May is Mental Health Awareness Month 2026

March 18, 2026 9:22 AM
by Ivy Chang

Mental Health Awareness Month is an opportunity to increase understanding of and destigmatize conversations about mental health and substance use and elevate local resources that support diverse paths to prevention and recovery for all. Join the city of Santa Monica for a series of community events and activities highlighting mental and behavioral health throughout the month of May.

If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, please call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8, call the LA County Department of Mental Health Help Line at (800) 854-7771, or text "LA" to 741741. All above resources are available 24/7. See additional mental health resources below.

*Please note that information is subject to change. Check back for the latest.* If you have a free or low-cost Santa Monica event you’d like to include in this list, please email humanservices@santamonica.gov.

Calendar of Events

Wellness & Waves
Immerse yourself in wellness every Saturday morning with a free group run and/or yoga class.
Every Saturday, April 4 through Oct. 17, 8-10 a.m. at Santa Monica Pier

City Proclamation for Mental Health Awareness Month
City Council will proclaim May Mental Health Awareness month in Santa Monica.
Tuesday, May 12, 5:30 p.m. at Santa Monica City Hall Council Chambers

Storytime with Oshri: “Deep Breathing Is My Blanket” 
Enjoy a musical storytime featuring “Deep Breathing Is My Blanket,” the story of Ami the llama, who uses deep breathing to create a cozy, safe blanket. For ages 3 - 9.
Saturday, May 16, 11 a.m. at Main Library, Youth Activity Room 

Kidical Mass Family Bike Ride and Mental Health & Wellness Fair
Enjoy a fun-filled resource fair with family-friendly activities and a group bike ride for all ages.
Sunday, May 17, 9-11:30 a.m. at Clover Park

Mind Over Matter Mental Health & Wellness Festival
Family-friendly event featuring workshops, wellness activities, art, music, and expert-led discussions.
Saturday, May 30, Noon - 4 p.m. at Third Street Promenade

Let’s Talk about Mental Health reading lists from the Santa Monica Public Library

Mental health partners and resources

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Greater Los Angeles and Central Coast focuses on eliminating the loss of life from suicide by delivering prevention programs, educating the public, raising funds for suicide research and programs and reaching out to individuals who have lost someone to suicide. They host the annual Out of the Darkness Walk in Santa Monica.

CLARE | MATRIX is a behavioral health nonprofit providing compassionate, evidence-based treatment for those who struggle with drugs, alcohol and related behavioral health challenges. Since 1970, C|M has provided services such as detoxification, residential and outpatient treatment for adults, homeless services, and worldwide Matrix Model training and certification along with other provider education resources.

The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health offers prevention and treatment resources for individuals with a variety of mental health needs, including service referrals and linkages, crisis counseling and intervention, wellness coaching and support for veterans, LGBTQ+ youth, people experiencing homelessness, foster youth and others.

Disability Community Resource Center offers weekly wellness workshops and activities including men’s and women’s groups, outdoor exercise group, arts and crafts group, goal setting group, and sunrise bingo.

Family Service of Santa Monica, a division of Vista del Mar, has provided mental health services for local children, adolescents and families since 1925. They offer onsite individual and group counseling, parent education and teacher consults in Santa Monica public schools, and their Early Childhood Wellbeing Project offers clinical case management, child-parent psychotherapy, developmental screenings and parent support groups for families with children aged 10 and under.

National Alliance on Mental Illness Westside Los Angeles offers a range of family support groups, including a Spanish-speaking group at Virginia Avenue Park. Support groups are free for family members, significant others and friends of people living with mental health conditions. By sharing experiences in a safe and confidential setting, participants can connect with others experiencing similar challenges, gain hope and develop supportive relationships.

Providence Saint John’s Child and Family Development Center has provided a comprehensive range of mental health outreach, prevention, and developmental services for children, adolescents and their families since 1962. Following a “clinic without walls” model, services are provided within the center, on school sites, at preschools, in the home, in community centers and in the greater community utilizing evidenced-based practice models.

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) maintains a list of Mental Health & Community Resources that includes in-person and virtual mental health support for SMMUSD students.

Social & Emotional Wellness Initiative, or SEWI, is a multi-faceted youth mental health organization that provides free school-based individual and group therapy services without requiring insurance coverage. SEWI's clinical social work team is trained in a variety of trauma-informed and culturally sensitive evidence-based practices. SEWI also develops and runs wellness and psychoeducational workshops for educators, staff and parents to increase positive engagement and understanding between youth and the adults in their lives. 

WISE & Healthy Aging, Santa Monica’s senior services provider, offers a wide array of ongoing mental health services, including men’s and women’s support groups, caregiver support, and workshops focused on decluttering, stress management and bereavement and transitions.

Authored By

Ivy Chang
Senior Administrative Analyst

Authored By

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