Contact Community Services, Inc.

Feeling blah lately? It's not at all unusual to feel angst about one's future, especially at times when it's hard to find the energy to complete the tasks right in front of us. Here's how to push through. (via Psychology Today)

Just a gentle reminder, if you are experiencing any distress, suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis, please call our Contact Hotline at 315-251-0600 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). If you need general information regarding a health or human service, please call 211. Remember, we are all in this together and we are here for you!

(10/10) Today is World Mental Health Day. We all have mental health challenges and if you are struggling right now, know that You Are Not Alone.

There is no health without mental health. #MentalIllnessAwarenessWeek #MIAW

Today, begins Mental Illness Awareness Week. Mental health is a huge part of overall health and should be a priority for everyone, whether you have a mental health condition or not.

Interested in helping your community? Here are 10 ways to safely help during COVID-19.

The change starts here. The change starts with you. Join the CNY 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge: cnyequity.org/signup #cnyequity YWCA Syracuse & Onondaga County CenterState CEO City of Syracuse - Office of the Mayor Onondaga County

Meet the young heroes at one high school in Maryland where students have launched a peer program to help anyone dealing with depression or anxiety. "We have to ...let these people know that it's okay to talk about mental health. (Mental Health & America’s Kids is in collaboration with Chan Zuckerberg Initiative) See more

Contact's Student Assistance Counselor, Kristen Stanton, is promoting National Suicide Prevention Month at Cicero-North Syracuse High School and making sure that the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline '1-800-273-TALK (8255)' number is visible and available to students in need. Lifeline stickers have been placed on bathroom mirrors, in bathroom stalls and in the nurse and counseling offices along with other highly visible areas. Besides placing the number in highly visible areas I was trying to think of places that students may go if they were upset and I wanted to make sure that the number was available to them there also Stanton said. The privacy of a bathroom stall also gives them the opportunity to take a picture with their phone so they can take the number with them and have it whenever they need it.

"For Contact Community Services, a 24-hour crisis support line, they average between 200 and 350 calls a day. But when the pandemic hit, that number reached over 450 a day." If you or someone you know is struggling, the national suicide prevention hotline is 800-273-8255.

Did you know? AmazonSmile has donated over $200 million to charities worldwide! You can help increase AmazonSmile donations to Contact Community Services by shopping at smile.amazon.com/ch/16-0984299 or with AmazonSmile ON in the Amazon Shopping app.

Congressman John Katko announced the passage of his bill, the Suicide Prevention Lifeline Act. Here in Central New York, crisis centers like ours, handle the majority of local calls to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline. But in recent years, rising rates of suicide and limited funding for call centers have made it nearly impossible to consistently provide quality and timely support for Central New Yorkers in-need. Making matters worse, the COVID-19 pandemic has added constraints and elevated rates of mental illness. To meet rising call volumes to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Congressman Katko's bipartisan measure ensures overburdened crisis centers are fully funded.

TW: Suicide For those trying to help someone who is suicidal, remind them they are loved and valued. #SuicidePreventionMonth https://bit.ly/3kpdnrb

Today is the National Day of Action to make 9-8-8, a nationwide number for mental health crises and suicide prevention, a reality. We need your help to tell Congress #988CantWait https://bit.ly/32uL9VP