Mental Healthcare

Resources for Everyone

Want tips and tools to help support your mental health? The following resources can help.

General

• DID YOU KNOW? Nurturing Our Mental and Emotional Health Can Help Prevent and Manage Stress (ACEs Aware)
• Mental Health Care Stress Buster Video (California Virtual Training Academy Resources)
• How Right Now: Tools, resources, and links for mental health support (CDC)
• Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM) provides a phone hotline, programs that center Black mental health and healing, a black wellness directory, and wellness tools.
• The Trevor Project provides a chat/text/phone hotline, resource center, and an online community space for LGTBQ+ people.
• Mental Health First Aid Resources (National Council for Mental Wellbeing)
• Practicing Gratitude Resources (CDC Heal Right Now)
• How Creating A Sense of Purpose Can Impact Your Mental Health (article in Psychology Today)
• Find volunteer opportunities to boost mental health by fostering a sense of purpose, reducing stress, and increasing social connections (VolunteerMatch).

Things You Can Do Right Now

• Reach out to a person you trust like a friend, teacher, relative, mentor, or therapist (see Supportive Relationships Stress Buster resources)
• Try breathing, grounding, meditation, or journaling exercises (see Mindfulness Stress Buster resources)
• Go outside and spend time in nature (see Experiencing Nature Stress Buster resources)
• Release stress energy with some physical activity (see Physical Activity Stress Buster resources)
• Use tools and resources to improve your sleep tonight (see Sleep Stress Buster resources)
• Consider mindful eating and ways to beat stress cravings (see Nutrition Stress Buster resources)
• In crisis?
  • Get Help Right Now (CDC)
  • Crisis and Safety Resources (ACEs Aware)

Community Resources

• www.211.org: Call, text, or type in your city or zip code to find resources near you
• findhelp.org: Type in your city or zip code to find resources near you
• calhope.org: Free mental health resources, including a peer warm line and live chat

Mental Health Assistance

• Getting mental health assistance in California
  • Find your county mental health crisis intervention number
  • State programs from the California Department of Health Care Services, Mental Health Services Division
• Find treatment for substance use:
  • Substance Use County Access Lines
  • Shatterproof Treatment Atlas: Identify the appropriate type of addiction treatment that meets your needs, and locate a high-quality facility.
  • Mental health and substance abuse rehabs: Learn about mental health and addiction treatment and find support (mentalhealthproviders.org)
• The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) free helpline
  • Monday – Friday 7am to 7pm
  • 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
  • Crisis Text Line – Text NAMI to 741-741
• Specific trauma therapies:
  • Learn about Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and find a therapist.
  • Learn about Eye Movement Desensitization Therapy (EMDR), and find a therapist.
  • Learn about additional trauma therapies at Stress Busters Resources for Professionals | Mental Healthcare

Parents and Kids

• Stress Health: Mental Health (Center for Youth Wellness)
• Improving Mental Health English, Spanish, Portuguese (Center for Youth Wellness)
• Resources for how adults can help children who have had traumatic experiences (Sesame Workshop)
• Learn about Child Parent Psychotherapy, and find a therapist.
• Learn about Parent Child Interaction Therapy, and find a provider.
• BrightLife Kids: Free mental health services for kids ages 0-12 (e.g., live, 1:1 video sessions, secure chat, app, on-demand content)
• Learn more about child trauma at the National Child Traumatic Stress Network
• For parenting stress support:
  • The California Department of Social Services provides a Parent Resource Page
  • California Parent & Youth Helpline: Call or text 855-427-2736

Youth and Young Adults

• Live Beyond Campaign: Care for Your Mental Health (Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI))
• Take Space to Pause (CYBHI)
• Check out the US Surgeon General’s Advisory, “Protecting Youth Mental Health” with a wealth of information on what young people, family members, and caregivers can do to help.
• Soluna app: Free mental health chat with a coach for 13- to 25-year-olds

As We Age

• Mental Health Resources and Support (National Council on Aging)
• Older Adults and Mental Health (National Institute of Mental Health)

NEURODIVERSITY

Being a neurodivergent person in a world designed for neurotypical people can be a constant source of stress. Neurodivergent individuals (people who are autistic or have other neurological or developmental differences like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, or other learning disabilities) are at increased risk for ACEs, discrimination, bullying, and mental health challenges. These resources can offer support:

• Understood: Nonprofit providing free, expert-vetted resources and support to people with learning and thinking differences
• AASPIRE Toolkit: Provides information and worksheets for adults on the autism spectrum, supporters, and health care providers
• All Brains Belong: Nonprofit community health organization working to make life better for people with all types of brains; provides neurodiversity-affirming medical care, social connection, employment support, and neurodiversity education
• Autistic Self Advocacy Network: Nonprofit organization run by and for autistic people that seeks to advance the principles of the disability rights movement with regard to autism.
• Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network: A non-profit committed to disability justice, gender and racial equity, neurodiversity, and trans liberation with a focus on transformative and restorative justice in disability spaces.