The story of volunteers on crisis lines starts in the 1960s with some of the first programs of its kind here in the Bay Area. In San Francisco, we had a gay British priest who started a crisis line in the back of a tattoo parlor. A few years later, there was a reverend who wanted to bring the same kind of community support to the people of the East Bay, and he started the crisis line in a barber shop.There are stories about him picking up the phone while cutting people's hair. This was not an institutional ...

[applause] It was another long, agonizing day of administrative duty. Internal affairs had pulled me from the streets nine weeks prior because I was involved in another use of force. By this time in my career, I was tired of the process, the people, and the politics.And quite frankly, I didn't want to be here anymore. I remember leaving the agency or the department going home to an empty house. My only son at the time was 7 years old and he was away with family for the holidays.It was around Thanksgiving an ...

Core Viewpoint - Champion Safe Company has partnered with the Utah Department of Veteran and Military Affairs (UDVMA) to enhance suicide prevention efforts in military-connected communities in Utah through the donation of gun vaults and training programs [2][3][4]. Group 1: Partnership and Donation - Champion Safe Company donated 100 gun vaults to UDVMA as part of a long-term collaboration aimed at reducing veteran suicides in Utah [3][4]. - The partnership is built on shared values of service, integrity, and community support, with the goal of making a measurable difference for veterans and active-duty service members [2][3]. Group 2: Importance of Secure Storage - Secure firearm storage is crucial in preventing suicides and reducing accidental harm, as it helps families create safer home environments [3]. - The initiative supports evidence-based strategies that are proven to save lives [3]. Group 3: Training and Resources - Champion Safe Company and UDVMA encourage veterans and their families to participate in free suicide-prevention training available at LiveOnUtah.org, which provides practical tools for recognizing warning signs and engaging in difficult conversations [5]. - The collaboration emphasizes the importance of training, education, and safe-storage initiatives to support Utah's military community [6]. Group 4: Company Background - Champion Safe Company has over 25 years of experience in safe manufacturing, focusing on high-quality, American-made products designed for security and fire protection [7]. - The company is a subsidiary of American Rebel Holdings, Inc., which has diversified its offerings to include branded safes, apparel, and beverages [7].

More first responders die by suicide than are killed in the line of duty every year. Not from fire or gunshots or buildings falling down. Out of the myriad ways that we could die on the job, suicide outranks them all combined. Now, I was a first responder for over two decades. But before that, I was an actor and I was best known for a role that I played in a daytime soap opera. And the name of the character was Dylan Lewis. And the fans of that show were dieh hard, watch it every day, tape it if they couldn ...

TikTok is under investigation in France for failing to vet material that promotes suicide on the Chinese video-sharing platform. https://t.co/1PFYmRurJk ...

14 men every day gone. 101 a week, 439 a month, and 5,267 a year. And right here in Doncaster last year, 31 men took their own lives. 31 fathers, brothers maybe, but certainly sons. Now, before I tell you my story, I want to ask you a few questions. When was the last time you looked at your dad and really saw him? not as the provider or the protector, but the man beneath the armor and the things he's done and sacrificed just to keep you safe. What about your brother, your son, or your best friend? Have you ...

Overview of Teen Line - Teen Line is a hotline for teenagers in crisis, offering support via calls, texts, and emails without judgment [1] - Teen Line is run by Dee Hirsch Mental Health Services [3] - Teen Line operates from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM Pacific Time [4] Reach and Impact - Teen Line expects to connect with over 10,000 teens this year [2] - 89% of the youth who contact Teen Line report feeling better after the interaction [3] - Teen Line aims to provide support before major crises occur [5] Volunteers and Training - Teen Line utilizes over 100 high school volunteers [5] - Volunteers undergo a thorough selection process and 65 hours of training [6] - Volunteers are always supervised by adults [6] Funding and Resources - Private donations support Teen Line's operations [5] - Government spending cuts and policy changes have impacted other mental health services, highlighting the importance of private support for Teen Line [5] Contact Information - Teen Line's phone number is 800-852-8336 [8] - The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available by calling or texting 988 [8]

Staffing Crisis at VA Hospitals - Inspector General report reveals severe staffing shortages across all 139 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers [1] - Staffing needs are 50% higher than the previous year for both clinical and non-clinical roles [1] - The report's data was completed in April, potentially not reflecting subsequent workforce cuts [1] Impact on Veteran Care - Veterans are being shortchanged on care due to staffing shortages [3] - Veterans may not be able to access the care they have earned and been promised [4] - A veteran received a letter stating her psychologist was resigning, with the only alternative offered being a crisis hotline [7] Mental Health Crisis - The biggest shortage in the clinical area is in psychology [4] - Male veterans have a 44% higher suicide rate than their civilian counterparts [13] - Female veterans have a 92% higher suicide rate than their civilian counterparts [13] VA Response and Debate - Administration officials claim the findings are unreliable and subjective [2] - The VA Secretary has argued the department is bloated and needs more staffing cuts [10] - Current staffing levels have been hard-won by generations of veterans, particularly concerning mental health care [10][11][12]

For nearly three years, young LGBTQ plus people who call 988, the country's suicide and crisis lifeline had the option to press three to receive specialized services from LGBTQ trained counselors. That is now a thing of the past. The Trump administration officially shut down the program on Thursday, a move advocates say will be devastating for queer children and young adults who are more like more than four times more likely than their peers to contemplate suicide.The CEO of the Trevor Project said the Trum ...

[Applause] with I'd like to ask for a couple of trigger warnings because I'm going to talk about cancer, suicide, and 5 years ago I was diagnosed with Parkinson's which makes me stutter a bit, tremble a bit, and have facial masking, which means I look like a grumpy git most of the time, which I think I've probably had since I was 14. My story starts 18 years ago when my phone rang from my best friend Gary Moose Cloon, nicknamed Moose because of his gargantuan stature. We played ice hockey together for club ...