KNOW THE SIGNS FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION
LACDMH launches countywide prevention campaign targeting specific groups in May and June
Los Angeles, CA – The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) has joined a statewide effort in promoting Know the Signs, a suicide prevention campaign targeting susceptible groups, including young African American men, young Latinas and older Caucasian males. Know the Signs is intended to educate Angelinos on how to recognize the warning signs of suicide, how to find the words to have direct conversations with those in crisis and how to find professional help and resources.
For more information, see www.suicideispreventable.org
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) campaign started Thursday, May 1st, 2014, and will run throughout Los Angeles County for eight weeks with billboards and posters on MTA shelters, depots, buses and trains. The billboards, bulletins and posters are available in English and Spanish versions, and will also contain contact information for LACDMH’s 24/7 ACCESS line (1-800-854-7771) and the Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-877-727-4747).
The California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) originated the suicide prevention initiative, utilizing a full range of strategies from prevention to early intervention across diverse backgrounds to prevent suicide, and was instrumental in advancing the Know the Signs campaign, funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA).
The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health is the largest county-operated mental health department in the United States, directly operating 75 program sites and more than 100
co-located sites. Each year, it contracts with approximately 1,000 agencies and individual practitioners to provide a spectrum of mental health services to more than 275,000 residents of all ages. The Department’s mission, enriching lives through partnership to strengthen our community’s capacity to support recovery and resiliency, is accomplished by working with stakeholders and community partners to provide clinically competent, culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate mental health services to clients in the least restrictive manner possible.
CalMHSA serves California Counties and Cities in the dynamic delivery of mental health and supportive services. A nationally recognized leader, CalMHSA inspires the service community through its commitment to results and values. Successful statewide and regional programs enable the voice of many to be heard.
