Why Support Matters Now More Than Ever

Sep 17, 2025 |

Suicide Prevention Month

The Critical Need for Mental Health Support in Our Communities

Every day, people across Oregon find themselves at a crossroads of hope and despair. For many, the first sign of hope comes from a simple yet powerful resource: a crisis line.

At Lines for Life, we understand the transformative power of that first connection. On the other end of the line is someone who listens without judgment, meets pain with compassion, and helps people find a path forward when darkness seems overwhelming. In 2024 alone, our Crisis Lines team answered more than 174,000 calls in Oregon.

Every Call Represents a Person Seeking Help

Behind each call is an individual facing real challenges: a student struggling with thoughts of suicide, a veteran wrestling with trauma, a construction worker battling substance use, or a parent carrying grief. When someone reaches out, we answer.

Prevention Education: Building Resilience Before Crisis

While crisis lines provide immediate intervention, lasting change begins with prevention. Lines for Life partners with communities to reduce stigma, facilitate conversations, and build resilience before crisis points emerge.

Through evidence-based training programs including QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer), BSBB (Be Sensitive, Be Brave), ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), and MHFA (Mental Health First Aid), we equip teachers, peers, barbers, parents, and community leaders to recognize warning signs and respond with empathy. These programs empower communities to create supportive environments where people feel seen and valued.

Suicide Prevention Month: A Time for Action

Suicide Prevention Month provides an opportunity to reflect on lives touched by mental health support and recommit to building communities where no one suffers alone. This observance honors the courage of those seeking help and celebrates the power of compassion to transform lives.

Everyone deserves access to critical mental health services, from youth to seniors, from rural communities to underserved populations. Mental health support is not a privilege but a fundamental need for all Oregonians.

The Urgency of Sustained Support

As demand for crisis intervention and prevention services grows, funding sources become increasingly uncertain. The infrastructure protecting our community’s mental health requires sustained investment to continue saving lives.

Crisis lines and prevention programs represent more than services; they are lifelines embodying hope, safety, and the belief that every life has value. Lines for Life remains committed to ensuring that when someone struggles, they are never alone, and that communities are equipped to support one another.

During Suicide Prevention Month and throughout the year, we invite you to join us in raising awareness, discussing mental health openly, and championing programs that make hope possible.