Each Mind Matters:  California’s Mental Health Movement Unites

Californians in Statewide Suicide Prevention Mobilization  

40th Annual Suicide Prevention Week is  
September 8-14, 2014

Each Mind Matters: California’s Mental Health Movement is uniting Californians across the state to increase awareness that suicide is preventable and put tools to prevent suicide within reach during the 40th Annual Suicide Prevention Week, September 8-14, 2014.

Each Mind Matters offers Californians the tools to support Suicide Prevention Week throughout the entire month of September:

• Across California, many local communities and county health agencies will host activities that raise awareness about suicide prevention and empower Californians to learn steps they can take to help prevent suicides.  The public can find local events taking place in their communities on the Each Mind Matters Events page (http://www.eachmindmatters.org/events/)
• EachMindMatters.org will serve as a resource for information on suicide prevention resources that can be used in local communities.
• An online and social media campaign will direct Californians to life-saving resources. Accessing these tools is as easy as following the Each Mind Matters blog and Facebook page.

“Suicide Prevention Week is an opportunity to empower every Californian with the knowledge that we are all part of the solution when it comes to preventing suicides,” said Maureen Bauman, director of the Placer County Adult System of Care and Board President of the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), which oversees the implementation of Each Mind Matters.

“Through Each Mind Matters, California counties are partnering to make available the resources Californians need to learn the signs of suicide and take action to get help for themselves, a friend or a loved one in crisis.”

Since the passage of the Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63), a landmark initiative passed by voters in 2004, California has made a significant investment in programs that are intended to prevent suicides, prevent mental illness, promote mental wellness and connect individuals with help before they reach a crisis point. Counties have partnered through CalMHSA to utilize Proposition 63 funding to implement statewide efforts that improve the mental health of Californians with strategies that empower everyone from youth to seniors, with the tools, technologies, resources and crisis support needed to prevent suicide.  

Through CalMHSA’s efforts,

• Nearly 3,000 Californians have been trained in suicide crisis intervention skills that save lives.
• Ten suicide prevention hotlines across California are answering nearly 23,000 calls per month on average and have been expanded to meet the diverse language needs of Californians.
• Crisis support is now available in some areas through chat or texting, making these resources more available to young people.
• The statewide suicide prevention campaign, Know the Signs (www.suicideispreventable.org), has engaged nearly a half million Californians online, empowering them with information to know the warning signs of suicide, find the words to offer help to someone, and reach out to local resources such as crisis hotlines and support groups that can provide care. Research has found that the Know the Signs campaign has been effective in increasing confidence to intervene and talk with someone who is at risk for suicide.

Suicide Prevention Week comes this year as the world mourns for the loss of Robin Williams. Californians are responding to his death by reaching out to provide care to others and receive support for themselves. In fact, in the weeks following the death of Robin Williams, visits to the Know the Signs campaign website increased ten-fold, and calls to various suicide prevention crisis hotlines significantly increased.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can connect you to a trained crisis counselor at your nearest crisis center, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For more information on the suicide prevention efforts underway in California and to get involved, visit www.eachmindmatters.org, www.suicideispreventable.org and www.elsuicidioesprevenible.org