“I have the chance to be the support I never received.”
That’s how one Hey Sam team member describes what it means to work on Samaritans’ peer-to-peer mental health textline for people up to age 24.
Since its launch in 2022, Hey Sam has held over 16,000 text conversations with young people feeling overwhelmed, lonely, or suicidal. Teenagers and young adults are trained to ask difficult questions and listen without judgment, small steps that can have a big impact on someone who is struggling.
This Suicide Prevention & Awareness Month, Samaritans hosted a webinar panel that showed why suicide prevention starts with everyday conversations. Attendees heard directly from Hey Sam team members about the value of peer support, what it’s like to text someone through a hard moment, and what adults should know about youth mental health today.
We all have a role to play in suicide prevention. Whether you work with young people or want to better support your own kids, this webinar will show that you don’t have to be a professional to help.
Text Hey Sam
TEXT: 439-726 for free, confidential, and nonjudgmental peer-to-peer mental health textline for youth up to age 24. Whatever the reason, reach out. You are not alone.
Spread the Word
It takes a whole community to support youth mental health. We can’t do it without you.
Print posters to hang in your school, organization, or community.
Get free promotional materials like wristbands, stickers, or stress balls to raise awareness of Hey Sam.
Schedule a free mental health workshop with Samaritans to teach communities how to recognize warning signs of suicide and provide support.
Speakers
Aaron Tsai
Aaron Tsai (he/him) has been with Hey Sam since 2024, first as a textline responder and now as a Learning Shift Mentor and Advisory Board member. He is grateful for the trust texters place in him during hard moments. Andrew has lived in Arizona his entire life and attends the University of Arizona as a sophomore, majoring in Physiology and Molecular and Cellular Biology. In his free time, he co-facilitates children’s grief support groups, volunteers in hospice and pediatric hospital care, and plays piano at nursing homes around Tucson.
Andrew Obara
Andrew Obara (he/him) is a Hey Sam Volunteer and Learning Shift Mentor. Originally from Massachusetts, he is a psychology major at American University in Washington, DC. Andrew has been involved with Hey Sam since September 2024. He takes great pride in supporting fellow young people who reach out to Samaritans and mentoring new volunteers as they begin their work on the textline. Andrew is also a huge fan of soccer and live music.
Anjana Vallepalli
Anjana Vallepalli is a junior at the University of South Florida, where she studies biomedical sciences and Spanish. She started with Hey Sam in December 2023 and currently serves as a learning shift mentor and Advisory Board member. Anjana also works as an optometric technician at a pediatric optometric office, runs a show at a local radio station, and works at a lab focused on suicide prevention in Florida. In her free time, she enjoys running, listening to music, watching movies, and being near the ocean.
Moderators:
Arnetia Jean
Arnetia Jean (she/her) is a Samaritans text shift lead, a role she took on after answering texts on Hey Sam in 2024 and 2025. She is also a member of the Young Adult Leadership Council for the nonprofit organization Breaktime, where she advocates for young adults facing homelessness in Boston. Born and raised in Lowell, MA, Arnetia studied psychology at Middlesex Community College and Fitchburg State University. In her free time, she enjoys journaling, cooking, and watching TV.
Stephanie Cohen
Stephanie Cohen (she/her) joined Samaritans in March 2026 as Manager of Text Operations. After nearly a decade of living and working in New York City and then Madrid, she returned to her home state of Massachusetts. Stephanie brings her experience from the education, youth empowerment, and nonprofit space to Samaritans. She is honored to serve those who volunteer with and seek the services of Samaritans. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis, being outside, and trying new restaurants.
