September’s designation as Suicide Prevention Month has put a spotlight on how cities can make mental-health help easier to find. In downtown Oklahoma City, a new public installation aims to give people a private, quick way to pause, breathe and connect with local support when they need it most.
The installation, placed in the Yellow Hall of the downtown Underground, is the city’s first Hope Booth. Modeled on the familiar silhouette of a phone booth, the unit offers a compact, free space where visitors can take a guided breathing break, listen to brief messages of encouragement or locate nearby services.
Backers say the booth is meant to surface help in the flow of everyday life — not behind clinic doors or long waiting lists. Simple Modern, a member of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, funded the project as part of a company pledge to return a portion of profits to community causes.
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“We wanted to support an approach that brings resources into public spaces so more people can find them easily,” said Mike Beckham, Simple Modern’s founder and CEO, describing the company’s reasoning for underwriting the installation.
What visitors will find inside
The experience is designed to be brief and discreet. Key features include:
- Guided breathing exercises and short, supportive audio tracks delivered without headphones through directional sound technology for privacy.
- Content available in both English and Spanish to serve a broader downtown audience.
- An interactive directory that maps local services — therapy providers, shelters, food assistance and financial support — within about a five-mile radius.
- No cost to use; the booth is available during the Underground’s normal hours.
Placed near the intersection of Broadway and Robert S. Kerr Avenue, the booth sits where downtown workers and visitors often stop for walks or breaks. That everyday visibility was a key factor in choosing the Underground after Simple Modern approached the Downtown OKC Partnership about a publicly accessible spot.
Hours are Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. The team behind the installation says the goal is not to replace clinical care but to lower the threshold for someone to take a first step toward help or to find immediate local supports.
Beyond convenience, advocates note a practical benefit: when resources are visible where people move and work, more individuals may learn about options for low-cost or emergency assistance without having to search online or navigate complex referral systems.
If you are in immediate danger or facing a crisis, call 911 or, in the United States, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for 24/7 support.
