# data[].attributes.body
The San Diego County of Office of Education is committed to supporting school districts, schools, students, and families with resources to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Our goal is to support the removal of barriers that impact student success.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Supporting the well-being of students, staff, and families

The San Diego County of Office of Education is committed to supporting school districts, schools, students, and families with resources to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Our goal is to support the removal of barriers that impact student success.

helping improve physical, mental, and emotional Well-Being

We've compiled resources and information to help education professionals in San Diego County better serve their students and families. You can find information on:

Virtual Wellness Center

The virtual Wellness Center is brought to you by the Student Wellness and School Culture department to support the well-being of staff, students, and parents, as well as connect them to calming activities and tools to promote health and wellness. This is a safe space to access support, take a break, rest, and refocus.
Visit the Virtual Wellness Center

More to Explore

January 2023

February

March

April

May

June

July

7 Cups of Tea offers anonymous emotional support & counseling from trained active listeners. Easy to use text chat. Real listeners are available 24/7.

Calm - Find your calm, sleep more, stress less, and live better.

Calm Harm - Manages Self Harm is a free app that provides teens with dozens of ways to derail self-harm impulses. Five- and 15-minute activities and an in-app timer help users turn their attention to healthier ways to handle emotions and manage impulses to hurt themselves.

Clear Fear provides you with a range of ways to manage the symptoms of anxiety.

Happify- App for stress and worry

Headspace- App for meditation and sleep

Insight Timer- App for sleep, anxiety, and stress

MindShift® CBT is a help you learn to relax and be mindful, develop more effective ways of thinking, and use active steps to take charge of your anxiety.

Peak- Brain training. Reach Peak performance with over 40 unique games, each one developed by neuroscientists and game experts to challenge your cognitive skills and push you further.

Greater Good Science Center studies the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of well-being, and teaches skills that foster a thriving, resilient, and compassionate society.

Mindful Schools trains, guides, and connects educators on a journey to deepen their mindfulness practice and cultivate mindful learning environments that allow everyone in the school community to thrive

Put a stressful thought in the star. Pixel Thoughts. A 60-second meditation tool to help clear your mind.

UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is a multi-faceted program of clinical care, professional training, education, research, and outreach intended to further the practice and integration of mindfulness into the lives of individuals throughout the healthcare and educational system, including patients, healthcare providers, students, and teachers.

main contacts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Health and Well-Being - San Diego County Office of Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The San Diego County of Office of Education is committed to supporting school districts, schools, students, and families with resources to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Our goal is to support the removal of barriers that impact student success.

# data[].attributes.headline
About the Stronger Connections Technical Assistance Center

# data[].attributes.subject
About the Stronger Connections Technical Assistance Center

# data[].attributes.body
The California Stronger Connections Technical Assistance Center (SCTAC) offers supports and technical assistance opportunities designed to foster safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Stronger Connections – California Safe and Supportive Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act – Stronger Connections Grant (BSCA-SCG) Program is designed to encourage partnership between Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and communities to address the critical issue of gun violence that has impacted so many schools and communities across the nation.

# data[].attributes.headline
School Mental Health Quality Guide: Needs Assessment & Resource Mapping

# data[].attributes.subject
School Mental Health Quality Guide: Needs Assessment & Resource Mapping

# data[].attributes.body
School Mental Health Quality Guide: Needs Assessment & Resource Mapping is part of a collection of resources developed by the National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) at the University of Maryland School of

Medicine. The Quality Guides provide information to help school mental health systems advance the quality of their services and supports. This guide contains background information on needs assessment and resource mapping,

best practices, possible action steps, examples from the field, and resources.

# data[].attributes.body
NAMI On Campus clubs work to end the stigma that makes it hard for students to talk about mental health and get the help they need. Clubs hold creative meetings, hold innovative awareness events, and offer signature NAMI programs through partnerships with NAMI State Organizations and Affiliates across the nation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students face many challenges during their transition to high school and college. Academics, clubs, jobs, and new relationships can all be super exciting, but also great stressors if not properly managed.

# data[].attributes.body
Find recordings from past webinars, and many more resources, in our library.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Resources – California Safe and Supportive Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Resource Library is intended to help state and local education agency leaders as they develop practical strategies and programs to address student mental health needs and improve school climate. This library offers guidance documents, toolkits, briefs, research studies, and more that draw on current research in education, school psychology, and other related disciplines.

# data[].attributes.body
Download the slides from our February 5, 2026 presentation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Addressing Student Suicidality_SCTAC Webinar Slides.pdf | Powered by Box

# data[].attributes.body
The recorded webinar will be added shortly after the event.

# data[].attributes.body
Email the WestEd Stronger Connections Technical Assistance Team: strongerconnections@wested.org

# data[].attributes.body
February 11, 2026: Experience how simple rhythmic activities can be used as a mindfulness practice to shift mood and energy, manage stress, facilitate self-expression, encourage dialogue, teach empathy, and promote kindness.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Stronger Connections 2026 Wellness Mini-Sessions. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Need a quick break? Join a 20-minute Wellness Mini-Session to learn about and practice a wellness strategy designed for education settings. These monthly sessions will feature wellness experts from throughout California sharing a variety of ideas that you can use and share to promote stress management. January 14, 2026, 2:00 PM: Improve Your Stress Response: Learn practical, evidence-based techniques engage in simple, daily practices that activate the vagus nerve to promote calm, resilience, and improved stress response. February 11, 2026, 2:00 PM: Creative Approaches for Self-Care and Youth Resilience: experience how simple rhythmic activities can be used as a mindfulness practice to shift mood and energy, manage stress, facilitate self-expression, encourage dialogue, teach empathy, and promote kindness. March 11, 2026, 2:00 PM: Basics of Mindfulness for Self-Care and Managing Difficult States: This session will offer guidance in mindfulness meditation and its use in managing physical pain and navigating difficult emotions. April 8, 2026, 2:00 PM: Topic TBD May 13, 2026, 2:00 PM: Topic TBD

# data[].attributes.body
The CalSCHLS system was created by the California Department of Education (CDE) in 1997 to efficiently and cost-effectively provide school districts and their partner communities with quality local data which can be used to improve student academic performance and social-emotional, behavioral, and physical health of all youth.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The California School Climate, Health, and Learning Survey (CalSCHLS) System - Data Dashboards

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
CalSCHLS, the Californial School Climate, Health, and Learning Surveys, is the California Department of Education’s comprehensive data system for assessing key factors associated with student success.

# data[].attributes.headline
A School-Based Multilevel Study of Adolescent Suicide Ideation in California High Schools 

# data[].attributes.subject
A School-Based Multilevel Study of Adolescent Suicide Ideation in California High Schools 

# data[].attributes.body
This study focused on suicide ideation among high school students and found that the negative relationship between student perceptions of school climate and suicide ideation is supported by many studies that identify positive school climate as a protective factor linked to better mental health outcomes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A School-Based Multilevel Study of Adolescent Suicide Ideation in California High Schools

# data[].attributes.headline
Striving for Zero: California's Strategic Plan for Suicide Prevention 2020 – 2025

# data[].attributes.subject
Striving for Zero: California's Strategic Plan for Suicide Prevention 2020 – 2025

# data[].attributes.body
SDCOE leads the COPES initiative to build the capacity of LEAs to support school communities that champion mental wellness by targeting efforts in:

- Staff and student wellness and resiliency

- Stigma reduction

- Suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention

- Professional development and programming for educators, staff, students, and families

- Coordinated referral pathways for students needing mental/behavioral health services

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Creating Opportunities in Preventing and Eliminating Suicide (COPES) - San Diego County Office of Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Creating Opportunities in Preventing and Eliminating Suicide (COPES) - SDCOE serves our county’s most vulnerable students and supports school leaders, teachers, and students across the county.

# data[].attributes.body
AB 748 requires each school site serving students in grades 6 to 12, inclusive, to create a poster that identifies approaches and shares resources regarding student mental health.

SDCOE partnered with young people in the county to create three template posters that districts can use as an option.

# data[].attributes.headline
Teen Guide to Mental Health and Wellness

# data[].attributes.subject
Teen Guide to Mental Health and Wellness

# data[].attributes.body
Access this guide and many other resources on the SDCOE mental health support resources page.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mental Health Supports - San Diego County Office of Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mental Health Supports - SDCOE serves our county’s most vulnerable students and supports school leaders, teachers, and students across the county.

# data[].attributes.headline
Policy to Practice: Suicide Intervention Toolkit

# data[].attributes.subject
Policy to Practice: Suicide Intervention Toolkit

# data[].attributes.body
The aim of this toolkit is to share protocols, templates and resources that align with

best practices in suicide intervention.

Created by the SDCOE Student Wellness and School Culture Department

# data[].attributes.headline
Suicide Prevention Resource Guide for K-12 Schools

# data[].attributes.subject
Suicide Prevention Resource Guide for K-12 Schools

# data[].attributes.body
This guide is designed to meet the needs of busy school administrators who need timely information and resources at their fingertips to support suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention efforts in school communities. We aim to provide a collection of high-quality local, state, and national resources to support schools in building comprehensive protocols and

practices.

# data[].attributes.headline
SDCOE Qualtrics Suicide Risk Screening Questions

# data[].attributes.subject
SDCOE Qualtrics Suicide Risk Screening Questions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2025-26 SDCOE COPES Quarterly Reporting Form 100324.docx

# data[].attributes.body
Nationwide high school & middle school programs that empower students to challenge the stigma surrounding mental illness by creating a culture of peer support and education within their schools.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bring Change to Mind – Let’s Talk Mental Health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At Bring Change to Mind, our mission is to end the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental illness. We work with industry-leading scientists to make a real difference in the lives of teens and adults across the country.Click below to learn more about our organization.

# data[].attributes.body
Struggling students confide in their peers.

With Hope Squad, 95% of students report knowing how and where to get help for their peers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
TRUSTED BY LEADING SUICIDE PREVENTION EXPERTS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hope Squad | Youth Suicide Prevention for Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hope Squad is a student-led, peer-to-peer support program that harnesses school connectedness to reduce the risk of suicide in elementary and secondary schools. We train trusted adults on campus (Advisors) who then empower students (Members) to recognize warning signs and connect their peers to a trusted adult.

# data[].attributes.body
Sources of Strength is a best practice, strength-based, upstream suicide prevention and mental health promotion program that has shown effectiveness in both preventative upstream and intervention outcomes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
OUR VISION IS TOEMPOWER A WELL WORLD Who We Are A best practice youth mental health promotion and suicide prevention program designed to harness the power of peer social networks to create healthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, violence, bullying, and substance misuse. The mission of Sources of Strength is to prevent adverse outcomes ...

# data[].attributes.headline
Safe Spaces: Foundations of Trauma-Informed Practice of Educational and Care Settings

# data[].attributes.subject
Safe Spaces: Foundations of Trauma-Informed Practice of Educational and Care Settings

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Anyone who works with children is invited to take the free, online professional learning. This includes early care providers, educators and school personnel, including school nurses, librarians, administrative support, school bus drivers and yard duty support. Each module is about two hours and is filled with case examples, videos, strategies and practices. Select the module(s) that best fit your professional needs:

NOTE: For Module 1 (ages 0-5), you will need to create a California Early Childhood Online (CECO) account here.

For all technical assistance, please call 1-800-770-6339 or e-mail ceco@wested.org.

Through participating in the online trauma-informed professional learning module, learners will be able to:

Describe foundational concepts related to trauma-informed practice, healing and resilience.

Develop awareness of the brain's response to stress, its impact on behavior and protective factors on mental and physical health and well-being.

Describe the essential role of positive relationships in protecting social, emotional, and mental well-being.

Recognize developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive trauma-informed and healing-centered supports.

The training is designed to engage the learner with case examples, strategies, videos and practices - each varied according to the developmental stage served.

Understanding your role in promoting resilience and healing

Understanding trauma-informed practice

Preventing ACEs

Promoting healing and resilience

Reflection and planning

Understanding how individuals experience stress and trauma

Parts of the brain and what they do

Behavior is a form of communication

Identifying activated stress responses

Responding to students/children who are stressed

Adult well-being

Case examples, reflection, and planning

Understanding the collective conditions for health and well-being

Collective relationships

Environments and routines

Community of care

Case examples, reflection, and planning

Understanding the role of systems in supporting health and well-being

Conditions that support well-being in care/education contexts

Strategies for supporting well-being in care/education contexts

Reflection and planning

Dr. Joshua Sparrow

Joshua Sparrow, M.D., DFAACAP, is executive director of the Brazelton Touchpoints Center (BTC) in the Division of Development of Medicine at Boston Children's Hospital, where he also holds an appointment in the Department of Psychiatry, and is an associate professor at Harvard Medical school, part time. Dr. Sparrow's care in the 1990s for children hospitalized for severe psychiatric disturbances, often associated with physical and sexual abuse, and for developmental delays aggravated by social and economic deprivation and injustice, prompted his interest in the social determinants of health, racial health inequities, trauma and historical trauma, and community-based prevention and health promotion. At BTC, Dr. Sparrow's work focuses on organizational learning and change, and aligning systems of care with community strengths and priorities. BTC provides professional, organizational and leadership development, community based participatory research, and developmental program evaluation for family-facing professionals in pediatrics, early childhood care and education, infant mental health, home visiting, child welfare, public libraries and children's museums. Dr. Sparrow began working with young children at age 13 and did so every summer through most of college. After graduating from college, he taught in preschools (2 year old and 4 year old classrooms) for a few years before deciding to go to medical school. www.brazeltontouchpoints.org.

Ms. Lindsey Fuller

Lindsey Fuller is an unapologetic and passionate advocate for scholars and marginalized communities. Prior to joining The Teaching Well where she leads as the Executive Director, she served as a 1 st and 6 th grade teacher, and elementary school administrator, and District Leader in the position of Regional Director of Student Services. In that role, she supported 11 Bay Area schools and led all non-academic initiatives, including mental health programming, behavioral supports, socio-emotional learning, and crisis management. Through her private practice, Fuller Freedom Consulting, as well as TTW she strives to sustain adults in our schools to ensure trauma-sensitive continuity of care. She is a trainer in Restorative Practices (IIRP) and is state certified as a Mediator (CCEJ). Lindsey is a native of the Oakland/Berkeley community, the child of two educators, and mother of two.

Dr. Pamela Cantor

Pamela Cantor, M.D. is a child and adolescent psychiatrist, author, and thought leader on human potential, the science of learning and development, and educational equity. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, she founded Turnaround for Children, which translates scientific insights into tools and services that help educators establish the conditions for all students to thrive. In two books published in 2021, Whole-Child Development, Learning and Thriving: A Dynamic Systems Approach and The Science of Learning and Development, Dr. Cantor crystallizes key scientific concepts about how human potential and learning unfold so that anyone seeking to open pathways for learning and opportunity for young people can do so. She is a featured contributor to Edutopia's How Learning Happens series which has been viewed more than 15 million times. Dr. Cantor is a governing partner of the Science of Learning and Development Alliance, a member of the Brookings Institution's Task Force on Next Generation Community Schools, and a Commissioner of the Learning 2025 Commission of the American Association of School Superintendents. She received an M.D. from Cornell University, a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College, and was a Visiting Scholar at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

We want to get the word out on Safe Spaces and, if you do too, we've made it as simple as possible to do just that. The content included in this toolkit can be used to help CA-OSG promote the training and includes a promotional video, one-pager, presentation, social media, and content for your newsletter or website.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Safe Spaces: Foundations of Trauma-Informed Practice for Educational and Care Settings | OSG

# data[].attributes.headline
Wellness Together Free Mental Health Training

# data[].attributes.subject
Wellness Together Free Mental Health Training

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wellness Education Lab (Home) — Wellness Together

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Practical & Empowering Mental Health TrainingSTUDENTS (11+) · PARENTS/GUARDIANS · EDUCATORS/SCHOOL STAFF

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Skip to content

Online screening is one of the quickest and easiest ways to determine whether you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition.
Mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, are real, common and treatable. And recovery is possible.

How does it work?

After your mental health test, you will see information, resources, and tools to help you understand and improve your mental health.
How can online mental health testing help me? What do my mental health test results mean?
Please note: Online screening tools are meant to be a quick snapshot of your mental health. If your results indicate you may be experiencing symptoms of a mental illness, consider sharing your results with someone. A mental health provider (such as a doctor or a therapist) can give you a full assessment and talk to you about options for how to feel better.

This website is an informational resource. We are not a crisis support line. If you need immediate help, you can reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or using the chat box at 988lifeline.org/chat. You can also text "MHA" to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. Warmlines are an excellent place for non-crisis support.

For all other screening-related questions and non-emergency support, please use MHA's Contact Us form.

Mental Health America Inc., sponsors, partners, and advertisers disclaim any liability, loss, or risk incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of these screens.

MHA Screening is made possible through the generous contributions of individuals and organizations that share our vision of mental health for all. This program is supported, in part, through philanthropic contributions from Abbvie, Alkermes, The Anthem Foundation, Janssen, Neurocrine Biosciences, The NFL Foundation, Sage Therapeutics, Takeda Lundbeck Alliance, and Teva.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Skip to content Online screening is one of the quickest and easiest ways to determine whether you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition. Mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, are real, common and treatable. And recovery is possible.

# data[].attributes.body
Download this template to input your CHKS data to track and understand data related to student wellness.