Events
Suicide Prevention 101 Webinar for Parents: Recognizing Signs and What to Do
This free webinar provides information about suicide prevention for parents, including warning signs for suicide, how to have a conversation with their teen, actions to take if their teen is having suicidal thoughts, and resources. The webinar is provided in partnership with the California Department of Education, the California Mental Health Services Authority, the Directing Change Program, and Teen Line. The webinar is offered in English and Spanish.
In English:
Módulo 1 – Prevención del Suicidio para Padres: Las Señales y Qué Hacer
Este seminario web gratuito proporcionará información sobre prevención del suicidio para los padres que incluye: reconocer las señales de advertencia de suicidio, cómo tener una conversación con tu hijo sobre tus inquietudes, acciones para tomar si tu hijo tiene pensamientos suicidas, consejos y recursos para apoyar la salud mental y emocional durante COVID-19, e información sobre como criar adolescentes resilientes.
En Español:
Support and Crisis Resources
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a 24-hour, toll-free, confidential suicide prevention hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.
- Call or text 988
- Lifeline Crisis Chat: 988lifeline.org (available 24/7)
Teen Line: Teen Line is a confidential hotline for teenagers which operates every evening from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm PST. The Teen Line volunteers who answer the calls, emails, and texts are Southern California teenagers who have received specialized training. They don’t provide advice, but instead listen to the caller or texter’s feelings, help them to clarify their concerns, define the options available to them, and help them make positive decisions. No problem is too small, too large, or too shocking for the Teen Line volunteers.
- Call: 800-TLC-TEEN (852-8336) from 6-10 PM PST
- Text “TEEN” to 839863
- Talk via their app: teenline.org/youth
- Teen Line also offers message boards, resources, and information.
The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24. All services below are available 24/7.
- The Trevor Lifeline: 1-866-488-7386
- TrevorChat – Confidential online instant messaging
- TrevorText – Text “START” to 678-678
Parental Stress Line: A confidential, 24/7 hotline for parents who would like to speak to a trained volunteer counselor about issues related to their children. Counselors provide non-judgmental support, referrals, and crisis intervention.
- Parental Stress Line: 1-800-632-8188
Directing Change Resources for Parents
Teaching Resilient Students and Raising Healthy Teens Newsletter: This monthly newsletter provides a list of curated resources and activities to support social emotional development, healthy coping as well as crisis support for educators, students, and parents. Subscribe here.
Suicide Prevention: A Resource for Parents Brochure: This e-brochure includes questions parents can ask themselves to assess if their teen might be at risk of suicide and actions to take. Tips on raising resilient teens as well as resources are provided. Also available in a printable brochure and a Spanish version below.
Prevención del Suicidio: Un Recurso Para Padres: Este folleto electrónico incluye preguntas que los padres pueden hacerse para evaluar si su hijo/a adolescente podría estar en riesgo de suicidio y las acciones que debe tomar. Se ofrecen recursos tanto como consejos sobre cómo criar adolescentes con capacidad de recuperación. También esta disponible un folleto imprimible.
What I Wish My Parents Knew: What I Wish My Parents Knew events have proven to be a successful way to engage parents and the entire community around mental health and related topics. The goal of these events is to promote mental health and reduce risk, including risk of suicide, among youth by providing parents with knowledge and skills around a variety of mental health-related topics, hand-picked by youth in these communities. This toolbox covers how to plan and implement this series of events.
Further Resources
Raising Healthy Teens – Parent Handbooks: These Parent Handbooks offers facts, tips, and conversation starters for parents to have conversations about mental health and substance use with their teens. Additional resources can be found on the website RaisingHealthyTeens.org, including family agreements, tip sheets and activities to engage young people.
Talk + Play = Connect Toolkit for Families: Available in English, Spanish, Farsi and Russian. Yolo County Children’s Alliance has developed this Talk + Play Toolkit with tip sheets for every stage of child development, from infancy to the teen years. The toolkit includes helpful suggestions from engaging in play and conversation with your toddlers and school age kids, to bonding with your teenager.
Directing Change Films Featuring Parents
Truth Heals: After taking her child to a mental health clinic, a mother shares how proud she is of them for being honest on their intake form and offers to get the support they need.
The Pressure Cooker: Shows how parents can start a supportive conversation with youth who are experiencing the pressures of school and high expectations.
Dad’s Best Friend: A heartfelt film about a father who starts a conversation with his daughter to show his support and connect her to help.
Keep an Eye Out: This film portrays a mom who reaches out to her daughter after she notices her showing some of the warning signs for suicide, including loss of interest.
Legacy: A mother and son reflect on their experiences with mental health after the son shares a letter about how he is struggling. (Language: Mandarin with English captions)
Bridge the Generations: A film that encourages young people to start conversations about mental health with different generations. (Language: Mandarin and Vietnamese with English captions)
When I Was Your Age: A film that explores the generational and cultural differences in the way families perceive mental health. (Language: Chinese, Hindi, and English with English captions)
