Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services and Self-Care Is For Everyone Announce Campaign To Spotlight Mental Health and 988 Launch
July 21, 2022
The Campaign Includes A Vibrant and Authentic Merchandise Collection That Hopes To Drive Large Scale Awareness for The Launch of 988 and Encourages Support of Didi Hirsch and Their Efforts to Prevent Suicide
LOS ANGELES, July 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services (Didi Hirsch), home of the nation’s premier Suicide Prevention Center and a leading provider of whole-person mental health and crisis care, is excited to announce a purpose-driven partnership with Self-Care Is For Everyone, an emerging advocacy organization and apparel retailer that aims to make healing resources, reminders and experiences more accessible. This impactful merchandise collaboration and the campaign aim to drive funding and awareness for the launch of 988, the new 3-digit phone that connects people experiencing a mental health suicidal crisis with a trained counselor 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.
The “What If It Gets Better?” campaign includes an awareness-driven merchandise collection that will donate all proceeds to support Didi Hirsch’s implementation of 988. The campaign highlights various crisis care frontline workers and volunteers within Didi Hirsch for an intimate portrait of the impactful work of suicide prevention hotlines. As California’s lead 988 agency, Didi Hirsch has partnered with 12 other crisis centers across the state, both public and private, who field over 270,000 calls together a year to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. The California crisis centers have started receiving calls to 988 since July 16, 2022, when it became available nationwide.
“We at Didi Hirsch are dedicated to working towards the common goal of providing a solution to the mental health crisis our nation faces today,” said Didi Hirsch’s Chief Executive Officer Lyn Morris, LMFT. “We are excited about our partnership with Self-Care Is For Everyone and know this campaign will help drive awareness of the historical launch and support the cause”.
Founded on World Kindness Day in 2018 by three family members and mental health advocates: AJ Martofel, Sasha Aronzon-Martofel, and Jonathan Martofel — a licensed marriage and family therapist in Los Angeles, Self-Care Is For Everyone has had a founding commitment to utilizing the platform to encourage mental-health conversations and help prevent suicide. Self-Care Is For Everyone (@selfcareisforeveryone) has distributed more than $680,000 to independent artists and nonprofit organizations serving the mental-health community.
“We feel so grateful that we get to partner with Didi Hirsch to amplify the importance of 988. This new and faster way to access mental health care gives us hope for a better future where those struggling can feel less alone,” shares Self-Care Is For Everyone Co-Founder Jonathan Martofel, LMFT. “Being able to give back through this collection is really meaningful because the funds go directly to support Didi Hirsch and help strengthen their efforts in answering these life-saving calls.”
988 is more than just an easy-to-remember number—it’s a direct connection to compassionate, accessible care and support for anyone experiencing mental health-related distress – whether that is thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.
Self-Care Is For Everyone partnered with mental health advocate and artist Cami Zea (@zeaink) to create the designs for the merch collection. The “What If It Gets Better?” collection includes two unique designs in two colorways available in t-shirts ($29.88) and crewnecks ($39.88), with 100% of the net profits being donated to Didi Hirsch. The designs feature a range of affirmations and healing statements that spell out the words 988 in large letters and remind those who are struggling with their mental health to call 988. Every order includes a free 3″ vinyl 988 sticker, access to a digital mental health self-care toolkit, a voucher to try one free month of online therapy, and a campaign postcard with healing affirmations.
The “What If It Gets Better?” collection is exclusively available on Self-Care Is For Everyone’s Instagram and website. You can find more information surrounding the campaign and collection at www.selfcareisforeveryone.com.
Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services has been a national leader in whole-person mental health and crisis care for 80 years. Its first-in-the-nation Suicide Prevention Center operates multiple English/Spanish hotlines 24/7, including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline becoming 988 in July 2022, the national Disaster Distress Helpline for those suffering emotionally from natural or manmade disasters, a new line diverting 911 calls from the LAPD disproportionately connecting Black and Latinx young men to care, as well as Teen Line. Didi Hirsch’s highly specialized experts also provide outpatient therapy and medication management, crisis counseling and support groups for people with suicidal thoughts, attempts, or loss, as well as suicide prevention training for students, teachers, clergy, police, and first responders. Didi Hirsch serves nearly 160,000 children, adults and families each year through 10 facilities and over 75 schools across Los Angeles and Orange counties. Learn more today at www.didihirsch.org
Self-Care Is For Everyone (@selfcareisforeveryone) exists to amplify the voices of mental health advocates through art and design. Self-Care Is For Everyone is a family-run mental health advocacy brand that was founded on World Kindness Day 2018 by mental health advocates: Sasha Aronzon-Martofel, Sasha’s husband AJ Martofel, & AJ’s older brother Jonathan Martofel, LMFT 126269, a licensed therapist with a practice in Los Angeles, CA. The Self-Care Is For Everyone community is made up of over 1 million mental health advocates who recognize that self-care practices like resting, staying hydrated, and going to therapy are essential in order to keep going and prevent burnout. Each day, @selfcareisforeveryone shares artwork & reminders that inspire hope, raise awareness, and encourage everyone to talk more openly about their mental health struggles. Self-Care Is For Everyone donates 10% of their net profits and helps raise funds for suicide prevention nonprofits like The American Foundation For Suicide Prevention and Didi Hirsch! For more reminders that are good for your mental health, please visit: www.selfcareisforeveryone.com
Media Contact
DISRPT PR
DidiHirsch@DISRPTPR.com
Dora H. Nuñez
Director of Marketing and Communications
Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services
SOURCE Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services