Support Youth Mental Health This September
When a young person is struggling with their mental health, their world can feel incredibly isolating and overwhelming.
This September, Suicide Prevention & Awareness Month, remember that a simple check-in can be a powerful step towards preventing suicide. If someone in your life is struggling, you don’t need to say the perfect thing. Just saying something and listening without judgment has a big impact.
Sharing youth-specific mental health resources like Hey Sam can also help. Text 439-726 to connect with a trained peer who will provide compassionate, nonjudgmental support.
Watch the videos below to learn more about how Hey Sam works, and share them with your network to help us raise awareness this September. We all have a role to play in suicide prevention.
Resources for Adults
Suicide prevention starts with everyday conversations. Learn how to listen, ask, and get help if a young person in your life is struggling.
Resources for Young People
Whatever you are going through, you don’t have to carry it alone.
Learn How to Befriend Someone in Need
Many people are afraid to talk about mental health, but it is often a great relief to someone struggling to know that you have noticed their pain. You can be the first step towards help for someone you care about by taking steps to make them feel heard.
Grief Support
We know this month can be especially difficult if you have lost a loved one to suicide. Join an upcoming SafePlace meeting to find nonjudgmental listening, peer connection, and shared understanding of this uniquely painful loss. We offer virtual and in-person groups, as well as groups for specific populations, including parents and the LGBTQ+ community.
Attend Our Events
This Suicide Prevention & Awareness Month, Samaritans is hosting events to bring our community together, start important conversations about suicide prevention and mental health, and support suicide loss survivors.
Samaritans @ The Red Sox
September 9, 2026
Samaritans will be tabling and raising awareness at the Red Sox Game on September 9th, 2026. Come out and support us!
Kennedy’s Wicked Long Walk
September 22, 2026
Samaritans Board Member Kennedy Elsey, of Mix 104.1, will be hosting her third annual Wicked Long Walk to fundraise for Samaritans and Hey Sam. Stay tuned for more information!
28th Annual Samaritans 5K
September 26, 2026
Join us at the 28th Annual Samaritans 5K for a powerful morning of connection, reflection, and hope dedicated to ending suicide together.
For Youth, By Youth: The Power of Peer Mental Health Support
September 29, 2026
In this webinar, hear directly from Hey Sam team members about the value of peer support, what it’s like to text someone through a hard moment, and what adults should know about youth mental health today.
Find Support
Samaritans offers lifesaving suicide prevention services, educational workshops, and survivor support groups in Massachusetts and across the United States. All of our services are free, confidential, and nonjudgmental.
Our Community Partners
We partner with nonprofit organizations and local leaders to develop suicide prevention strategies that meet the unique needs of high-risk and marginalized communities, including youth, Black and Latinx individuals, LGBTQ+ people, and certain professions, like veterinarians, professional truck drivers, and construction workers. Learn how our community partners prevent suicide in September and throughout the year.
