As the country and the world respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19), we are all feeling a range of emotions. It’s important to attend to the social and emotional needs that arise during these times. Please feel free to access and share the resources below, which are designed to support parents, students and educators. This page will be updated regularly, but please know that you can reach out to the guidance department at MTHS for any additional social emotional support needs.
COVID-19 Informational Resources
- CDC – The CDC is the leading national public health agency in the United States and provides information and updates on COVID-19 as it becomes available.
- Local COVID-19 Information
Talking to Students about COVID-19
Resources: Mental Health and Coping with Stress
- Growing Leaders – 10 Visible Signs of Stress in Students
- CDC – Mental Health and coping during COVID-19
- Mental Health America – Living with Mental Illness during COVID-19
- Mental Health America – Mental Health and COVID-19 – Information and Resources
- National Alliance on Mental Illness – Resource and Information Guide
- National Alliance on Mental Illness – How to Ease Children’s Anxiety About COVID-19
- Mental Health First Aid
- NASP – Helping children cope with changes resulting from COVID-19
- Child Mind Institute – Using mindfulness to help children cope
Character Strong Resources
Character Strong is a character education and social emotional learning curriculum that offers a variety of free resources.
- Virtual Assembly: Youth speakers and performs to perform online assemblies to keep students engaged, inspired and hopeful.
- Kindness Journal Link
- Character Strong podcast
Self-Care Apps and Activities
- Calm App
- Headspace
- Ten Percent Happier – live meditations daily at 2 PM
- Journaling
- Breathing Exercises
Mental Health or Crisis Resources
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24-hour crisis center, or text MHA to 741741 at the Crisis Text Line.
Screening, Assessment and Support Services (SASS) program for children and adolescents experiencing a mental health crisis – 1-800-345-9049
If you feel overwhelmed about COVID-19 and need someone to talk to, call or text SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Hotline. This is a 24/7 hotline dedicated to emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
- Disaster Distress Hotline: 1-800-985-5990
- Text: TalkWithUs to 66746
- 24/7, 365-day-a-year
- Disaster Distress Helpline
- https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline
If you find that you are very lonely and do not have people to reach out to, a warm line might be useful. Warm Lines are hotlines that you can call to speak with someone. You do not need to be experiencing a “crisis” to call/text a warm line. Your call/texting session might be brief; be prepared to wait “on hold.”
- Illinois Warm Line (there may be an above average wait time):
- Call: 1 (866) 359-7953
- TTY: 1 (866) 880-4459
- Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm
- The Warm Line – Peer and Family Support by Telephone
211 – Call for free, confidential referral and information helpline that connects people of all ages to essential health and human services
MTHS Guidance Team
During these uncertain times, please know that the Guidance Team is ready, willing and available to assist you. Feel free to reach out to any Guidance team member if you need support while navigating through your day.
Self-Care Apps and Activities
