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Students and Parents

Students and Parents Social Emotional Learning and Wellness

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Students and Parents/Guardians: This page offers links to information for students on strategies to practice mindfulness and wellness, along with resources to help themselves and others in a mental health crisis.

If you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, you can call 911 or go directly to your local emergency room.
 

A poster with contact information for various helplines, including cyberbullying, child abuse, and suicide prevention.

Who Do I Connect With For Help?

  • Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text the Crisis Text Line (text "HELLO" to 741741) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All calls are confidential. More info here.
  • Contact the Trevor Project for LGBTQ+ Youth: Reach out to a counselor trained to support gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. Call 866-488-7386, text "START" to 678678, or chat online anytime you need support. Contact us here. If you are thinking about suicide, or feeling lonely, we are here to listen.
  • National Safe Place provides access to immediate help and supportive resources for young people in crisis through a network of qualified agencies, trained volunteers. Call 888-290-7233 or text the word “safe” and your current location (city/state/zip) to 4HELP (44357). More info here.
  • Emergency Services Program: If you or a family member are experiencing a mental health or substance use disorder crisis, the Emergency Services Program/Mobile Crisis Intervention (ESP/MCI) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  Anyone may contact ESP/MCI for assistance. Call toll-free at 1 (877) 382-1609, anytime, day or night.
  • Additional hotlines and online resources: This helpful list provides numerous resources to support teens with mental health struggles.
     

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How Do I Help A Friend?

Three friends embrace, their arms around each other in a supportive hug.

Mindfulness Strategies

A person waters flowers growing from their head with a watering can.

  • Mindfulness and Your Phone

    The average mobile phone user checks their device over 200 times per day! How can you be more mindful about using your device and reflecting on the role it plays in your life? Read more.

  • The Adolescent Brain

    Dr. Dan Siegel, professor of psychiatry and leading expert on adolescent brain changes, provides an overview on the developing brains of teenagers. View more.

  • Coping with Challenges

    his site offers some great ideas for coping with and managing a wide range of challenges for young adults. Read more.

  • Mental Health Stigma

    What is mental health stigma? For a better understanding, take this online quiz.

How Do I Manage Stress?

Illustration of a brain with colorful floral elements and two people meditating.

  • I'm So Stressed!

    Feeling overwhelmed? Read this fact sheet to learn whether it's stress or anxiety and what you can do to cope.

  • What is Stress and What Can I Do?

    You are not alone. Everyone feels stressed out at times -- adults, teens, and even kids. But you can avoid getting stressed out by handling everyday pressures and problems through staying calm, asking for help when you need it, and making time to relax. Read more.

  • Advice

    From dealing with parental divorce to taking tests, here is advice for teens on common stressful situations. Read more.

  • Staying Grounded

    For people struggling with anxiety or trauma, we often launch ourselves on the anxiety train and our minds go elsewhere. The following exercise can help you calm down and retrain your body and mind to stay grounded. Read more.

Additional Mental Health Resources for Parents/Guardians

  • Community Health Network

    If you’re worried that your child is experiencing severe stress, depression or other mental health concerns, including suicide, this site includes resources to help start the conversation with your child.

  • National Alliance on Mental Illness Massachusetts

    The mission of NAMI Massachusetts is to improve the quality of life for people diagnosed with mental health conditions and their families. We seek to improve the public’s awareness and understanding of mental health conditions and ensure that all people impacted by a mental health condition receive the support they need in a timely fashion. Read more.

  • Child Mind Institute

    If you have a child struggling with mental health or learning challenges, getting sound, clear information is the first step to getting good care. Child Mind Institute is a leading independent nonprofit in children’s mental health by providing gold-standard evidence-based care, educational resources, advocacy, and research. Read more.

  • Kids Health

    Help your child cope with life's ups and downs, from dealing with divorce to preparing for new siblings. Read more.

  • Williams James College Referral Service

    This helpline can connect families with counseling services. Learn more online or call 1-888-244-6843 (toll free); 1-617-332-3666 (local) Monday through Friday from 9am – 5pm.

  • Families for Depression Awareness

    Families for Depression Awareness helps families recognize and cope with depression and bipolar disorder to get people well and prevent suicides. We offer education, training, and support to unite families and help them heal while coping with mood disorders. Read more.