988: A new suicide prevention hotline ☎️
This month, the U.S. expanded its mental health safety net by rolling out 988, a new nationwide suicide prevention and mental health crisis line. 988 provides 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who are there to help people experiencing mental health distress — which could include thoughts of suicide, a substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress.
I know the past two years have been an overwhelming time for many individuals and families in our state who have lacked access to support and resources as we experienced record unemployment, schools went remote, and we coped with the effects of a global pandemic and social injustice. Now, if you or a loved one are looking for somewhere to turn in a moment of crisis, you can call or text 988, or chat with a counselor at 988lifeline.org 24/7.
Innovations like this are important. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the majority of callers report being “less depressed, less suicidal, less overwhelmed, and more hopeful after speaking to a crisis counselor.”
And while the new 988 crisis line is a crucial and necessary step, there is still a lot of work to do in order to actualize a fully transformed mental healthcare system in our state - which should include the implementation of non-carceral first responder models (#TreatmentNotTrauma), increased access to mental health care, the re-opening of mental health clinics in Chicago, and counselors in every school. A transformation of this scale will not be built overnight, but the implementation of services like 988 are prime examples of the type of progress we can make when states, advocates, health care providers, and the federal government all work together.
If you’d like to learn more about local and state mental health policies, like the Community Emergency Services & Support Act (CESSA) and the Treatment Not Trauma ordinance, you can stream our last Treatment Not Trauma Townhall at this link.
Thanks, be well, and stay safe —
Will
BACK TO SCHOOL FAIR
You won't want to miss our Annual Back to School Fair & Community Mercado at Kelvyn Park on Saturday, August 13!
Stop by our fair on 8/13 from 10am - 2pm for FREE:
Backpacks
School Supplies
Dental exams
COVID-19 Vaccinations
Local vendors
Food, music & activities for kids!
MOODS AND FOODS
Moods and Foods is a FREE Avondale performance series in Solidarity Triangle (2819 N Milwaukee).
Check out the lineup of talented musicians and storytellers, doing their thing under Chicago's summer sunsets .
Happening every Thursday evening through Aug!
LEGISLATIVE TOWN HALL
On Thursday, July 28th I'll join my colleagues in the House and Senate in a community forum aimed at sharing the latest information from the 2022 State Legislative Session.
AVONDALE BAR CRAWL
Are you interested in getting to know some of our Avondale Bars? Want an excuse to be social on a summer Saturday afternoon? Like to support local nonprofit work in your neighborhood? Then we have an event for you!
Please Join Avondale Neighborhood Association on Saturday, August 13th for the 2022 for the first ever Avondale Bar crawl featuring some of our favorite West Avondale Bars. All Proceeds will fund the matching grant provided by CMAP to create a neighbor led Community Plan!