The Class of 2025 has launched an important initiative to raise awareness of the 988 Mental Health Hotline in the Tri-Valley area. Their goal is to ensure that all residents in our valley are aware that they can call/chat/text “988” when they or someone they are with has a mental health crisis, and they will be talking with a mental health professional.

For the class project, they are focused on reducing barriers to mental health care by making emergency support readily available to everyone in the community, especially during times of crisis.

We are all invited to help them spread the word! Brainstorm the groups you are involved with – in your social outreach and your connections in the community. Together, we can blanket the area with 988 awareness and ensure that everyone knows the importance of calling or texting 988.

Here are a few suggestions of how you can help:

• Post about 988 on your social media (remember, it often takes multiple exposures for a message to “stick”).
• Share 988 information in any newsletters you manage.
• Ask your family and neighbors to save 988 in their phones.
• Share on your Nextdoor account.
• Spread the word with your work colleagues.
• Mention 988 in your HOA newsletter.

Below are some 988 visual assets for your convenience!

Additionally, the class will host a 988 Awareness event in May, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. More information will follow, and we hope you will attend.

If you have any questions or would like more tangible resources (cards, stickers, etc.), please reach out to the Class Project Chair, Carol Mascali, at cpmascali@gmail.com.

Thank you for your support!