DIAL 988
508-532-CALL (2255) • 413-505-5111
211 ext. 25
or text C2T to 741741
It's Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental Health Awareness Month, observed each May, is a time to highlight the importance of emotional well-being and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health challenges. It encourages open conversations about issues like anxiety, depression, and stress, while promoting resources and support for those in need. By raising awareness, communities can foster understanding, compassion, and early intervention, helping people feel less alone and more empowered to seek help. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that mental health is just as important as physical health and deserves attention, care, and support year-round.
Tip: Taking time to color can calm your mind and reduce stress—focusing on simple, creative tasks like coloring helps shift attention away from anxious thoughts, promoting mindfulness and relaxation.
Call2Talk is a mental health, emotional support, and suicide prevention program run by Mass211. It operates 24/7 and provides confidential, compassionate listening to assist people – including those who may be despondent or considering suicide – during stressful times. Call2Talk is a National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Crisis Center and partners with Crisis Text Line to respond to people by text.
Besides its primary function as a helpline, Call2Talk also provides the following:
- TeleCheck – a telephone check-in service for isolated older adults living at home in partnership with Springwell and Advocates, Inc. Serving MetroWest.
- LOSSteam MetroWest – LOSSteam MetroWest (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors) is a volunteer immediate crisis support team. Its members are suicide loss survivors who are called to the scene of a suicide within the first 12/24 hours to provide support and local resources to the newly bereaved. LTMW officially launched in June 2017 through a partnership with the Ashland Police Department and with the support of Call2Talk and the MetroWest Regional Coalition for Suicide Prevention. Visit LOSSteamMetroWest.org to learn more.
- Community Education – informational presentations and best practice awareness trainings for community members including Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Training, Mental Health First Aid, SafeTalk, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training
- Move 4Ward – Move4Ward Network - the network offers a virtual support group specifically for women who have lost a spouse or life partner to suicide. Visit mass211.org/4ward to register. The network also offers an in-person group for anyone 18+ impacted by suicide loss. Both groups meet monthly and provide a safe space for loss survivors to feel comforted, connected, and heard within a community of their peers. Email barbb@mass211.org to learn more.
Call2Talk Fundraisers
