On September 15, 2025, DHCS launched a comprehensive billboard campaign, with billboards strategically placed for diverse audiences throughout California. A total of 992 billboards, featuring a mix of formats (traditional and digital billboards, digital advertising located in mall lobbies, mall food court areas, and on movie theatre lobby screens) were placed throughout California. The campaign generated approximately 326,835,019 total impressions. The campaign ended on January 31, 2026.
The campaign was to build awareness, educate, and drive adoption of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988) statewide, with a focus on youth and young adults, particularly on boys and young men (ages 18–24). This emphasis was in direct response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s July 2025 executive order calling for targeted action in California to address the mental health crisis among young men and boys.
This campaign was organized in the following two phases.
Phase 1
The first six weeks of the 988 campaign, phase I, involved straightforward, strong messaging and images for various audiences. The creative highlighted 988 as a suicide and crisis lifeline where individuals can seek help via call, text, or chat. Phase I featured a men and boys series, and other imagery for various audiences.
Phase 2
After the entire state was saturated with these strong messages, phase II began. During this phase additional messaging was introduced into the mix with added images and taglines for target audiences.
As part of phase II activities, billboard content was translated into California’s top five non-English languages—Vietnamese, Chinese, Tagalog, Spanish, Korean.
Additionally, billboards for Tribal audiences were created. This is a three-part series featuring artwork by Monica Zavala, an enrolled member of the Gabrielino/Tongva Nation, Acjachemen, and Chicana. These works of art were commissioned through a partnership between the California Consortium for Urban Indian Health, DHCS, the Governor’s Office of Tribal Affairs, and Advocates for Human Potential, Inc.
Additional Awareness Efforts
To further support 988 awareness efforts, DHCS created a 988 flyer and posters with the same “look and feel” as the 988 billboard campaign.
Also created were 988 Tribal flyers and 988 Tribal posters with the same “look and feel” of the 988 Tribal billboards. See Resources and Materials.
