Reports to Safe2Tell helped Colorado schools and law enforcement respond to a potential school shooting threat and check on the well-being of a student who expressed thoughts of self-harm on social media in September.
The program received 3,065 reports during the month, with school safety, mental health and bullying among the most frequently reported concerns.
“Whether it’s a potential threat of violence or a student struggling with their mental health, getting information to the right people early can make all the difference,” said Attorney General Phil Weiser. “Safe2Tell helps prevent dangerous situations from escalating and connects young people with the support they need. Every student deserves to feel safe at school, and I’m grateful to the students and community members who are doing their part to protect one another.”
Key findings from the September report
• The most frequently reported concerns were school safety (19.2 percent), mental health (17.3 percent), bullying (15.1 percent), substance use (11.5 percent), and abuse and exploitation (8.1 percent).
• Duplicate reports accounted for 9.5 percent of reports received. These occur when multiple people report the same concern and can reflect a healthy reporting culture, with students and community members taking potential threats seriously rather than assuming someone else has reported them.
• Since the 2026-2027 school year began Aug. 1, 97.9 percent of reports have been valid, with false reports accounting for 1.4 percent and misuse reports (outside the scope of Safe2Tell) accounting for 0.6 percent.
In one September report, a person shared concerns after overhearing students discuss a peer who allegedly threatened a school shooting. The person making the report expressed fear because of the student’s past aggressive behavior. School officials and local law enforcement met with the student, completed a threat assessment, contacted the student’s parents, provided counseling services and took disciplinary action.
In another report, a person shared concerns about a student who posted on social media about feeling alone and wanting to harm themself. Local law enforcement conducted a welfare check and spoke with the student and their parents. The student acknowledged making the statements but said they were not suicidal and did not want to harm themself. The parents scheduled an appointment with the student’s counselor.
“When someone submits a report to Safe2Tell, that information reaches local school officials and law enforcement who can determine the appropriate response,” said Safe2Tell Director Stacey Scardino. “As this month’s examples show, a report can lead to a threat assessment, a welfare check, or connecting a student with support. We encourage students to trust their instincts and share concerns so those who can help have the information they need to act.”
September’s 3,065 reports were lower than the previous two Septembers, when extraordinary circumstances contributed to higher-than-usual reporting.
In September 2025, Safe2Tell received 3,846 reports following elevated reporting in the aftermath of the Evergreen High School tragedy. In September 2024, the program received 4,729 reports amid widespread social media misinformation about school threats that led to a surge in duplicate reports.
A full breakdown of all categorical data is available in the Safe2Tell September 2026 Monthly Report at https://coag.gov/app/uploads/2026/10/Safe2Tell-September-2026-Monthly-Report_English.pdf. Definitions for each category can be found in the Safe2Tell Report Categorization Guide.
How to submit a report
Reports can be submitted 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling (877) 542-SAFE (7233), visiting Safe2Tell.org, texting “S2TCO” to 738477 or using the Safe2Tell mobile app available in the Apple App Store and Google Play.
About Safe2Tell
Safe2Tell is Colorado’s anonymous reporting system for concerns about the safety and well-being of students.
Safe2Tell is not an emergency response unit or a mental health counseling provider. Instead, it serves as an information pathway for distributing anonymous reports to local law enforcement and school officials, as required by state law.
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