NHS Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board partners with Mental Health Innovations: text ‘REFLECT’ to 85258 for free support

NHS Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (BLMK ICB) has partnered with charity Mental Health Innovations to offer young people in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes free and confidential mental health support 24/7, through the charity’s text messaging support service Shout.

The partnership has been funded by BLMK ICB to improve digital access to mental

health support for young people in the area.

From today (20 February), people aged 11 to 25 living in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes can text the word REFLECT to 85258 to be connected to a trained Shout Volunteer.

The service is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can help with issues such as anxiety, stress, loneliness, depression and suicidal thoughts. The conversation, which takes place entirely by text message, aims to help the person texting reach a calmer place with a plan to move forward. It will also signpost them to further support available locally.

Sarah Breton, Associate Director for Children and Maternity Commissioning at Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board, said: “We heard from young people that they often find it much easier to communicate via text rather than over the phone, so we’re pleased to be able to provide people aged 11 to 25 across Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes mental health support via Mental Health Innovations’ text messaging support service.

“The service can help with a range of issues, including anxiety, bullying, depression, loneliness, suicidal thoughts, and more. It’s free, anonymous and won’t show up on your phone bill.

“If you are struggling to cope and need to talk, text REFLECT to 85258 and you’ll be connected with a trained Shout Volunteer.”

Shout is a free, confidential, anonymous service, designed to provide people with ‘in the

moment support’. Texting Shout does not appear on your phone bill and all messages are

confidential unless there is concern about someone’s safety.

Shout is available and free to use on the following major phone networks: EE, O2, Three and Vodafone.

Notes to Editors:

About NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board

The Integrated Care Board is responsible for planning the delivery of NHS services to achieve the aims of the strategy to improve the health of the population, including deciding how resources are allocated.

About Mental Health Innovations and Shout

Shout is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is

struggling to cope. Powered by charity Mental Health Innovations, Shout launched publicly in

May 2019 and has taken 1,8 million conversations with more than 620,000 people who were

feeling anxious, stressed, depressed, suicidal or overwhelmed and who needed urgent support.

About Shout (giveusashout.org)

About Mental Health Innovations (mentalhealthinnovations.org)