law enforcement or mental health officials.

Under my bill, the state Attorney General's office would be responsible for receiving and responding to tips regarding potential risks to the safety or well-being of youth, including harm or threats of harm to self or others, sexual abuse, assault, rape, bullying or cyberbullying, substance use, and criminal acts.

Hotline personnel would be trained to determine appropriate responses in terms of crisis management and community resources for people experiencing mental illness or emotional disturbance.

As Kirk Williamson with the Community Health Alliance in Benton and Franklin counties testified to the Senate subcommittee, the confidential tip line movement began in Colorado, right after the school shooting at Columbine. There were young people who knew what was going on, but they needed a confidential way to speak up.

Between the isolation, anxiety and school closures related to the pandemic, racial unrest and political turmoil, this has been one of the most difficult times for our young people. They need to be empowered to speak up now more than ever, and we need to listen.

– Sen. Sharon Brown, R-Kennewick, is the Deputy Leader of the Senate Republican Caucus. She represents the 8th Legislative District.