FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

05-10-12 600AM

The Contra Costa Crisis Center is one of six crisis centers across the nation testing out a new program that will introduce online services for suicide prevention.

Today, more and more people communicate using a broadband connection than a telephone line. Whether it’ an emoticon to show happiness ;), WRITING IN ALL CAPS TO EXPRESS ANGER OR FRUSTRATION or linking to a video to express their feelings, people use Facebook posts, Tweets, forum discussions and an endless array of online services not only to discuss an opinion or state a fact, but to communicate how they feel emotionally.

Against the backdrop of this new age of online communication, the Contra Costa Crisis Center (CCCC) is piloting a new program – Crisis Chat – for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a program of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Crisis Chat is being beta-tested to determine if suicide prevention and crisis intervention can be done effectively online.

The Contra Costa Crisis Center operates the Contra Costa County’s 24-hour crisis, suicide, child abuse, elder abuse, grief and homeless hotlines. The agency also operates one of the largest grief-counseling programs in California, provides a variety of youth-violence-prevention services, and is the designated 211 information and referral provider for Contra Costa County. It is one of six crisis centers nationwide piloting the Crisis Chat pilot program, which will help people find hope and aid them through down periods in their lives. Crisis Chat allows a member of the CCCC’s well-trained staff to help those online struggling through their pain.

To learn more about the program, e-mail Hunter Marshall of Harden Communications Partners at hmarshall@hardenpartners.com or call 510-635-4150.

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