Flathead County Suicide Prevention Coalition

About
"When Life Gets Tough"Campaign

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and FCSPC is sharing the “When Life Gets Tough” campaign to increase awareness and use of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in Flathead County. Our goal is to ensure that everyone knows that free, confidential, and judgment-free support is available 24/7 for any emotional or mental health challenge.

Many people struggle in silence because they don’t know help is available, or they believe their challenges aren’t “serious enough” to ask for support. This campaign hopes to break down those barriers with simple, approachable messaging that reminds everyone: When life gets tough, CALL or TEXT 988. No judgment. Just help.

Press Release

How I Can Help

Know the number and make sure friends, family, and coworkers do too.
Share 988 information (see "Communications Toolkit" below)
- Printed Materials: Put up flyers, signage, coasters, stickers, magnets in your business/organization.
- Social Media: Engage with and share posts about MT988, or copy and paste information below to make your own. Add hashtags #MT988 #WhenLifeGetsTough.
Attend community events or trainings.
Partner/support with FCSPC to help expand the campaign’s reach.
Normalize asking for help by talking openly about mental health and checking in on others.

Communications Toolkit

The
Purpose

This toolkit is designed to help you spread the word about MT 988.

Whether you’re a business owner, community leader, service provider, or neighbor, you play a vital role in helping others connect to support. Inside this toolkit, you’ll find:

Ready-to-use talking points
Social media content (images, videos, hashtags)
Sample emails and outreach language
Key information about the 988 Lifeline and local services

You can use/share these materials in newsletters, on social media, in conversations with friends/family/staff/customers, or posted in public spaces.

Sharing resources is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to support mental wellness in our community.

Request Materials

Fast Facts
&
Talking Points

988 is free, confidential, and available 24/7.
Any emotional challenge is valid.
You can reach out for yourself or someone else—you don’t have to be suicidal to use this service.
Get support early - you don’t have to wait until you or someone you know is in crisis.
Calls from Flathead County go to local crisis specialists.

Digital Library

Please feel free to use these images, videos, and text to help spread the word about 988 on your social media.

Download and Share

Instagram Images

Facebook Images

Download and Share

1:1 (Square)

4:5 (Instagram Post)

9:16 (Story)

16:9 (Facebook)

YouTube Video: 20 seconds

YouTube Video: 35 seconds

Suggested Messaging

Life can get heavy sometimes and even the strongest can't always bear the load. If you're struggling, CALL or TEXT 988.
Whatever the reason, the 988 Lifeline is available anytime. No judgment. Just help.
#MT988 #WhenLifeGetsTough

When life gets tough, CALL or TEXT 988.
No judgment. Just help. 988 is a free and confidential support line for when you or someone you know needs emotional support. You don't need to be in crisis to call. Available 24|7.
#MT988 #WhenLifeGetsTough

How to help someone that might need support:

Know the number.
Share it.
Use it.
Normalize it.

#MT988 #WhenLifeGetsTough

You don’t have to be in crisis to reach out. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, call or text 988. Free, confidential support is available 24/7.
#MT988 #WhenLifeGetsTough

Is someone you care about struggling emotionally?
Let them know they’re not alone. No judgment. Just help. 988 is a free and confidential support line. CALL or TEXT anytime.
#MT988 #WhenLifeGetsTough

Interested in sending an email to let your friends, family, or colleagues know about MT 988?
Here is a template you can copy and paste:

Email template

Are you a business, and interested in sending a newsletter to let people know about MT 988?
Here is a template for you:

Mailchimp Template

Newsletter Template

What is the
988 Lifeline?

988 is a free and confidential support service available 24/7 for anyone needing emotional support.

Whether you're in crisis or just need someone to talk to, 988 connects you with a trained crisis specialist—offering compassionate, judgment-free support.

Local Connection: Calls from Flathead County are answered by trained specialists in Western Montana, offering relevant local context and personalized care.

How to
Use the
988 Lifeline?

Why Call?

Emotional distress: relationship issues, money troubles, trauma, stress, etc.
Thoughts of suicide
Mental health or substance use crises
You can reach out for yourself or someone else.

To Get Help:

CALL or TEXT 988 or Chat online at 988lifeline.org.
Press 1: For Veteran Crisis Line
Press 2: For Spanish (or text "AYUDA"
Press 3: For LGBTQI+ under 25 (or text "PRIDE")
988 ASL Videophone: for deaf or hard of hearing.

Available anytime to anyone
needing emotional support.

988 Lifeline

In the News

About
FCSPC

About Flathead County Suicide Prevention Coalition

The Flathead County Suicide Prevention Coalition (FCSPC) was established in December 2021 in response to the tragedy of youth suicides in the valley. The coalition's main objective was to share expertise and resources with community stakeholders in behavioral health.

In 2024, the coalition engaged in a strategic planning process and identified the need to implement a public awareness campaign for the 988 Lifeline.