As someone who cares about equitable access to comprehensive suicide prevention services in Alameda County, I’m reaching out today with a request for support. As you may know, nationally and locally, mental health-related emergencies have increased to unprecedented levels and locally, urgent crisis support needs have soared.

CSS is seeing that first hand as our crisis calls on our 988 line have increased by 50% since July and overall the agency is providing 30% more services. To meet this need, our staff has grown from 47 to 73 people since July 2022. This rapid expansion means that we are working to acquire and update the unused pre-school space next door to literally increase our capacity!

CSS is a trusted community service provider and is well-positioned to play a key role in delivering comprehensive suicide prevention services throughout the county to meet the rising demand, but we need your help. With support from generous funders and donors like you, we can secure a permanent space that is adequate for our growing programs and staff and help us create a more responsive crisis system.