Local Life Line Suicide Prevention Service offers a continuum of programs to help save lives and support survivors. By Caitlin Fillmore L osing a loved one to suicide is painful enough, but this particular type of loss and grief can be an isolating experience. The team at Suicide Prevention Service, a program of Family Service Agency of the Central Coast, works to reach loved ones left behind after a loss. The group offers an evidence-based approach to treating both suicide prevention and “post-vention” as a shared responsibility. The organization connects with survivors through its Survivor Outreach Team. Members of this team are people who have also endured suicide loss, providing compassionate support from volunteers who “truly understand their grief,” Program Manager Carly Cuevas says. “We help individuals feel less alone and more supported during the most vulnerable time in their lives.” Suicide Prevention Service operates across Monterey County to raise awareness. “Our presence means that people in Monterey County have a local, caring voice who listens without judgment and connects them to hope and safety,” Cuevas says. “Without that, our community would lose a vital safety net that saves lives every day.” The nonprofit offers a full continuum of support, from one-on-one counseling to public education campaigns with schools and parents on topics like mental health first aid (enabling all of us to support each other’s mental health) and 988, the suicide and crisis lifeline. Through partnerships with other local agencies like hospitals and law enforcement, Suicide Prevention Service can respond to people in trouble more nimbly. “Mental health is health, and suicide prevention is a shared responsibility,” Cuevas says. “Every effort ensures that Monterey County residents know that help is available 24/7, confidentially and without judgment.” For Cuevas, this responsibility can appear in profound, everyday ways. After one “Let’s Talk About It!” presentation at a local school, a student volunteer stepped up to help their struggling friend. “[They] remembered what we learned and asked if their friend was OK. [The student] ended up calling 988 and later reported that the talk helped their friend feel less alone,” Cuevas says. Every life saved is a success story: “We’re not just preventing suicide,” she says. “We’re promoting life.” Andrea Nunez, outreach coordinator at Suicide Prevention Service, on the phone. The nonprofit’s team responds to local calls made to the national 988 crisis hotline. DANIEL DREIFUSS Our mission is simple yet profound: to empower adults with developmental disabilities to live full and productive lives with dignity, safety, and independence. For over 60 years, Gateway Center has served as a lifeline for some of Monterey County’s most vulnerable residents — providing 24/7 residential care, day programs, and community integration services across the county, including Salinas, Marina, and Pacific Grove Investing in People. Strengthening Our Community. Gateway Center of Monterey County continues to build on recent investments in essential services and facilities, ensuring our programs remain safe, resilient, and accessible for the community’s most vulnerable individuals who call Gateway Center home. These improvements protect health and well-being while preserving the continuity of care that families across Monterey County rely on every day. Your gift through Monterey County Gives! helps sustain vital services and safeguard the people who depend on us most. Learn more at: www.GatewayCenter.org 68 Monterey County GIVES! 2025 mcgives.com
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