URGENT ADVOCACY NEEDED
We Must Continue to Reimagine Crisis
In 30 days, 988 will be available as a number for any person to call or text during a mental health, substance use or suicide crisis – available throughout our state and across the country. Having this easy-to-remember, three-digit number will help more people connect to trained counselors during a crisis – and save lives. To mark this milestone, today is a 988 Day of Visibility.

Thanks to advocates like you, legislation to establish a framework for the 988 crisis system (S311/A2036) has now advanced through the committee process! In order to become law, both bills must now receive a majority vote in the Senate and Assembly.

They're voting today. If you haven't contacted your legislators yet, now is your chance.

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?
  • Reach out to your local legislators! Tell them to vote yes on S311/A2036! Follow this link to send a message to your local legislators or look up your legislators here and email them the following message:
“My name is (your name) and I am an advocate with NAMI NJ. As (a person/family member of a person) with a mental health condition, I asking (Asm/Asw/Sen) to vote “yes” on S311/A2036.

Too often, a person in a mental health crisis ends up in the emergency room or involved in the criminal justice system. That’s not acceptable, and this bill gives us an opportunity to change that. S311/A2036 will create a mental health crisis response system to ensure that any person in New Jersey, no matter where they live, has access to crisis care when they need it most. By providing a mental health response to mental health crises, we will help families like mine and our broader community. It’s time we give people the help they need, and this bill will make that possible.

Please vote yes on S311/A2036.”
  • 📺 Tune in on Thursday, 6/16 @ 1:50pm ET for a 988 Day of Visibility Virtual Rally to highlight 988’s upcoming availability and why we need to advocate to #ReimagineCrisis.
  • Post on social media about 988 Day of Visibility and tell your friends and family about 988:
  • Today, NAMI & its #ReimagineCrisis partners are urging advocates and allies to call for a mental health crisis system that we all deserve ahead of the launch of 988 next month. Join our 988 Day of Visibility: https://reimaginecrisis.org/988-day-of-visibility 

  • In order to #ReimagineCrisis and expand the local services needed to help all people in crisis, we need policymaker action & investment to support a full crisis response system. Ask your member of Congress to support the 988 Implementation Act today: https://bit.ly/3O1KbFo 

  • In one month, 988, the new 3-digit number for people in a mental health, substance use or suicide crisis, will be available nationwide. This is an important step, but the work to #ReimagineCrisis is only beginning. Learn more and get involved at https://reimaginecrisis.org/988-day-of-visibility
Meredith Masin Blount
Executive Director

Mark T. Williams
President