Due to events this past year, many adults and children have experienced some level of collective trauma as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. For those who need behavioral health care, CalHOPE, a multi-media campaign launched in June 2020, connects people impacted by COVID-19 to free outreach, crisis counseling, and support services.
CalHOPE is a Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and run by the Department of Health Care Services.
The public can speak with trained staff via the program’s telephone “warm line” at (833) 317-HOPE (4673) or the CalHOPE Connect live chat, which offers safe, secure, and culturally sensitive emotional support for all Californians who may need support relating to COVID-19. Numerous other resources, including information on housing assistance and substance abuse, are available on the CalHOPE website.
The CalHOPE Warm Line has logged nearly 20,000 calls to date. Roughly 381 crisis counselors are providing crisis counseling assistance and training program services, from partners with the Mental Health Association of San Francisco, California Mental Health Services Authority, and California Consortium for Urban Indian Health.