Blab Tech
Crisis Text Line Acquires Aselo to Expand Global Crisis Support Technology
On August 10 2026, Crisis Text Line announced a strategic move that could reshape how crisis help crosses borders.
The nonprofit, known for free, 24/7 text‑based mental‑health support in the United States, has bought Aselo—an open‑source contact‑center platform designed for crisis helplines. The deal, backed by the Skoll Foundation and the INNW Fund, brings Aselo’s technology and its international team into Crisis Text Line’s operations, extending the organization’s reach to 19 countries and 25 helpline partners.
Aselo was born in 2021 through a partnership between Child Helpline International and Tech Matters. The platform fuses phone calls, SMS, web chat, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp into a single browser‑based interface, allowing counselors to manage multiple communication channels from one screen. Since launch, it has facilitated more than one million contacts worldwide and supports 25 helpline partners across 19 countries. It was built to meet the unique demands of crisis response, offering case‑management, quality‑assurance, and reporting tools that commercial customer‑service software does not provide.
Crisis Text Line’s CEO, Dena Trujillo, said the acquisition will “steer the organization toward a systems‑level approach that works in partnership with NGOs, governments, and global health organizations.” She added that the move will accelerate the nonprofit’s global presence and strengthen its ability to support organizations in the Global South, where digital infrastructure and cultural contexts differ markedly from those in the United States.
The acquisition reflects Crisis Text Line’s long‑standing commitment to technology and empathy. The organization has provided more than 12 million conversations in the United States and over 17 million globally, supported by 125,000 trained volunteer Crisis Counselors. In 2025, the nonprofit expanded its reach by partnering with Aquí Estoy, a nonprofit serving Spanish‑speaking communities across Latin America, Spain, and the Caribbean.
Jim Fruchterman, founder and CEO of Tech Matters, explained that Aselo was built to meet the needs of child helplines and other crisis services. “We saw a tremendous opportunity with the child helpline movement, and built Aselo to meet that need,” he said. The platform was developed with funding and support from a range of organizations, including Meta, Twilio, Amazon Web Services, and the One Family Foundation.
Nick Hurlburt, Executive Director of Aselo, highlighted the platform’s role in meeting youth where they are. “Youth were moving away from voice to text, and pioneered text‑based support,” he said. “Aselo was born out of a worldwide need to provide quality technology to helplines that needed to go anywhere people are: voice, text, and social media.”
Under the terms of the acquisition, the entire Aselo team will join Crisis Text Line, bringing substantial international expertise to the nonprofit. The Skoll Foundation and the INNW Fund will support the long‑term sustainability of the platform, investing in its development, stability, and affordability so that helplines and counselors can focus on serving people in crisis.
The move is expected to enhance Crisis Text Line’s ability to provide technology‑enabled mental‑health support in regions where existing platforms are ill‑suited to crisis work. By integrating Aselo’s purpose‑built tools, the organization aims to improve the quality and accessibility of crisis services worldwide.
As of the announcement, Crisis Text Line remains a free, confidential resource available 24/7 in English and Spanish. Users can text HELLO to 741741 or 443‑SUPPORT on WhatsApp, or text HOLA to 741741 or 442‑AYUDAME on WhatsApp for Spanish‑speaking support. The nonprofit’s website, www.crisistextline.org, provides additional information on volunteering, donations, and partnerships.
The acquisition marks a significant step in the nonprofit’s strategy to build a global infrastructure that supports high‑quality mental‑health care. While the integration of Aselo’s platform is ongoing, the partnership signals a broader commitment to leveraging technology for social impact and to expanding crisis support to underserved communities worldwide.
The nonprofit, known for free, 24/7 text‑based mental‑health support in the United States, has bought Aselo—an open‑source contact‑center platform designed for crisis helplines. The deal, backed by the Skoll Foundation and the INNW Fund, brings Aselo’s technology and its international team into Crisis Text Line’s operations, extending the organization’s reach to 19 countries and 25 helpline partners.
Aselo was born in 2021 through a partnership between Child Helpline International and Tech Matters. The platform fuses phone calls, SMS, web chat, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp into a single browser‑based interface, allowing counselors to manage multiple communication channels from one screen. Since launch, it has facilitated more than one million contacts worldwide and supports 25 helpline partners across 19 countries. It was built to meet the unique demands of crisis response, offering case‑management, quality‑assurance, and reporting tools that commercial customer‑service software does not provide.
Crisis Text Line’s CEO, Dena Trujillo, said the acquisition will “steer the organization toward a systems‑level approach that works in partnership with NGOs, governments, and global health organizations.” She added that the move will accelerate the nonprofit’s global presence and strengthen its ability to support organizations in the Global South, where digital infrastructure and cultural contexts differ markedly from those in the United States.
The acquisition reflects Crisis Text Line’s long‑standing commitment to technology and empathy. The organization has provided more than 12 million conversations in the United States and over 17 million globally, supported by 125,000 trained volunteer Crisis Counselors. In 2025, the nonprofit expanded its reach by partnering with Aquí Estoy, a nonprofit serving Spanish‑speaking communities across Latin America, Spain, and the Caribbean.
Jim Fruchterman, founder and CEO of Tech Matters, explained that Aselo was built to meet the needs of child helplines and other crisis services. “We saw a tremendous opportunity with the child helpline movement, and built Aselo to meet that need,” he said. The platform was developed with funding and support from a range of organizations, including Meta, Twilio, Amazon Web Services, and the One Family Foundation.
Nick Hurlburt, Executive Director of Aselo, highlighted the platform’s role in meeting youth where they are. “Youth were moving away from voice to text, and pioneered text‑based support,” he said. “Aselo was born out of a worldwide need to provide quality technology to helplines that needed to go anywhere people are: voice, text, and social media.”
Under the terms of the acquisition, the entire Aselo team will join Crisis Text Line, bringing substantial international expertise to the nonprofit. The Skoll Foundation and the INNW Fund will support the long‑term sustainability of the platform, investing in its development, stability, and affordability so that helplines and counselors can focus on serving people in crisis.
The move is expected to enhance Crisis Text Line’s ability to provide technology‑enabled mental‑health support in regions where existing platforms are ill‑suited to crisis work. By integrating Aselo’s purpose‑built tools, the organization aims to improve the quality and accessibility of crisis services worldwide.
As of the announcement, Crisis Text Line remains a free, confidential resource available 24/7 in English and Spanish. Users can text HELLO to 741741 or 443‑SUPPORT on WhatsApp, or text HOLA to 741741 or 442‑AYUDAME on WhatsApp for Spanish‑speaking support. The nonprofit’s website, www.crisistextline.org, provides additional information on volunteering, donations, and partnerships.
The acquisition marks a significant step in the nonprofit’s strategy to build a global infrastructure that supports high‑quality mental‑health care. While the integration of Aselo’s platform is ongoing, the partnership signals a broader commitment to leveraging technology for social impact and to expanding crisis support to underserved communities worldwide.
