A time for reflection—and hope.

September is Suicide Prevention Month. While WAVES is always working to further awareness for mental health, increase accessibility to life-saving resources, and challenge stigma, these few weeks truly bring that to the forefront. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 49,000 people died by suicide in 2023 alone—that’s one death every eleven minutes. 

This is a public health crisis. 

The weight of that can be paralyzing, but it’s not one being carried alone. The proof of that is in the sheer volume of people stepping up to share their own testimonies, the volunteers that make up organizations like ours, and the professionals–from scientists to artists–using their unique skillsets to deepen our collective understanding of mental health. 

WAVES is committed to walking this journey with you. We recognize not just the importance of starting conversations, but making sure they’re accompanied by real, tangible action. It can be easy to lose sight of hope amongst the noise in today’s world, but it’s our mission to be a continuous reason why you believe in it.

If you’d like to learn more about what we do, get involved, or get connected to resources, check out our website at ucawaves.org.