Community Resource

Mental Health Awareness Month Resources

(201) 712-1170
Hackensack

Mental Health Awareness Month Resources

resources to help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.

On This Page You Will Find:

Hotlines/Helplines

Resources for Students

Resources for Children and Teens

Resources for Awareness Month Activities  (e.g., Mental Health Month Toolkit )

HOTLINES/HELPLINES

  • Bergen County’s Psychiatric Emergency Screening Program 201-262-HELP [4357] If you, your staff or anyone is concerned that a person is at imminent risk of harm to self or others, please call.  If you are not aware of 262-HELP and how it operates, please reach out to Lisa Montuore, the Director, at 201-262-7108, to learn more and perhaps arrange for an in-office training for you and your staff.

    National Suicide Prevention Line - https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/professional-initiatives/  We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Reach out to request posters, brochures, wallet cards that you can have available in your office and exam rooms.  Assure that each of your staff  log onto the website to learn and add the lifeline number to his/her phone - 1-800-273-8255.

     Crisis Text Line -  https://www.crisistextline.org        Do the same as above – post info, have your staff add the Crisis Text line number to their contact list, etc.  The number is 741 741    

    2NDFLOOR is a confidential and anonymous helpline for New Jersey's youth and young adults. We are here to help you find solutions to the problems that you face at home, at school or at play. Call/text 888-222-2228.  Available 24/7, 365 days a year.

  • NJMentalHealthCares is a free, confidential mental health information and referral service. It is not a crisis line. Call 1-866-202-HELP(4357) Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 8 PM.
  • NAMI HelpLine staff and volunteers are prepared to answer your questions about mental health issues including symptoms of mental health conditions, support groups, and programs to help find jobs. Call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264).

  • Mental Health First Aid Training 
    Bergen County, through the Stigma-Free Initiative, formed a Mental Health First Aid [MHFA] Training Corps.  MHFA is an 8-hour evidence-based coursed designed to teach participants the signs and symptoms of illness and provide them with tools they can use to assist and link a person to resources.  Please considering hosting a training for your staff, patients and their families.   You may contact Stephanie Hartman, our MHFA Training Corps Coordinator, to learn how 

  • Join the Bergen County Stigma Free Initiative!   
    A county-wide program which aims to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. We are dedicated to raising awareness of the disease of mental illness and create a culture wherein residents who have the disease feel supported by their community and neighbors and feel free to seek treatment for the disease without fear of stigma.  Download Bergen County's Stigma Free Campaign Municipality Toolkit 

Resources for Students

  • Nearly 1 in 5 Americans suffer from mental illness each year, and if left untreated, this illness can be fatal. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 10-24 year olds, and more than 90% of those victims suffered from mental health conditions. That’s why, in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, we want to share our resource, The Top Mental Health Challenges Facing Students. Our guide identifies the signs and symptoms of common mental health problems including, depression, anxiety, suicide, eating disorders and addiction. Each topic lists a step by step guide in seeking help with additional resources from professional organizations.
  • How Trauma Affects Kids in School -  An article from Child Mind Institute about the signs of trauma and tips for helping kids who've been traumatized.

Resources for Children and Teens

  • Facts:
  1. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 24.
  2. Boys are more likely to die from suicide, while girls are more likely to report attempting suicide (Drapeau & McIntosh, 2017)
  3. More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease, combined. It results in approximately 4600 lives lost each year.
  4. Each day in our nation there are an average of over 5,400 suicide attempts by young people grades 7-12.
  5. Four out of five teens who attempt suicide have given clear warning signs. Kids who are bullied are more than twice as likely to consider suicide, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
  • NJ Children's System of Care (CSOC) - A division with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF), the Wraparound approach is used to provide FREE, voluntary services to youth ages 5-21 with mental, emotional, behavioral, developmental, intellectual, and substance abuse challenges and their families. To access services through NJ's Children's System of Care (CSOC) call 1-877-652-7624. This is a single point of entry, 24/7 toll-free access line that connects you to PerformCare, the Contracted System Administrator (CSA) for the Children's System of Care. There are key partners in the Children's System of Care; these partners are in each county throughout the State and include:
  1. Children's Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) - Care Plus NJ is the contracted provider of Children's Mobile Response and Stabilization Services in Bergen County
  2. Care Management Organization (CMO) - Bergen's Promise, Inc is Bergen County's CMO 
  3. Family Support Organization (FSO) - Family Support Organization of Bergen County is Bergen's FSO
  4. Children's Interagency Coordinating Council (CIACC) of Bergen County - Meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month 9AM at 1st floor meeting room, 327 East Ridgewood Ave, Paramus, NJ
  • Taking a Child to the Emergency Room - An article from Child Mind Institute about what the ER can and cannot do for a psychiatric crisis.
  • #MyYoungerSelf - A social media campaign in which prominent individuals share their experiences with mental health and learning disorders, and how treatment helped them. It's part of the Child Mind Institute's annual Speak Up for Kids campaign to decrease stigma and help more kids get care. During the month of May, a different story will be unlocked every day. 
  • Caring for Every Child's Mental Health - SAMHSA's campaign seeks to raise awareness about the importance of children's mental health. 
  • Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide - Get Connected - Here, it’s ok to speak up about not being ok – and you’ll find that lots of other kids do, too.

RESOURCES FOR AWARENESS ACTIVITIES

Health Services
Behavioral / Mental Health

Last Updated: 04/05/23