Colorado mom poses as 9-years-old to text

Colorado mom poses as 9-years-old to text

November 10, 2023•1 min read

Date

10 ,Nov 2023

CPAN Puts a School-Promoted Crisis Line to the Test:

A “9-Year-Old” Was Promised Her Mom Wouldn’t Know

Cherry Creek parents raised concerns about Colorado Crisis Line posters in their elementary school, including messaging they felt cast families in a negative light. CPAN Executive Director Lori Gimelshteyn decided to see for herself. As Fox News Digital reported, she texted the state-run line posing as a sad 9-year-old girl who thought she might be trans and didn’t want anyone to know. According to screenshots CPAN shared, the specialist:

  • encouraged her to explore her gender identity on her own before telling others

  • asked, unprompted, whether she was having thoughts of killing herself

  • assured her that her mom would not see the messages

  • sent her a link to the Trevor Project

  • suggested she check whether a teacher would have to tell her mother before confiding in one

Two other CPAN members posing as sad or bullied 11-year-olds were also asked about suicide without raising it. State law requires the line to be promoted in schools and printed on student ID cards. CPAN called for the line to be shut down until it is fully investigated. A state behavioral health official would not confirm the texts, citing confidentiality, but said the alleged responses followed standards of care.

Visit Website

Back to Blog