About
Our Philosophy
Our crisis hotline was founded in 1966 by suicide prevention pioneer, Charlotte Ross. It was the third crisis line founded in the state of California, with the goal of provide emergency assistance to people who were not in a medical crisis. Charlotte believed that the help given on a crisis line should be:
Provided by crisis workers trained in suicide prevention and intervention
Available 24 hours a day
Confidential
Temporary in nature
Free of charge
Our crisis hotline functions with those same tenets as when it was first founded. While our services have expanded, many of those tenets and our overall philosophy still apply. We believe that “crisis” is a normal part of life that an individual can experience. Sometimes, that crisis is too overwhelming for that person to handle alone. The purpose of our services is to help support that individual in the short-term, and empower them to find long-term support and solutions.
Our Funders and Supporters
The Crisis Center is grateful for the support of county partners, philanthropic organizations, and generous donors that help us deliver our high-impact services to the community.