IF YOU SEE SOMEONE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND SHOWING BEHAVIOR THAT COULD LEAD TO VIOLENCE TOWARDS OTHERS OR THEMSELVES, SAY SOMETHING!
You can help save lives by talking to a trusted person—such as parents, caregivers, teachers, and counselors—about concerning behaviors, actions, or threats you have observed or encountered.
You can also contact our School Threat Assessment Response Team (START) by calling (213) 739-5565 or emailing START@dmh.lacounty.gov. Your report will be anonymous and you will receive help from a trained member of our START team. (if you are in immediate danger, contact 911)
START is a LACDMH program that focuses on threat prevention and management assistance in schools. In this program, our staff collaborates with schools and first responders to evaluate and intervene on stated, implied and perceived threats in school settings — preventing them from escalating into more serious and potentially violent situations. Additionally, when violent events do occur in school settings, START staff are available to provide on-site and post-event mental health support to those who are impacted.
Learn more about how START works by viewing the below video. You can also help us get the word out about START and its resources by using the materials in this outreach toolkit.