Michigan’s OK2SAY tip line: keep a school official reachable around the clock and protect tip confidentiality

Michigan’s Student Safety Act set up the OK2SAY hotline, run by the State Police, for confidential reports of potential harm or self-harm involving students, school employees or schools. Tips are exempt from FOIA, and each school must update emergency contacts for at least one official at least biannually.

Source facts

Michigan’s Student Safety Act directs the Department of State Police to run a program for receiving reports about potential self-harm and potential harm or criminal acts directed at school students, school employees or schools, including a hotline available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (MCL 752.913). The program reviews submitted information and directs it, with any threat analysis, to local law enforcement and school officials.

At least biannually, the governing body of a school must give the department current emergency contact information for at least one school official so that an official can receive this information at all times. The act covers public, private, denominational and parochial schools from kindergarten through grade 12 (MCL 752.912), and the OK2SAY page says tips can be sent by text to 652729, by phone at 855-565-2729, by email or through mobile apps, and that school personnel and law enforcement are asked to complete an outcome report to close a tip.

Reports submitted to the hotline, and reports forwarded to law enforcement or school officials, are confidential and not subject to disclosure under FOIA, and intentionally disclosing them in violation of the act is a misdemeanor (MCL 752.914). If a report does not result in a referral, or an investigation finds no action is warranted, the subject’s name must be expunged from the records of all entities involved, except as otherwise provided by law.

Applicability

Use this for Michigan K-12 schools. Disclosure of tip information is limited to the purposes and exceptions the act describes, such as court orders; confirm handling procedures with counsel and the school’s law enforcement partners.

DSE recommendation

DSE recommends confirming your school’s OK2SAY emergency contacts are current and that tips forwarded after hours reach someone who can act. Name a backup contact with set coverage times, keep forwarded tips out of general email and shared drives, limit who can see them, and complete the outcome report for every tip.

Verification

Check the registered contacts each semester, test that the after-hours contact answers, and review where forwarded tips are stored and who can access them.

Official references

Michigan Legislature — MCL 752.913, Student Safety Act (2013 PA 183). Michigan Legislature — MCL 752.912, Definitions. Michigan Legislature — MCL 752.914, Confidentiality. Michigan.gov — OK2SAY, Michigan’s Student Safety Program. Reviewed October 19, 2026.