Addressing Teen Mental Health Challenges
Toolkits Tailored for You
Welcome
If you feel that you or a friend may be experiencing a crisis involving thoughts of hurting yourself or others or physical/verbal outbursts please visit What to Do in a Crisis.
We're so glad you are here! Everyone struggles with their mental wellbeing from time to time. Seeking support and talking about mental health can be difficult, but it can go a long way towards helping you learn, grow and practice healthy habits that support your whole self. Your loved ones, trusted adults, parents, friends, teachers, and community are here for you. Talk to them or a trained counselor on a hotline today and get the support you deserve.
In fact, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that one in six students experienced behavioral or emotional symptoms and impairments that were diagnosable as a childhood mental disorder.
1
National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.). Mental Health Conditions.
I Want To:
Get Help Now
Looking for ways to get mental health support now? Start here!
Note: General recommendations for managing mental health challenges are provided; for a unique action plan tailored to your needs please connect with a licensed mental health provider through the resources provided in the toolkit.
Learn what a crisis is, how to identify a person experiencing a crisis, what to expect when seeking crisis services and connect with crisis resources/hotlines.
Access Mental Health Services
Learn how the common teen mental health challenges, practice coping strategies and connect to challenge-specific resources: stress, anxiety and depression, suicide, trauma, healthy relationships, social media safety, alcohol and drug use.
Learn about resources for youth identifying as: youth in foster care, LGBTQIA+, males and youth of color, youth with special healthcare needs, and undocumented youth
There is a community of people that want to help through hard times, including a friend, a parent or other trusted adult and school staff. Learn how you can approach them to ask for help with mental health wellbeing.
Maintain Wellness
There are several components to maintaining your health including physical health, mental health, and social and emotional health. Optimal wellbeing is dependent on building and maintaining healthy habits. Learn how you can support your optimal wellbeing daily.
Support Your Whole SelfThink of your total well-being as a puzzle. Learn about each piece of the puzzle and how each affects your overall well-being.
Happiness Exercises
Learn four science-based exercises to identify and focus on numerous strengths. These activities have the single purpose of answering one of life’s biggest questions, “How can one be truly happy?”
Positive psychology focuses on positive experiences, human strengths, virtues and well-being.
Resources
Accessing Mental Health Services
211 LA County
Access any services and information based on your location.
211LA.Org
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Dial/Text 988
Department of Mental Health Lifeline
Crisis Text Line
Text: "LA" to 741741
Crisis Text Line
California Department of Managed Health Care
Learn about your rights for the treatment of mental health conditions and substance use disorders.
Behavorial Health Care
California Department of Public Health
Access resources and information on general health, sexual health, and relationships.
Youth and Young Adult
CalHOPE (Dial 833-317-4673)
Has resources and free peer counseling by live chat, call, or text.
CAlHOPE
Disaster Distress Helpline (Dial 1-800-985-5990)
24/7 hotline for needing support or counseling due to natural or human-caused disasters.
Disaster HelpLine
LA County Department of Mental Health (Dial 800-854-7771)
24/7 helpline for service referrals, crisis assessments, field deployments, substance abuse service hotline, emotional support warm line (daily, 10:30am-9pm) and veteran line (daily, 9am-6pm).
Department of Mental Health
LA County Department of Health Services (Dial 844-804-0055)
Los Angeles County’s integrated health system. Get connected to primary care, emergency services, substance use, women’s health and more.
Health Services LA County
LA County Department of Public Health
Provides free and/or low-cost services to those with no insurance or regular health care provider, including immunizations and communicable disease testing and treatment.
Get help applying for free or low-cost health coverage.
Maternal, Child, & Adolescent Health
LA County Department of Public Social Services
Connects individuals and families to social services that promote economic mobility and well-being. Programs and services include financial assistance, employment services and housing.
Health Care
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) (Dial 1-800-950-6264)
The nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. Learn
how to access therapy and
understand health insurance.
Text “helpline” to 62640.
National Institutes of Health
Their emotional wellness toolkit teaches you how to build resilience, get quality sleep, reduce stress, strengthen social connections, cope with loss, and be mindful.
Emotional Wellness Toolkit — More Resources.
Soluna
A free, easy to use mobile apps for mental health coaching, interactive resources, peer connection, and self-discovery.
Soluna
Suicide: Thoughts, Behavior and Attempts
Never a Bother
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or have a peer that is, this is a great resource to support yourself and others when in crisis.
Never a bother
988 Lifeline (Dial or Text 988)
If you need to talk, the 988 Lifeline is here with caring counselors. You are not alone; there are some stories of hope and recovery. What happens when you call 988?
988 life line
California Coalition for Youth (Dial/Text 1-800-843-5200)
24/7 response system. Get 1:1 support with finding any resources that you need.
Cal Youth
National Child Traumatic Stress Network
How to talk about suicide with friends and peers and which words to use.
Resource link
Teen Line (Dial 1-800-852-8336 (6pm-10pm))
Speak with a trained teen listener who understands what it’s like to be a teen. Talk about anything — a rough day, school, relationships, friendships, family issues, or a mental health crisis. Text TEEN to 839863 (6pm-9pm).
Teen Line
The Trevor Project (Dial 1-866-488-7386)
24/7, confidential. Created for but not limited to 2SLGBTQ+ youth. Text START to 678-678.
Trevor Project
Trans Lifeline (Dial 877-565-8860 (Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm))
Confidential and free line run by trans and nonbinary people providing direct support to trans and questioning peers in crisis. Will not call emergency services without your explicit request.
Trans life Line
Survivor Stories
Watch this video on three survivor stories who share hope and recovery with all viewers.
Survivor Stories
Stress, Anxiety and Depression
Take Space to Pause
Learn how your emotions play a role in mental health, reaching breaking points and how to feel better in the moment and long-term.
Take Space to Pause
California General Surgeon
The
Playbook for Stress Relief
is full of stress busting tips and strategies. Create your own goals to support your health with a self-care template.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Explore your emotions, learn how to reduce your stress by
practicing gratitude, and how to
improve your emotional well-being.
Healthy Minds Thriving Kids
Teaches 5 clinically proven mental health skills: understanding feelings, understanding thoughts, relaxation skills and managing intense emotions.
Healthy Minds
PEERS Program
A 14 week evidence based social skills intervention for motivated teens in middle and high school to help make and keep friends.
Peers Program
College Readiness Program
For seniors in high school, entering, or already enrolled in college and need help managing new social and emotional challenges.
College Reading Program
iPrevail'
Online wellness support 24/7, chat or program, for those physically in LA County
iPrevail Student
National Institute of Mental Health
Watch
this video
to understand why you may feel stressed, read this fact sheet
to learn whether it is stress or anxiety if you are feeling overwhelmed, and learn about
teen depression.
Survivor Stories
Hear from other teens how they learned how to start managing their stress, anxiety, and depression.
Stories with depression
Unhealthy Relationships
City of LA (Dial 1-800-978-3600)
24/7 hotline to access shelter and legal services.
Domestic violence resources
ENDTAB (End Technology Enabled Abuse)
Train in cyber safety for online dating and to prevent sexual misconduct/domestic violence.
End Technology Enabled Abuse
Futures Without Violence
Resources and programs to prevent teen dating and relationship violence.
Future without violence site
Jeneration J by Jenesse Center
Dating violence intervention and prevention resource center for young people, including legal resources, counseling, and shelter resources.
Services
Know You IX
Survivor and youth-led project aiming to empower students to end sexual and dating violence in their schools.
Know You IX
LA County Department of Public Health, Office of Women’s Health
Resources on gender-based violence in different languages.
Gender based violence
LA County Department of Public Health, Office of the Domestic Violence Council
Find research, hotlines, studies, and meetings on domestic violence.
Office of the Domestic Violence Council
Love is Respect (Dial 1-866-331-9474)
Confused about dating and love? Get all your questions about your teen relationship answered and
chat live. Text “LOVEIS” to 22522.
Love is Respect
National Domestic Violence Hotline (Dial 1-800-799-7233)
Confused about dating and love? Get all your questions about your teen relationship answered and
chat live. Text “START” to 88788.
Hot Line
RAINN (Dial 800-656-4673)
24/7 crisis support for sexual assault and harassment with additional resources and hotlines.
See success stories here.
RAINN
Peace over Violence
Leadership institute to empower youth ages 14-19 on healthy relationships, teen dating violence, and community organizing.
Peace over Violence
Trauma, Gun Violence and School Shooting
LA County Department of Public Health, Office of Violence Prevention
Hosts a
Gun Violence Prevention Platform,
understand trauma
and tools to address feelings of distress, and
understand emotional stress with calming techniques.
Drug Use: Alcohol and Fentanyl
California Department of Public Health
Learn the statistics related to overdose in LA County.
statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Learn facts about fentanyl and what to do if someone is overdosing.
fentanyl facts
LADPH, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control
Has several resources about
prevention,
fentanyl,
accessing naloxone and test strips.
Substance Use Treatment Network provides youth and young adults in LA County free services at any LA County provider if they meet eligibility criteria.
Recover LA Mobile App provides education and resources in 13 languages, as well as the
Substance Abuse Service Helpline (SASH) available 24/7 at 1-844-804-7500.
Substance Abuse Prevention and Control
SAMHSA
Has resources on
teen drinking,
prescription drugs, and
substance abuse treatment.
SAMHSA
Success Story
Read a success story from someone who has struggled with alcohol abuse since their teenage years.
Success Story
Social Media Safety
CyberTipline
Report incidents of child sexual exploitation; can be anonymous.
CyberTipline
Cyberbullying Research Center
Sexting advice for teens.
NetSmartz
Safety tips and resources for youth who use social media, gaming, smartphones livestream, and sexting.
NetSmartz
StopBullying.gov
Learn more about cyberbullying and how to report cyberbullying.
StopBullying.gov
Take It Down
Free service to help you remove or stop the online sharing of nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit photos and videos of you when you were under 18 years old.
Take It Down
Foster Care
Family Urgent Response System (FURS) (Dial 1-833-939-3877)
Hotline to a trained counselor or peer to serve as a safe space for current or former foster youth.
Family Urgent Response System
LA County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)
Assistance with school, employment, living independently and more.
Department of Children and Family Services
Foster Youth Rights Handbook
Answers all questions related to foster youth’s legal rights.
Foster Youth Rights Handbook
Multidisciplinary Assessment Team (MAT)
An assessment by DCFS and DMH to determine all the needs of the child/family when they enter foster care.
Multidisciplinary Assessment Team
With Special Healthcare Needs
Regional Centers of the Department of Developmental Services (Call 833-421-0061, TTY)
Oversee and coordinate the delivery of services for Californians with developmental disabilities. They provide assessments, determine eligibility for services, and offer case management services.
Department of Developmental Services
LGBTQIA+
AIDS Project LA
General healthcare, such as therapy, primary care, HIV, dental, and transgender care.
AIDS Project LA
Airport Marina Counseling Services
Community-based mental health clinic that serves the LAX, South Bay and Westside areas of LA. Offers community-based, accessible mental health services. Parental consent is required for child therapy.
Airport Marina Counseling Services
Antioch University Counseling Center
Offers a Ways of Being Community Counseling, which provides for the needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals and families. Reasonable fees are based on a sliding scale. The They are not able to accept Medicare or Medi-Cal payments.
Antioch University Counseling Center
Bienestar
Provides a space for peer support, counseling, and reporting of mistreatment.
Bienestar
Blackline (Dial 1-800-604-5841)
Provides free LGBTQIA+ affirmative counseling and healing psychotherapeutic services to youth under 25 and their families in greater Los Angeles.
Blackline
Colors LGBTQ Youth Counseling and Community Center
Provides gender affirming care, mental health services, and case management services for transgender and gender diverse children, adolescents, young adults and their families.
LGBTQ Youth Counseling and Community Center
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Provides gender affirming care, mental health services, and case management services for transgender and gender diverse children, adolescents, young adults and their families.
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Kaleidoscope
Supports LGBTQIA+/Questioning neurodivergent and neurotypical youth, young adults and their families in building healthy relationships, strong social connections and critically needed life skills through mental health services, social support and life skills coaching.
Kaleidoscope
Los Angeles LGBT Center
Providers of LGBT health and mental healthcare. Accepts Medi-Cal, Medicare, most major insurance plans, and some HMOs. If you are uninsured, we can help you get insurance through Covered California.
Los Angeles LGBT Center
National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network
Therapist directory search with filters.
National Queer and Trans Therapists
Penny Lane Center
Educational and supportive youth programs for children and families; TAY Drop-In Centers that are a safe place for unhoused youth.
Penny Lane Center
Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance
For LGBTQ+ youth and allies in the Inland Empire. Provide a safe space for youth to meet, make friends and participate in their weekly events and activities.
Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance
The Alexis Project
General healthcare services, mental health services, case management services.
The Alexis Project
The Center for Professional Counseling
Counseling services: parent consent required.
Center for Professional Counseling
The Trevor Project (Dial 1-866-488-7386)
Free. Open 24/7. Confidential. Created for but not limited to 2SLGBTQ+ young. Text START to 678-678.
The Trevor Project
Trans Lifeline (Dial 877-565-8860 (Monday – Friday, 10am-6pm))
Confidential and free line run by trans and nonbinary people providing direct support to trans and questioning peers in crisis. Will not call emergency services without your explicit request.
Trans Lifeline
Trans Wellness Center
BLUSH program for transgender and gender non-conforming youth, counseling services, education/resources.
Trans Wellness Center
UCLA EMPWR Program
Individual & group therapy that are time-limited, not long-term.
UCLA EMPWR
ViaCare
Healthcare services in the East LA area; accepts Medi-Cala and most insurance plans or sliding scale option.
ViaCare
Males and Teens of Color?
Black Infants & Families
Resources on fatherhood and mental health.
Resources
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Virtual classes and support groups for individual or family; offered in Spanish.
National Alliance on Mental Illness
My Brother’s Keeper
Learn about advocacy efforts and explore their youth program for job opportunities.
My Brother’s Keeper
TherapyForBlackMen.org
Therapists who share cultural background with black men.
Therapy For Black Men
Asking for Help?
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Dial/Text 988.
More information
LA Unified School District
At the School Mental Health Clinics and Wellness Centers, access resources and
get referred to counseling services.
LA Unified School District
Seize the Awkward
Resources on how to talk to a friend about mental health and self-care strategies.
Seize the Awkward
Young Minds
Tips on how to talk to others about your mental health.
Young Minds
Nutrition
CalFresh
Apply for financial assistance for purchasing food for low-income California residents. Learn
budget friendly
recipes and
how to live a healthy lifestyle.
More resources
EatFresh
Find healthy, fresh recipes here.
Eat Fresh recipe
LA County Department of Public Health
Learn about local food programs such as Market Match,
School Meals
, and Summer Meals.
MyPlate
Create a personalized MyPlate plan, access
recipes, and
find local savings
on a budget.
My Plate
Physical Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Learn how to get started with physical activity and learn how much you need.
More information
Together St. Judes
Find healthy, fresh recipes here.
Getting Started
LA County Department of Public Health
Information
about COVID-19,
How to Get a Test,
How to Get Vaccinated,
Masks, and
LA County COVID-19 Data.
Corona Virus
Sleep
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Learn about the importance of sleep, how much sleep you need, how to have quality sleep.
Sleep Hygiene
Happiness Exercises
Positive Psychology
Learn what is positive psychology and how to practice it.
What is positive psychology
Gratitude Journal
Learn how to create a gratitude journal and find templates to practice it.
gratitude journal
Random Acts of Kindness
Learn how to practice random acts of kindness and save templates to practice it.
More resources
S.M.A.R.T. Goals
Learn how to set SMART goals and practice with the template.
goal visualization
Strengths List
Practice appreciating and writing out your strengths so you can learn to use them.
Strengths List