Black Dog Ride began in Australia in 2009 as one man’s mission to raise awareness of depression and suicide. It has since developed into a national suicide prevention charity involving thousands of motorcycle riders who have raised over $1,800,000 for mental health services in Australia, fostering mental health awareness around the country.
In 2015, Black Dog Ride came to the United States for the first time in support of Mental Health First Aid USA. The Black Dog Riders traversed the country over 21 days and 4,350 miles to raise awareness and funds for Mental Health First Aid USA training for veterans and first responders.
Due to the nature of their work, U.S. military veterans and first responders (police, paramedics, firefighters) are at high risk for developing depression, anxiety and PTSD, and subsequently they have a tragically high rate of suicide. Mental Health First Aid equips them with the tools to respond to a mental health crisis in an appropriate way, fostering help-seeking behavior, which can reduce the likelihood of a suicide attempt.
To learn more about Black Dog Ride, visit www.blackdogride.com. To view some media coverage of the Black Dog Ride across America, visit the News & Updates page.
