Dom A – Crisis Line Volunteer Counselor
Shae B – Crisis Line Volunteer Counselor
I want people experiencing crisis, mental health struggles, and suicidal ideation to feel heard without judgment. I have experienced crisis and suicidal ideation myself, and I think it is human to need to be heard.
KMA – Text Line and Hospital Follow-up Supervisor
We are the change that we are looking for! I feel connected to this work because the right to heal and feel cared for is a human right.
With the launch of 988 on July 16th of this year, as the new national number for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, there has been an increase in awareness of this important service and our agency. CSS, which is Alameda County’s 988 center, has experienced a 45% increase in call volume during the first 100 days of 988.
To be responsive to the increased need from our community for our services, we have also expanded the hours for our textline from 49 hours to 112 hours per week, a 225% increase in hours of operation and an expansion in our target population from youth to all members of our community. Our goal as we continue to respond to the needs of our community, is to:
- Reduce the wait times for our callers
- Eliminate the waitlist for our grief counseling services
- Increase our capacity to provide suicide prevention education in schools
A donation today will help CSS remain available for anyone who reaches out to us in their time of need. I invite you to be part of our impact.
All gifts support the work of CSS people like Dom, Shae, and KMA who are there to answer the call from anyone who reaches out to CSS during their time of crisis.
Sincerely,
Narges Zohoury Dillon, LMFT
Executive Director
