Know the Signs
“Know the signs. Find the words. Reach out.”
California statewide suicide prevention media campaign (US-CA) launched in 2012 by the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), a joint powers authority of counties, funded by the Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63). It teaches three steps: know the signs, find the words, reach out.
- Years
- 2012–now
- Country
- United States
- Topic
- Mental healthSuicide prevention
- Asks people to
- RecognizeSeek helpTalk to someone
- Strategy
- Self efficacySimple instruction
- Channel
- OutdoorRadioSocial (paid)TV
- Audience
- AdultsGeneral public
Evidence
Quasi-experimentalUnknown
RAND found the campaign reached about 56% of California adults; in a one-year follow-up, adults newly exposed reported greater gains in confidence to intervene with someone at risk than unexposed adults. Experts rated it consistent with most of 46 best-practice items. No effect on suicide rates or help-seeking behavior has been shown.
Sponsor (who paid)
- California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), on behalf of California counties State local government, funder and administrator
Credits (who made it)
- RAND Corporation Research evaluation, 2013-2017 source
Sources
- RAND RR686: Adults Exposed to "Know the Signs" Are More Confident Intervening with Those At Risk for Suicide evaluation · 2014
- Ramchand R et al. Adults Newly Exposed to "Know the Signs" Campaign Report Greater Gains in Confidence to Intervene... Rand Health Q 2015;5(2):8 evaluation · 2015 · PMID 28083384
- Acosta J, Ramchand R, Becker A. Best Practices for Suicide Prevention Messaging and Evaluating California's "Know the Signs" Media Campaign. Crisis 2017;38(5):287-299 evaluation · 2017 · DOI 10.1027/0227-5910/a000446 · PMID 28228062
- RAND: Evaluation of California's Statewide Mental Health Campaigns (RRA2101-1) evaluation
- Campus Safety Magazine: CalMHSA Launches Web Site to Urge Suicide Prevention news · 2012
Research notes
Credits checked 2026-10-22 against fetched pages: RAND Corporation (RAND report RR686 on 'Know the Signs' exposure). US-CA. CalMHSA is a county joint powers authority, tagged state-local-government. Website: suicideispreventable.org. Ad library search: "Suicide Is Preventable", "Know the Signs", "CalMHSA", "Each Mind Matters". Unverified (no page found that credits the agency): the creative agency.
Record cases/ca-know-the-signs.json, updated 2026-10-22· Link to this campaign