Teen Line

What Teen Line does

Teen Line is a confidential peer-to-peer crisis support hotline operated as a program of Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1960 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Trained teen volunteers deliver emotional support and crisis intervention to adolescent and young adult callers via phone (800-852-8336), text, and email between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. PST. The hotline is integrated with the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, providing backup and overflow coverage for youth in crisis and routing callers to the 988 Chat Now web channel where appropriate. All services to callers are free and confidential.

Beyond Teen Line, Didi Hirsch operates a broader portfolio that includes Suicide Prevention programs (nationally recognized for decades), outpatient and residential Mental Health Services, Substance Use Treatment with specialized programs for mothers and families, Children's Services spanning birth-to-five and school-age cohorts, Enhanced Care Management, a Youth Wellness Center branded as Our Third Place for ages 15-25, a Wildfire Recovery service, Community Training and Outreach (including Tribal Communities programming), and school-district channel partnerships. The organization holds Joint Commission accreditation, a Charity Navigator four-star rating, and GuideStar/Candid Platinum Transparency status, and is governed by its own board with no parent holding company.

The business model is donation- and grant-driven rather than transactional: revenue is sourced from charitable contributions, fundraising events, healthcare-system partnerships, and government funding for crisis services, with all direct services to end users provided at no charge. Customer concentration is naturally diffuse because callers are anonymous individuals, while strategic risk centers on continuity of 988 federal funding and the Didi Hirsch parent's fundraising base. Technology is limited to crisis hotline infrastructure across voice, SMS, and email channels, with no disclosed AI/ML tooling.

Name

Teen Line

Legal name

Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services

Website

https://teenline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Teen Line is a free, confidential peer-to-peer crisis hotline operated by Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, where trained teen volunteers provide emotional support to adolescents and young adults by phone, text, and email each evening, integrated with the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Crisis Support Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL)

Keywords

• Teen crisis hotline
• Peer mental health support
• Suicide prevention services
• Youth counseling support
• Confidential emotional support

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: As a nonprofit mental health organization, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services (parent of Teen Line) operates primarily through charitable donations, fundraising events, and community support. The organization also partners with healthcare systems and may receive government funding for crisis services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Teen Line is a confidential, teen-run peer support hotline where trained teen volunteers (not adults) provide emotional support, crisis intervention, and active listening to other teens by phone, text, and email during evening hours (6 p.m. to 10 p.m. PST). The service is free, anonymous, and operates in conjunction with the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, providing youth-specific backup and overflow coverage. As a program of Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, Teen Line is part of a broader portfolio that also includes the Youth Wellness Center, outpatient and residential mental health services, substance use treatment, children's services, and community training and outreach.

Product overview

Teen Line is a crisis support and mental health services organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs. Its flagship product is the Teen Line — a confidential peer-to-peer hotline staffed by trained teen volunteers reachable by phone, text, and email. This core offering is complemented by the Youth Wellness Center (Our Third Place), a drop-in center for ages 15–25 providing meals, community, and mental health support. Beyond teen-specific services, the broader Didi Hirsch organization provides Suicide Prevention (including the 988 Lifeline), Mental Health Services (outpatient and residential therapy), Substance Use Treatment (outpatient, residential, and family programs), Children's Services (in-school support, birth-to-five, school-age children), Enhanced Care Management, and Community Training and Outreach. The suite operates as a whole-person, life-stage model serving children, teens and young adults, adults, and caregivers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Teen Line Hotline Confidential peer-to-peer hotline where trained teen volunteers provide crisis intervention and emotional support to other teens by phone (800-852-8336), text, and email. Operates daily 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. PST and is free and anonymous.
• Youth Wellness Center (Our Third Place) A safe, welcoming drop-in center for ages 15 to 25 offering meals, community, creative expression, and mental health support.
• Suicide Prevention Services Nationally recognized programs and crisis services including 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline backup support, survivor services, and community education to reduce stigma and save lives.
• Mental Health Services Outpatient and residential therapy tailored to individuals navigating depression, anxiety, trauma, and other mental health challenges.
• Substance Use Treatment Comprehensive treatment including outpatient and residential programs to support recovery and lasting wellness, including specialized programs for mothers and families.
• Children's Services Services spanning in-school support, birth-to-five early childhood development, and school-age children mental health programs.
• Enhanced Care Management Whole-person care coordination for individuals with complex medical, mental health, and social needs.
• Community Training and Outreach Suicide prevention training, online learning programs, and continuing education for students, staff, and community members.

Quantifiable outcome

• Positive outcomes reported for calls resolved through 988 and Teen Line services

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 988 Suicide & Crisis LifelinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeen Line operates in conjunction with the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, providing backup and overflow support for youth callers. The partnership ensures seamless escalation and coverage for teens in crisis across the United States.
• 988 Chat NowcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeb-based chat service integrated with 988 lifeline network, providing additional accessibility channel for teens who prefer online communication over phone calls.
• UCLAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with UCLA for events such as the Alive Together fundraising event. Partnership supports community engagement and mental health awareness initiatives.
• School DistrictscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides school-based mental health services, crisis intervention, and support programs within educational settings. Partnership enables early intervention and access to teens in school environments.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Maryvale: California-based nonprofit providing residential mental health and crisis services for children and adolescents. Comparable as a California-headquartered youth mental health nonprofit with residential and outpatient programs, though with a more clinically-staffed delivery model.
• JED Foundation: Nonprofit focused on teen and young adult mental health, particularly through school and university partnerships. Comparable in mission around youth emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention, with an emphasis on systemic prevention rather than hotline services.
• Covenant House: National nonprofit providing shelter, crisis support, and youth services for homeless and trafficked youth. Comparable as a multi-service youth nonprofit with crisis intervention components, though focused on housing-insecure populations.
• Boys Town: Large nonprofit providing youth crisis hotline, residential care, and family services. Comparable as a multi-program youth services organization with national reach and longer operating history, though broader in scope than Teen Line.
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Federally backed national crisis hotline network of which Teen Line is a backup/overflow partner. Operates as the incumbent 24/7 crisis infrastructure serving all ages, making it the dominant player with which Teen Line cooperates.

Regional players

• Kids Help Phone: Canada's primary youth crisis hotline offering 24/7 phone, text, and chat support. Directly comparable service model and teen-peer-support approach, but serves a Canadian rather than U.S. audience.

Direct peers

• Crisis Text Line: National nonprofit providing 24/7 text-based crisis support via trained volunteers. Directly comparable as a peer-led crisis intervention service for young people, though operating across all ages and text-first versus Teen Line's phone/text/email model.
• Common Ground: Michigan-based nonprofit operating a 24/7 crisis hotline, runaway/homeless youth services, and behavioral health programs. Comparable as a youth crisis and behavioral health nonprofit with similar hotline-plus-program service model.
• The Trevor Project: Nonprofit offering 24/7 crisis intervention for LGBTQ+ youth via phone, text, and chat. Closely comparable mission and delivery model to Teen Line, with a more specialized population focus and broader hours.

Emerging players

• McLean Hospital: Harvard-affiliated psychiatric hospital with a dedicated adolescent residential program. Comparable as a youth mental health treatment provider, though clinically focused and significantly larger scale than Teen Line.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TEENLINEONLINE
• Facebookfacebook.com/teenlineonline

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Teen Line