Ryan felt alone, ashamed and betrayed, but most of all he felt like he just didn't want to live anymore. He wanted to talk to someone who could help him make sense of everything.

He called the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay one evening - dialed 1-800-273-TALK - looking for someone who would listen. He told the intervention specialist in the Gateway Contact Center he was 17 years old and having thoughts of suicide.

The specialist took her time talking with Ryan that night. He shared with her that he had been sexually assaulted by a "friend" a couple of years earlier, that he was being physically and verbally bullied in school, and that he had a history of self-harm in which he cut himself.

During that first call, the Crisis Center intervention specialist helped Ryan realize his life had meaning and people cared about him. She also helped Ryan develop an emotional and physical safety plan. Ryan agreed to speak with Dan, a care coordinator with the Healthy Transitions program. Dan quickly took steps to get to know Ryan, speaking with him many times over several weeks.

Dan reviewed Ryan's safety plan. He encouraged Ryan to spend time talking with a friend he knew he could trust, and to make certain he was participating in positive activities he enjoyed. He also connected Ryan to Success 4 Kids & Families, a partner agency with the Healthy Transitions program. Ryan was soon participating in a support group and working collaboratively with a social worker who included Ryan's family and school in his safety planning.

Ryan is doing much better today. He has stopped harming himself and is no longer having thoughts of suicide. He still has days when he struggles with his emotions, and calls 2-1-1 when he needs to talk.