988 Messaging Task Force
In July 2022, an easy-to-remember three-digit suicide prevention and mental health crisis line—988—will go live nationwide that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255). The Action Alliance, working in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) and Vibrant Emotional Health (which operates the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline), has brought together public and private sector partners to serve on a 988 Messaging Task Force. This Task Force worked collectively to guide the development of a 988 Messaging Framework, which serves as a roadmap of key elements to consider when any individual or group publicly messages about 988 once it’s available nationwide. The 988 Messaging Framework, which provides general guidance and not tailored, ready-to-use messaging, was released in March 2022. To learn more about 988, visit www.vibrant.org/988/ or https://samhsa.gov/988. To learn more about effectively messaging about suicide prevention, check out the Action Alliance’s Framework for Successful Messaging.
The 988 Messaging Framework was developed with support from Action Alliance Executive Committee member, Johnson & Johnson–Janssen.
Note: This group is no longer active. Titles and affiliations are from the time of membership and may have since changed.
Co-Leads
- Kate Galatas, Chief 988 Communications & Engagement Officer, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Public Sector)
- Frances Gonzalez, Senior Director of Marketing & Communications, Vibrant Emotional Health (Private Sector)
- Joey Parr, Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Vibrant Emotional Health (Private Sector)
Members
- Janice Beal, PhD, Advisor, The Steve Fund
- Whitney Bunts, Policy Analyst, Youth, The Center for Law and Social Policy
- Richelle Concepcion, PsyD, Former President, Asian American Psychological Association
- John Draper, PhD, Director, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Vibrant Emotional Health
- Dave Eldredge, Director of Community Crisis Services, University of Utah
- Pamela End of Horn, National Suicide Prevention Consultant, Indian Health Service
- Kelsey Engelbracht, Project Manager, National Federation of Families
- Jonathan Goldfinger, MD, Chief Executive Officer, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services
- Katie Gorscak, Senior Communications Advisor, Federal Communications Commission
- Rhett Herrera, Communications Specialist, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- LeAnne Huff, Program Administrator, Crisis/MCOT Services, Utah Department of Human Services Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health
- Kelly Holton, Associate Director of Communications, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Michelle Madore, PhD, Co-Finance Officer, Asian American Psychological Association
- Christy Malik, Project Manager, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
- Pooja Mamidanna, Doctoral Student and Chair, Division on South Asian Americans, Asian American Psychological Association
- Connor McKay, Senior Manager for Communications, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
- Richard McKeon, PhD, Chief, Suicide Prevention Branch, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- Preston Mitchum, Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs, The Trevor Project
- Robert Morrison, Executive Director, National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors
- Glenn O’Neal, Chief Communications Officer, National Alliance on Mental Illness
- Charissa Pallas, Communications Director, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- Shelby Rowe, Program Manager, Suicide Prevention Resource Center (representing the SPRC Lived Experience Advisory Committee)
- Michelle Sclater, Senior Counsel for Number Administration, 988 Team Lead, Federal Communications Commission
- Kareem Thomas, Manager and Program Analyst, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Lesa Vaughn, Contract Officer, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Becky Zornick, Project Manager and Policy Advisor, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration