A new city-funded text-message hot line is helping teens combat mental-health problems by connecting them with counselors, New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and daughter Chiara de Blasio announced Tuesday.
Troubled teens at 10 New York City high schools can text 65173 to find help, McCray said at Millennium Brooklyn HS.
“Our goal is to meet teens where they are — and where they are is on their phones,” McCray said of the NYC Teen Text pilot program.
Chiara in the past has spoken of her struggles with depression and anxiety.
Meanwhile, a similar free service already exists on a national level — and while the woman who started it welcomes the New York program, she believes the de Blasios copied her idea.
“[McCray’s] team met with our team once, several months ago, but we have not heard from them since,” Nancy Lublin, of the Crisis Text Line, said in an internal e-mail obtained by The Post.
“It’s a bummer to see the city I love spend taxpayer money to create a part-time version of something that already flourishes,” she added.
City officials said they consulted with four groups and made it clear to Lublin that the city had planned to start its own teen hot-line service.
Lublin in 2013 began her 24-hour crisis message hot line.
Teens can text 741741 to reach help