The San Francisco 49ers announced on Tuesday a partnership with the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and its CalHOPE Crisis Counseling Program. CalHOPE delivers crisis support for communities impacted by a public health emergency (PHE) or national disaster. The 49ers will join DHCS to help spread the message that CalHOPE's people and resources are available to help those in need during these difficult times.
"The 49ers are proud to partner with DHCS and CalHOPE to promote total well-being for every Californian," said Jenni Luke, Vice President of Community Impact. "Californians are enduring lots of stress these days, and we can all use the support. Mental and emotional health is a priority for our entire organization, from our staff to our coaches and players."
As a part of this partnership, the 49ers Foundation and CalHOPE are teaming up to deploy resources throughout the Bay Area to support students, families, and communities in need throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. These resources include hand delivering 49ers EDU's Playbook, which includes STEAM content that leverages the game of football and Levi's Stadium as intrigue points for lessons on key subject areas to students across the Bay Area without access to computers. The 49ers and CalHOPE are also providing physical education resources, workout tips and supplementary materials from 49ers PREP presented by U.S. Bank to promote safe and healthy activities for youth wellness during the continued crisis.
"DHCS is proud to partner with the 49ers," said Jim Kooler, Dr.P.H., Assistant Deputy Director of Behavioral Health. "We're all working to keep California, especially the most vulnerable among us, safe and healthy during the public health emergency. All of us are experiencing at least some of the impacts from the pandemic, such as necessary telework, distance learning for children, and caring for elderly parents. It's not easy, but you're not alone."
CalHOPE is also teaming up with Cal-High Sports Bay Area to specifically target teens and youth athletes to help them deal with the effects of this pandemic. Each week, Cal-High will air mental health segments with teenagers talking about ways to handle the pandemic emotionally. These segments along with tips from CalHOPE air on their weekly Sunday night show at 6pm and 10pm PT on NBC Sports California.
As of August 2020, through its statewide media campaigns, CalHOPE has provided information more than 147 million times to Californians, using television, radio, outdoor ads, social media, video, newsletters, and display banners in multiple languages. CalHOPE resources may be accessed by calling (833) 317-HOPE (4673) or visiting www.calhope.dhcs.ca.gov.
To learn more about these resources or to sign up to receive a physical copy of the EDU Digital Playbook, visit 49ers.com/calhope
