NAMI California’s Youth Mental Health Guide is a great overview of all the things you need to know when starting to learn about mental health for youth. This includes the warning signs, how to help a friend, as well as a guide for parents supporting their children’s mental health.
Kids, Teens, and Young Adults– NAMI Resources
One of NAMI’s main goals is to ensure that people get help early. Since mental health conditions typically begin during childhood, adolescence or young adulthood, we have compiled essential information and resources intended to help young people get the mental health support they need.
Resources on Child and Adolescent Mental Health from NIMH (National Institute on Mental Health)
NIMH provides a page of resources that has many graphics containing information surrounding mental health in youth. The graphics can be used to spread awareness on mental health in youth as well as possibly diagnose symptoms. Youth (especially teens) can use these infographics and resources to help identify potential symptoms and gain more information on conditions such as bipolar disorder.
Adolescent Coping with Depression Program from the Suicide Prevention Resource Center
This program is a cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) that works specifically surrounding issues that impact depressed youth. The program consists of two 16 hour sessions that take place over an eight week period (more information on their website). This program has also been designated as a “program with evidence of effectiveness”, based on its outcomes. The therapist manual and teen workbook used in this course are free, however additional aspects to this program may have a cost.
FOUNDRY provided by BC children’s hospital with the Kelty Mental Health Resource Center
Foundry is a resource center powered by BC children’s hospital. It offers youths (ages 12-24) resources, services, and support surrounding health and wellness. Adolescents can download the Foundry app that allows them to find peer support, virtual counselling appointments, and more. The health and wellness topics provided talk about mental health and range from substance abuse to bullying. When each topic is clicked, you will see an in depth explanation of the topic as well as links to more resources, apps, self check ins, and tips regarding it. Foundry provides countless resources for a wide range of topics, all directed towards youth.
The U.S. department of health and human services offers an extensive resource page on substance use specifically in adolescents. It discusses alcohol and its impact on youth, tobacco/e-cigarettes, and drug use. The resource page provides summaries of each topic and how it relates to youth in particular. It then proceeds to have many other resources about the topic linked, such as CDC information and campaigns created around the topic.
Resource page by the JED foundation
The JED foundation provides an extensive list of resources about mental health in youth, allowing them to have information to help them with life’s challenges. It gives information and advice on what to do if you are worried about yourself or someone else, and the best steps to take. It discusses the importance of emotional well being and provides resources to manage it. This page also provides in depth information and other resources on topics such as anxiety disorders, self harm, depression, and more.
ReachOut.com mental health resource page
ReachOut.com has in-depth information on many different mental health issues such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, and more. Youth can read about specific issues and see symptoms, treatment, and an overall picture of what the issue entails. Resources for these specific topics include immediate relief that allows adolescents to reach out and talk to someone about what they are going through. These pages then go on to discuss action plans for specific issues and the next steps that should be taken.
Mental health literacy has a resource page aimed at youth that focuses on giving accurate information so teens can understand different mental disorders as well as find support for them. Mental health literacy has a YouTube channel that discusses different mental health disorders, so adolescents can gain a better understanding of them. They then provide resources for support, through their toolbox filled with resources.
Active minds has many diverse resources that can apply to young adults, schools, parents, communities, and more. The resources for youth and young adults in particular are very in depth, as the page provides a video on how it’s ok to not be okay, how to change the conversation and stigma around mental health issues, as well as provides more resources. The page provides resources around self care and how someone can take care of themselves, as well as provides virtual check ins for adolescents. Finally the page discusses how to improve mental health culture on campuses especially while learning remotely.
Half of Us, mtvU and The Jed Foundation want to initiate a public dialogue to raise awareness about the prevalence of mental health issues and connect students to the appropriate resources to get help. The Half of Us website provides videos of young people and celebrities discussing their journeys to recovery from a mental illness and provides information on mental health conditions in young adults.
Suicide Prevention Resource Center
With nearly 70 years of experience Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services provides mental health and substance abuse services to those in need, regardless of ability to pay. They offer a wide range of services, including crisis intervention and stabilization, counseling, residential treatment, case management, youth-at-risk and family reinforcement programs, delinquency prevention programs, substance abuse treatment and prevention, and extensive community outreach.
Founded in 1998, The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization specifically for the LGBTQ Community. The Trevor Project provides resources, community, and advocacy/educational programs to create a safe environment for everyone with the goal to end suicide with LGBTQ youth.