The Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness invites the community to join the 2025 American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Out of the Darkness Community Walk, 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4 at Goleta Beach Park.

The Out of the Darkness Walk, which starts at 10 a.m., is a unifying event where friends, families, coworkers and neighbors join in the fight against suicide.

Participants walk to honor loved ones lost, support those who struggle, and raise awareness that hope and help are always available.

Suicide remains a critical public health issue, claiming more than 47,000 lives annually in the U.S., including more than 4,000 in California and 37 in Santa Barbara County in 2024, Behavioral Wellness reports.

“National Suicide Prevention Month reminds us that while prevention is a year-round effort, this is a time to connect, raise awareness, and reinforce the message that no one is alone,” Behavioral Wellness said.

Registration is free here.

If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide, help is available:
• The Behavioral Wellness 24/7 Access Line, 888-868-1649.
• Call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
• Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255
• Text TALK to 741741.
• Visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

To learn more about County of Santa Barbara Department of Behavioral Wellness, visit countyofsb.org/behavioral-wellness.