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Direct and Onlin Support Services for LGBTQ Youth

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The Youth Well-Being program at HRC Foundation has compiled the following direct service resources for LGBTQ+ youth and families.

The information about providers and services contained on this website does not constitute endorsement, sponsorship, or recommendation by HRC or HRC Foundation. HRC and HRC Foundation cannot confirm the level of confidentiality provided by each organization or service, and some crisis services may involve legal guardians and even law enforcement as deemed necessary. It is your responsibility to verify the level of confidentiality when communicating with a service or organization.

There are hundreds of local LGBTQ+ community and youth centers across the US that can also provide a variety of youth services.
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Direct Online and Phone Support Services for LGBTQ Youth

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The Youth Well-Being program at HRC Foundation has compiled the following direct service resources for LGBTQ+ youth and families.

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CASC The California Association of School Counselors, Inc

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Over the years CASC Board of Directors has encouraged our members to seek opportunities to be involved in local- and state-level committee work and positions of influence. Consequently, an opportunity has recently emerged that we wanted to share with all of you.

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STAT (Support for Teachers Affected by Trauma)

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STAT (Support for Teachers Affected by Trauma)

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Online modules that explore the concepts of secondary trauma, risk factors associated with susceptibility to STS, the impact of STS across multiple life domains, and tangible self-care skills.

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Support for Teachers Affected by Trauma

Geared toward preK-12 teachers, STAT (Support for Teachers Affected by Trauma) was developed over a two-year period by a group of experts in the fields of secondary traumatic stress (STS), education, and technology. STAT comprises five online modules that explore the concepts of secondary trauma, risk factors associated with susceptibility to STS, the impact of STS across multiple life domains, and tangible self-care skills.

STAT is a user-friendly curriculum that allows participants to engage in a range of STS learning interactives; explore scenarios that highlight the impact of STS; listen to teachers describe their experiences with STS and self-care; and complete self-assessment scales that can measure and track STS levels over time. STAT brings much needed attention and understanding of secondary trauma to the field of preK-12 education.

Visit the Training page to access the STAT course.

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Support for Teachers Affected by Trauma | Home

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Geared toward preK-12 teachers, STAT (Support for Teachers Affected by Trauma) was developed over a two-year period by a group of experts in the fields of secondary traumatic stress (STS), education, and technology. STAT comprises five online modules that explore the concepts of secondary trauma, risk factors associated with susceptibility to STS, the impact of STS across multiple life domains, and tangible self-care skills.

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National Center on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments

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National Center on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments

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Resources for Trauma Senstive Schools

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Implementation Guide

The Trauma-Sensitive Schools Training Package offers school and district administrators and staff a roadmap and tools for adopting a school- or districtwide approach to addressing trauma and promoting resilience for everyone in the learning environment. This training package supports school and district administrators and staff to do the following:

Understand trauma in a broad and inclusive way;

Recognize the effects of trauma on students, families, school administrators and staff, and communities;

Learn a process for implementing a schoolwide trauma-sensitive approach; and

Integrate trauma-sensitive practices into their daily operations.

This Implementation Guide provides school and district leaders with an overview of all components of the Training Package. Specifically, it outlines the intended audience, purpose and implementation process for each package component, along with steps for reviewing and rolling out the materials.
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The Trauma-Sensitive Schools Training Package offers school and district administrators and staff a roadmap and tools for adopting a school- or districtwide approach to addressing trauma and promoting resilience for everyone in the learning environment.

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Boys Town: Resources to Promote SEL in the classroom

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Boys Town: Resources to Promote SEL in the classroom

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Boys Town National Training | Improve Student Behavior

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Improve school culture & create positive classrooms. Learn to build positive relationships & improve student behavior. Teach skills kids need to be successful in school.

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Committe For Children: Second Step SEL Lessons/Online Resources

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Committe For Children: Second Step SEL Lessons/Online Resources

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Curated for Educators and Families

Support Social-Emotional Well-Being

When children practice social-emotional skills throughout their day, they learn to understand emotions and cope with everyday challenges. Use and share these research-based social-emotional learning (SEL) resources to empower children to thrive at school, at home, and everywhere in between.

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SEL Activities and Resources | Second Step

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Use and share these research-based SEL activities and resources to empower children to thrive at school, at home, and everywhere in between.

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Resources broken down by level (elementary, middle school, high school)

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SEE Learning K-12 Social Emotional Learning

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Resources

We are making these resources available for all. If you take the SEE 101 course, it will unlock your access to the full curriculum and many other valuable resources.

Educator Resources

English German

Video Resources

Please visit our YouTube channel to view these videos and those from SEE Learning educators from around the world.

PR/Marketing Resources

Research

We are excited to begin the development of our primary research program in SEE Learning. The curriculum, educator trainings, and framework are all informed by state-of-the-art research on trauma and resilience, compassion science, the science of systems learning, and development studies in social and emotional learning. For our program to continue evolving as an evidence-based program, we aim to focus our research goals around the following areas:

Program Evaluation

Monitoring program delivery is an essential part of program evaluation. We are working with partners to develop strategies for assessing the quality of educator training, and for monitoring the delivery-fidelity of the learning experiences to students at designated sites. We are also interested in evaluating the effectiveness of the learning experiences in improving student outcomes. Finally, we are developing strategies to respond to the outcomes of program monitoring and evaluation for future editions of the educator trainings and the curriculum.

Global Research Partnerships

We are interested in partnering with schools, regions, and educational communities to study the effectiveness of diverse implementation strategies. There is no single "right" way to bring SEE Learning to your community. We are interested in partnering with you to learn what works best foryou while maintaining effectiveness.

Concept Development Projects

We continue to deepen our conceptual understanding of compassion within the context of education, human development, and cultural variation at the personal, interpersonal, and systems levels of experiences. We have ongoing conceptual development projects around topics include social justice, equity, ethical intelligence, resilience, and many more.

If you have any questions or are interested in partnering with us please contact us at email: seelearning@emory.edu

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We are making these resources available for all. If you take the SEE 101 course, it will unlock your access to the full curriculum and many other valuable resources. English German Please visit our YouTube channel to view these videos and those from SEE Learning educators from around the world.

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Lions Quest COVID19 Online Resources for Parents and Caregivers

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Lions Quest COVID19 Online Resources for Parents and Caregivers

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Free SEL Lessons broken down by grade levels: PreK-2; 3-5; and 6-12.

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Collaborative for Academic Social Emotional Learning (CASEL)

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Collaborative for Academic Social Emotional Learning (CASEL)

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The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated feelings of isolation, stress, loss, and more among young people, adults, families, and communities. Social and emotional learning (SEL) offers a powerful means to support one another during these challenging times as our communities work to address the impact of the pandemic on students' learning and development.

Now, more than ever, we understand how important it is to demonstrate empathy and resilience, build relationships across distance, and call upon our collective resolve to strengthen our schools and our communities.

So, how can SEL support you and your work during this time? Find resources and guidance in Reunite, Renew, Thrive: SEL Roadmap for Reopening School (July 2020).

Our recommendations follow the four core focus areas for schoolwide SEL and districtwide SEL:

First, create a foundation for SEL.

Work with students, families, and communities to envision how education can more holistically support all learners.

Prioritize strong, two-way communication between families and schools.

Second, attend to well-being and mutual support among adults.

Pay close attention to our own social-emotional needs in order to be the community of adults who best serve our young people.

Foster supportive adult relationships to process emotions, share challenges, and offer support to one another.

Third, promote SEL for young people.

Provide consistency in daily routines to foster a sense of safety and predictability.

Listen to young people and support them in building or maintaining a sense of community and connection.

Incorporate social and emotional skill-building into learning (such as CASEL's SEL 3 Signature Practices).

Fourth, reflect on how things are going and adjust as you learn.

Listen to students, families, and your wider community of stakeholders as valuable sources of information about what is or isn't working.

Analyze results with a lens of equity to meet needs using our SEL Data Reflection Protocol

How is CASEL advancing this work?
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Guidance on School Transitions and Reopening

To aid in this time of continued transitions, CASEL collaborated with more than 40 partners to illuminate a way forward through Reunite, Renew, Thrive: SEL Roadmap for Reopening School (July 2020), centered on relationships and built on the existing strengths of a school community. As we prepared for Spring 2021, we offered three strategies adapted from the SEL Roadmap to re-examine efforts for a successful second semester: Refocus on the SEL Roadmap: Actions for a Successful Second Semester (January 2021).

CASEL CARES Webinar Series

In response to the pandemic, CASEL mobilized to provide social and emotional support to our communities and share best practices through an initiative called CASEL CARES. We offered weekly practical guidance and information on topics that were sourced from the field and relevant to the needs of today. Our CASEL CARES Webinars covered a wide range of SEL topics and attracted more than 100,000 people. View the on-demand series

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The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated feelings of isolation, stress, loss, and more among young people, adults, families, and communities. Social and

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National Center for School Crisis and Bereavment

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National Center for School Crisis and Bereavment

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Apps to Help Kids Stay Focused

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Common Sense Media editors help you choose 17 Apps to Help Kids Stay Focused. From little kid to teen, all kids get distracted (adults, too!), so consider using some tech to keep them on track.

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Mindfullness for Students and the adults that lead them

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School administrators have complex jobs. Mindfulness offers strategies and practices to help leaders manage and care for themselves, so they can manage and care for others.

By Edward Thompson | Leadership Magazine, January-February 2018
Mindfulness has been spreading like wildfire for a number of years. An internet search shows more than 75 million hits for "mindfulness," 35 million hits for "mindfulness in education" and 700,000 hits for "mindfulness for education leaders."

What was once an unknown concept and practice for many people in the western hemisphere has grown to a movement affecting organizations from Sesame Street to Wall Street. Companies such as MindUp, founded by Goldie Hawn, and Mindful Schools based in Emeryville, Calif., offer school and district-wide training programs, and curriculums to promote mindfulness in schools. Both groups report to have reached close to 1 million students with their mindfulness programs.

While the value of mindfulness in schools has been studied and written about, less has been researched about mindfulness and school leaders. What is mindfulness, where did it come from, and what are the implications for educational leadership?
Mindfulness: Thousands of years in practice
Although it is often associated with eastern religions, the importance of mindfulness has long been recognized in western cultures. William James in his book "Principles of Psychology," published in 1890, wrote: "The faculty of voluntarily bringing back a wandering attention over and over again, is the very root of judgment, character, and will... An education which should improve this faculty would be the education par excellence (quintessential). But it is easier to define this ideal than to give practical instructions for bringing it about."

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines mindfulness as, "the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis."

The four foundations of mindfulness are:

* Mindfulness of body.

* Mindfulness of feelings.

* Mindfulness of thoughts.

* Mindfulness of phenomena, or how we interact with the world around us.

Mindfulness can be practiced using a variety of techniques, such as visualization, intentional breathing, yoga, muscle relaxation and meditation. It can be done individually or in a group, and be part of a short term or ongoing program.

Interest in mindfulness burgeoned in the 1960s and '70s as a result of popular and professional attention. In 1975, Dr. Herbert Benson, a Harvard physician, studied meditation and the effect on stress. His findings, published in his book "The Relaxation Response," indicated that daily mindfulness practices, including breathing techniques, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation or visualization, can be helpful in reducing stress and related reactions, such as anxiety disorders.

In 1979 Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn of the University of Massachusetts Medical Center developed a program called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Originally used to augment pain management, MBSR and mindfulness practices were shown to benefit many life and work factors, including emotional regulation, enhanced attention and reduced stress.

Daniel Goleman coined the term "emotional intelligence" (EI) in his seminal book of the same name, and in a 1998 article for the Harvard Business Review cited the benefits of EI in the workplace. Among his findings, he concluded that good leaders are distinguished by a high degree of emotional intelligence.
Mindfulness in schools on the rise
Success in school requires the use of executive functions such as attention, memory and impulse control. These neurodevelopmental abilities, which mature over time, can be positively or negatively affected by genetic (nature) or environmental (nurture) factors.

Teachers quickly recognize those students who need to improve their ability to attend, self-regulate, and manage the demands of a class environment. The practice of mindfulness has shown promise in providing students with skills to increase self-management of cognitive and emotional functioning related to school success.

The positive effect of mindfulness practices on learning and school functioning has been extensively studied. An overview of research examining the effects of mindfulness programs in education (Campbell, 2014) reported positive results in improving anxiety management, reducing stress and improving social skills in students. Participants in the studies reported increased feelings of self-acceptance and improved self-regulation when practicing mindfulness.

Amy Saltzman, M.D., in collaboration with the Department of Psychology at Stanford, studied the effects of mindfulness practices with fourth through seventh graders and their parents. The results showed that after one hour of mindfulness training for eight consecutive weeks, the children demonstrated increased ability to orient their attention, as measured by an attention network test.

Researchers from Oxford and University College London are currently studying the long-term effects of mindfulness training in schools. According to an interview with Dr. Matthew Brensilver, program director of Mindful Schools (personal communication, Oct 3, 2017), the Mindful Schools program has been used with more than 750,00 students nationally and internationally.

Dr. Brensilver suggested that schools previously exposed to social-emotional learning programs tend to be more open to mindfulness training. He stated, "The intrinsic curiosity of teachers lends itself to interest in mindfulness."

Some well known researchers have voiced concerns about the mindfulness craze. In an article entitled "Don't Believe the Hype," contributing editor Linda Heuman interviewed Dr. Catherine Kerr, a neuroscientist studying meditation at Brown University. Dr. Kerr stated that increased media reports often seemed to cherry pick studies with positive results. She called for a more balanced review of the science behind mindfulness.

Jon Kabat-Zinn in a recent panel discussion at the New York Society for Ethical Culture discussed the future of mindfulness and worried that the explosion of programs would result in "watered down" versions lacking scientific rigor. Mindfulness like all evidence-based programs, requires intentionality and commitment to fidelity to be successful.
Managing the school environment
School administrators have complex jobs. Research has found that principals commonly report high levels of stress related to the competing demands in meeting the educational, social and emotional needs of students and staff. Principals are frequently presented with new and unexpected issues that compete for their time and attention. Technology, gender identity and equity are recent examples.

Jerome T. Murphy, the former dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has written about the challenges of educational leadership. He reported that more than 80 percent of administrators he polled expressed feeling overwhelmed, stressed and self critical about their performance.

In an article called the "Leadership Trap," he wrote: "At its heart, the leadership trap is this: To shine as a leader, you seek to control your distressing thoughts and emotions in order to steer clear of feeling (and looking) weak. Running away, suppressing your feelings, and hiding are common methods of control. Yet the more you struggle to control your insides, it turns out the more you undermine your outsides - your ability to build trust and take charge as a leader. The more you bury your stress, for instance, the more stressed and reactive you become."

Caryn Wells, writing in the September 2013 NASSP Bulletin, reported on the increasing stress that principals experience related to heightened expectations for student achievement. She recommended mindfulness practices as a way of managing the tension and related stress in school administration.

Just as parents manage and set the emotional tone in a family, the school administrator manages and influences the emotional tone or climate in their school. School leaders become the "holding environment" for upset, anxiety and frustration associated with challenging situations.

The task of responding to daily needs of students and staff while taking care of oneself requires skills that are not typically part of an administrative credentialing training program. Mindfulness offers strategies and practices to help administrators manage and care for themselves so they can manage and care for others.
Mindfulness and emotional intelligence
The importance of understanding relationships in organizations has long been recognized. The Tavistock Institute of Social Relations has been studying methods of improving human relations in organizations since 1947. The group focuses on the often-unconscious factors that affect how people react to factors such as authority, age or gender in the workplace.

Tavistock offers leadership training programs to assist individuals in gaining awareness and insight in order to improve work relations and effectiveness. One participant in a workshop reflected, "I realize that the principle benefit of the support I receive is to provide me with thinking time and the discipline of treating that thinking time as a priority because of the leadership challenges I face in my role. "These insights would be impossible to acquire without the benefit of skills, professional judgment and experience that is available through the coaching.

"I sometimes wonder how often people find time in busy schedules to think about the strategic issues they face individually and organizationally. I suspect only a minority would answer affirmatively. At times, dealing with complex organizational choices on a daily basis makes me break into a sweat."

The work of Daniel Goleman, author of "Emotional Intelligence," has emphasized the importance of awareness in recognizing one's own feelings and the feelings of others in order to manage emotions and relationships. Emotional intelligence is an important theme in the Leadership Coaching programs sponsored by ACSA, and referenced in "Blended Coaching," by Gary Bloom, and "Evocative Coaching," by Megan Tscahnnen Moran.

Bloom writes, "As important as professional knowledge and skills are, it is no secret that school leaders often fail not because they lack brains, determination, knowledge or skills, but because of what is often characterized as 'style' or 'people skills.'" Tscahnnen Moran includes listening "attentively, mindfully and openly" as critical skills in building trust, expanding understanding and gaining insights in supporting school leaders.

An informal survey I conducted with leadership coaches showed 75 percent agreeing that although daily mindfulness practice is difficult it would be beneficial to school leaders and students. All surveyed felt that mindfulness practices would add to positive relationships between administrators and staff members.

In my work as a leadership coach, I often hear administrators report on the emotional challenges presented by students, staff or families. As I listen to their stories, one question I always ask is "How do you take care of yourself?" I hear the different strategies but no reference to mindfulness techniques or practices.

Administrators are pressed to use their emotional intelligence to listen, empathize and respond to issues that often have no "right" answer. While most administrators rise to the countless challenges in a school day, the job can be taxing and leave individuals feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and in some cases, burnt out.
Mindfulness for schools and school leaders
Mindfulness programs in schools are growing, and research supports the benefits for students, staff and overall school climate. In 2014 Lidia Tilahun, M.A., and Lucy Vezzuto, Ph.D., compiled a document for the Orange County Department of Education Instructional Services Division, titled "Mindfulness Practice in K-12 Schools: Emerging Research on Stress, Well Being and Achievement."

In a review of the research they reported that factors essential to learning and school engagement such as attention, emotional regulation and social functioning could be improved with mindfulness practices. Studies cited also reported that teachers practicing mindfulness showed lower levels of stress and burnout.

The degree to which schools can access programs for mindfulness will vary according to needs and resources. Although mindfulness practices can benefit all learners, the skills acquired can be most beneficial to those students requiring Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions.

The Rockland County, N.Y. Board of Cooperative Educational Services received a $1.2 million grant in 2015 from the U.S. Department of Education to pilot a program incorporating mindfulness for students with severe emotional disabilities. Mindful Schools in Emeryville offers financial assistance to school districts in need, and reports that it has trained teachers in all 50 states, helping more than 750,000 students.

Adding new programs in a school is a process that requires engagement and support of all stakeholders. Mindfulness practices can be part of a daily routine and after time can become a more natural habitual way of being. The positive effects benefit learning, behavior and overall well-being. Developing habits take time and intention and the prospect of adding "one more thing" to an educator's schedule can meet with resistance.

James Clear is an author who writes about the science of self-improvement and suggests that new habits have a greater chance of sticking when they are added to already established routines. He uses the term "habit stacking" to describe this process. Most schools have programs that support social and emotional growth for students. Frameworks such as the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) offer a model and guidelines for incorporating complementary programs within a school system.

Educators become administrators for various reasons. A common theme is a passion for learning and improvement and a belief that they can lead others in the right direction. As the saying goes "It is lonely at the top," and many administrators once in the job find themselves isolated as they shoulder the ongoing responsibilities.

The natural tendency to avoid appearing weak can reinforce the isolation and increase the stress of leadership impacting productivity and well-being.

Guides to mindfulness practices are readily accessible and can lighten the load of school leaders. Mindfulness is best understood by practice, and leaders who model mindfulness will have greater buy-in from staff and students. Valerie Brown and Kristen Olson (2015) provide excellent detailed descriptions of mindfulness exercises for school leaders that are easy to learn.

Schools are dynamic systems of growth that reflect the changes and challenges of a fast-moving world. Educators and school leaders are increasingly tasked with addressing multiple issues beyond learning that affect student and adult performance.

Students from diverse backgrounds often come to school lacking attention and self-regulation skills, while adults desire a greater degree of empathy and understanding while at work. Interpersonal interactions that are inherent in collaboration require greater emotional intelligence for students and staff alike.

Children living in a world of "stimulation on steroids" have the greatest need to hardwire habits that can quiet their brains, calm their senses and allow them to grow and learn at their highest level.

Mindfulness has proven benefits for the physical, emotional and cognitive well being of students and educators. It can contribute to and help sustain positive school climates. The benefits of mindfulness and emotional intelligence are associated with successful school leadership.

In some ways the increased popularity of mindfulness may reflect a decrease in recognizing those factors that are related to a well-balanced life. In contrast to our Gross National Product index that measures abundance of goods and services, the country of Bhutan has a Gross National Happiness index that measures psychological well-being, health, time use, education, cultural diversity and resilience as factors of a good life. That sounds like something to be mindful about.
Resources
* Brown, V. and Olson, K. (2015), "The Mindful School Leader: Practices to Transform Your Leadership and School," Corwin.

* Campbell, C. (2014, Sept. 16), "Mindfulness in Education Research Highlights," Greater Good Magazine. Accessible at https://goo.gl/odhuA5.

* Clear, J. (n.d.), "How to Build New Habits by Taking Advantage of Old Ones," retrieved from http://jamesclear.com/habit-stacking.

* Frank, A. (2015, July 21), "Does Mindfulness Mean Anything?" Available at https://goo.gl/AoAzPR.

* Gelles, D. (2017, Oct. 3) moderator. New York Times, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson, "The Untold Story of America's Mindfulness Movement: Then, Now and the Future," New York Society of Ethical Culture. Live stream webinar retrieved from http://eileenfisherlifework.com/untold-story-live-stream.

* Heuman, L. (2014, Oct. 1), "Don't Believe the Hype," Trike Daily. Retrieved from https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/dont-believe-hype.

* Murphy, J. (2009) "The Leadership Trap," Harvard Graduate School of Education. Retrieved from www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/09/01/leadership-trap.

* Sher, M. (2017) "The Client Speaks." Retrieved from www.tavinstitute.org/projects/the-client-speaks-executive-coaching/

* Tilahun, L. and Vezzuto, L. (2014), "Mindfulness Practice in K-12 Schools: Emerging Research on Stress, Well-Being and Achievement," Orange County Dept. of Education Instructional Services Division. Available at https://goo.gl/WctQaW.
Edward Thompson, Psy.D., is retired director of clinical services for Tri-Valley SELPA, an ACSA Emeritus member and leadership coach, and founder of MTI Educational Consultants.

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Mindfulness for students and the adults who lead them

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School administrators have complex jobs. Mindfulness offers strategies and practices to help leaders manage and care for themselves, so they can manage and care for others. By Edward Thompson | Leadership Magazine, January-February 2018 Mindfulness has been spreading like wildfire for a number of years.

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Trauma Informed SEL Toolkit

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Trauma-informed SEL is an approach to fostering youths' social-emotional development with practices that support all students, but is particularly inclusive and responsive to the needs of children and youth who have experienced trauma. This approach calls for creating reliable learning environments where students who have experienced adversities and trauma

feel supported and connected;

are welcome to explore their strengths and identities;

can exercise their agency;

can develop meaningful, positive relationships with adults and peers; and

have access to the mental health supports they need.

Learn More about Trauma-informed SEL

Below, you can download our Trauma-Informed SEL Toolkit - a 120-minute professional development session designed for educators seeking research-based strategies to create a healthy classroom environment for students who have experienced adversities and trauma.

Why Download the Trauma-informed SEL Toolkit?

The research-based toolkit is rich with resources to explore, strategies to implement in the classroom, and prompts for reflections aimed at facilitating educator learning and engagement with the material. The toolkit includes:

More information about trauma and how it impacts students' success;

A range of strengths-based strategies educators can integrate into their classroom;

Overview of secondary traumatic stress and strategies for educator self-care;

A list of research articles, papers, and videos for further review; and

A facilitator's guide (including an abbreviated guide for a 60-minute session).

The download link includes a multimedia presentation, a three-page overview handout, and a brief facilitator's guide.

Trauma-Informed SEL Webinar & Accompanying Slides

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A full recording of our Trauma-Informed SEL Webinar is located below! What is Trauma-Informed SEL? Trauma-informed SEL is an approach to fostering youths' social-emotional development with practices that support all students, but is particularly inclusive and responsive to the needs of children and youth who have experienced trauma.

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Emotional Support and Well being resources

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Official website for California Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response daily updates and resources. Stay home - save lives. Find information and services to help you and help others.

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Free SEL Activities and Practices

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To find what you need quickly, sort the practices by age level and duration.

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Toolkit: Mental Wellness Resources for Educators

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Toolkit: Mental Wellness Resources for Educators

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As the Mental Wellness Task Force conducted its work, it found numerous resources that would be useful to administrators. Below is an extensive list of resources, including professional development programs, staff trainings and research publications.

CURRICULUM

California Department of Education: Social and Emotional Resources - Access documents and guides produced by the California Department of Education and subscribe to an SEL listserv.

Toolbox Project - Building Resilience, Self-Mastery, and Empathy for Self & Others

Inner Explorer - Series of daily audio-guided mindfulness practices - teaching kids the practical techniques to appropriately handle difficult emotions such as stress, anxiety, anger and more.

Mind Up -The Goldie Hawn Foundation program created in response to the global epidemic of childhood aggression, anxiety, depression and suicide. Based firmly in neuroscience, gives children the knowledge and tools they need to manage stress, regulate emotions and face the challenges of the 21st century with optimism, resilience and compassion.

Second Step - A program rooted in social-emotional learning that helps transform schools into supportive, successful learning environments uniquely equipped to help children thrive.

Social and Emotional Learning Embedded in Core Education Documents - Orange County Department of Education's SEL resource page.

DATA/RESEARCH

ACSA Publication: Trauma and Teacher Practice - Outlining the need for teachers to participate in the healing process for students recovering from trauma.

ASCD Publications: Making School a Safe Place -Articles from ASCD's Educational Leadership publication on the theme "Making School a Safe Place."

CORE Districts - Nationally recognized school improvement and accountability system that uses cooperative efforts to implement new academic standards and improve training for teachers and administrators.

Center for Disease Control: Violence Prevention - CDC Resource on prevention tools and post-trauma tools for violence in communities.

Ed Week Publication - Article from Ed Week, "Teachers Support Social Emotional Learning but Say Students in Distress Strain Their Skills."

Student Social and Emotional Competence Assessment - This report describes the state of the field of student social and emotional competence assessment and envisions the conditions in which the field can continue to develop in ways that tangibly benefit teaching and learning.

SPEAKER/TRAINING

Kelli Rizzi Director of School and District Support, Shasta County Office of Education - Expert in the area of Trauma Informed Practice and highly engaging presenter on the subject.

Mental Health First Aid - Training resource for community members for Mental Health First Aid

National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement - Confident on-site and remote technical assistance and consultation for K-12 school leadership and school professionals dealing with trauma and grief

Resilience Strategies for Educators: Techniques for Self-Care and Peer Support (RSE) - a one-day Training designed to assist caregivers in schools and school districts to better understand resilience strategies following natural disasters and other emergency events

UNIVERSAL SCREENING

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Quiz - Quick survey provided by NPR for Adverse Childhood Experiences as a self-evaluation.

MISCELLANEOUS (multiple categories)

California Department of Education: Child Welfare & Attendance - Resources for student support personnel for addressing chronic absenteeism with publications and toolkits for identifying and linking youths with attendance problems to all appropriate school and community resources.

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) - Through research, practice, and policy, we collaborate with thought leaders to equip educators and policymakers with the knowledge and resources to advance social and emotional learning in equitable learning environments so all students can thrive.

Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA) - DESSA-mini, a universal screener, provides a reliable and accurate snapshot of student's social-emotional competence. In just a minute or so results provide a colored-coded score used to identify students who need Tier II or Tier III supports. DESSA also has a massive library of tools, curriculum, and resources based on scores.

Gaggle - Gaggle's Student Safety Solution analyzes and reviews the use of online tools and alert the school of potential suicides, self-harm and school threats.

Lions Quest - Providing schools, communities with the ability to help educate, nurture and empower our youth. Speaking to the needs of our community, as well as designed provide high quality social emotional learning experiences for students.

Mindful Education - A certified professional and personal developmental course focused on mindfulness and social emotional learning in the classroom. For your personal development we have 12 audio mindfulness practices and a mindful movement video that you can download and utilize as a progressive training. . You can also tune in to monthly webinars to continue learning from experts and to ask questions about integrating these lessons.

Mindful Schools - Mindful Schools utilizes mindfulness to provide young people with a compass to navigate their lives. Through integrating mindfulness into everyday learning environments of K-12 classrooms, Mindful Schools has trained over 50,000 educators, parents, and mental health professionals who work with youth.

Tici'ess - Tici'ess provides leadership development through emotional intelligence competencies, racial healing, trauma-responsiveness, SEL (Social Emotional Learning), and family engagement to leaders and teachers. The work is led by Tovi Scruggs-Hussein, an award-winning urban high school principal with over 25 years of emotional intelligence training.

Panorama Education - Panorama Student Success provides a complete picture of every student's academic, attendance, behavior, and social-emotional learning (SEL) progress in school.

Ed Week article - "Teachers Support Social Emotional Learning but Say Students in Distress Strain Their Skills"

Social, Emotional, and Ethical (SEE) Learning - An innovative K-12 education program developed by Emory University, a free online social and emotional curriculum for K-8 (9-12 is in development) with lessons for teachers, professional development online.

Ghandi 150 - Promoting nonviolence in education by organizing a 90-minute event at educational institutions. Join 1,000 Schools, Colleges and Universities across the United States pledging for peace & nonviolence on the momentous occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary.

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Toolkit: Mental wellness resources for educators

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As the Mental Wellness Task Force conducted its work, it found numerous resources that would be useful to administrators. Below is an extensive list of resources, including professional development programs, staff trainings and research publications. California Department of Education: Social and Emotional Resources - Access documents and guides produced by the California Department of Education and subscribe to an SEL listserv.

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Resilient Outcomes in the Community for Kids & Youth (ROCKY)

The ROCKY program provides a range of crisis-related triage services to children aged 21 and under in need of assistance, or their parent, guardian, or caregiver.

Diversion of persons in crisis to appropriate levels of care.

Requiring stabilization and/or therapeutic or recovery focused services.

Serving 21 and under

Hours of operation: M-F 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM

The C.R.E.S.T. & R.E.A.C.H. Teams are part of the Crisis Support System of Care Program. These are field based teams consisting of Clinical Therapists, Behavioral Health Specialist and Peer Support Specialist working collaboratively with Law Enforcement & Emergency Department Personnel to decrease the need for inpatient hospitalizations as well as decreasing the amount of time that Law Enforcement & Emergency Department Personnel are dedicating to individuals in psychiatric crisis. The C.R.E.S.T. & R.E.A.C.H. Teams are able to work with individuals from all age groups.

Community Response Evaluation and Support Team (CREST)
CREST units work collaboratively with local Police and Sheriff Departments to decrease the need for inpatient hospitalizations as well as decreasing the amount of time that law enforcement personnel are dedicating to consumers in psychiatric crisis.

Any age person that is experiencing a psychiatric crisis.

Those with insurance and those without.

Persons that are not already deemed needing to be placed on a 5150

For more information: (951) 715-5040
24/7 Mental Health Urgent Care Centers (MHUC)
MHUC Riverside: 9980 County Farm Rd, Bldg. 2, Riverside 92503 Phone: (951) 509-2499 MHUC Perris: 85 Ramona Expressway, Ste. 1-3, Perris 92571 Phone: (951) 349-4195 MHUC Palm Springs: 2500 N. Palm Canyon Dr., Ste. A4, Palm Springs 92571 Phone: (442) 268-7000

REACH units work collaboratively within community hospital emergency departments, to decrease the need for inpatient hospitalizations, as well as decreasing the amount of time that hospital medical staff is dedicating to patients in psychiatric crisis.

Screening, Assessment, Crisis Counseling, Peer Navigation and Support, Wellness Planning, Linkage to Ongoing Services, and Psychiatric Medications in a safe, efficient, Trauma-Informed, and least-restrictive setting.

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Resilient Outcomes in the Community for Kids & Youth (ROCKY) The ROCKY program provides a range of crisis-related triage services to children aged 21 and under in need of assistance, or their parent, guardian, or caregiver. Diversion of persons in crisis to appropriate levels of care. Requiring stabilization and/or therapeutic or recovery focused services.

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Managing Anxiety Around COVID19

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If you're noticing anxiety in yourself or those around you these days, you're not alone. With mention of COVID-19 (commonly known as coronavirus) filling radio and television news, social media feeds, and our email inboxes, it's no wonder we're all anxious. Between the uncertainty, the real health risks, and the hype, fear and anxiety are feelings that are both valid and common. We wanted to provide you with a few ideas for managing those feelings.

Start with yourself. Before you help others with their feelings, make sure you are okay-that you are calm enough to validate, reassure, and support others. Practice your calming strategies. Practice self-care. Talk to others. Breathe.

Be aware of your own emotions and accept how you feel. With widespread illness, real uncertainty exists. We may be worried about our own health and safety, the well-being of our family members, or even childcare or workplace issues. Remind yourself that a certain level of anxiety is grounded and normal. Seek professional help if you feel your anxiety or fear is getting in the way.

Focus on the facts. Consult reliable and up-to-date sources of information such as the Center for Disease Control website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html and your local news source for updates on closings, procedures, and guidelines.

Control the amount of information you take in. In times like these, we may feel like we have no control. One thing we can control is how much information we seek out and how often we tune in. Take breaks as needed from the news, social media, and conversations that make you feel anxious.

Don't be afraid to say no. If someone asks you to attend a social event or goes to hug you or shake your hand and you are not interested, this is not a time to push yourself past your comfort zone. Give yourself permission to say no, as your physical and mental health is the most important thing. At a loss for words? Try something like, "With all the germs going around, I'll take a raincheck."

Respect others' decisions but know what's right for you. We all handle the news differently. You may know someone stocking up on masks and paper goods; others may be continuing to host parties. Let them go about their business, and think about what you need to do for you and your own physical and emotional well-being.

Be your best self when dealing with stigma and fears. If you hear rumors or notice suspicion around certain groups of people being sick, question ungrounded assumptions and do your best to protect those who are stigmatized or judged. Have compassion for those who are ill and those whose lives have been disrupted by the virus or society's response to it, including having compassion for yourself.

Support others who are dealing with anxiety and uncertainty. When helping others with their anxiety, particularly your colleagues, students, or children, we suggest you:

Manage your own anxiety first.

Don't be afraid to discuss the situation-open communication sometimes is the best way to allay unpleasant emotions.

Don't assume you know how others, and particularly children, are feeling or why they're feeling that way. Ask.

Consider the age and developmental level of those with whom you speak. Take your cues from them on what to discuss.

Reassure children with facts. Remind them that adults, in particular capable scientists and health care workers, are working together to keep everyone safe. Discuss what you are doing and what they can do to stay safe and germ-free.

Dealing with the uncertainty of the current situation is difficult for everyone, and we want to support in any way we can. Please feel free to share the above with your school community, and do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions, suggestions, or seek additional guidance in this area. Below are links to other resources you may find helpful as you navigate this challenging time.

Sincerely,

The Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence Team

Webinar Recording

Managing Anxiety around COVID-19
We have created a document of strategies attendees of the webinar listed above use to manage anxiety during this time. To access the document, click here.

Additional Resources

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If you're noticing anxiety in yourself or those around you these days, you're not alone. With mention of COVID-19 (commonly known as coronavirus) filling radio and television news, social media feeds, and our email inboxes, it's no wonder we're all anxious.

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College Admissions Status Updates

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NACAC's College Admission Status Update is a central resource of information about changes in college admission as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

The chart below includes information provided to NACAC by colleges and universities worldwide. You'll find information on each institution's plans and policies for admission events; for consideration of high school transcripts and standardized test scores; for decision and deposit dates; for fall tuition and registration plans; and more.

This resource was first released on March 17. It was updated on April 20 with additional questions and responses from institutions. To use this resource:

Select the "+" symbol next to any category in the chart below to narrow the results.

To sort alphabetically by college, click on "Institutions."

To view a particular college's information, click on that institution's name in the left column. Their results will appear in the right column.

This tool is updated within one business day as new responses are received. To export a copy of these results, click on the three elipses in the upper right corner of this downloadable version.
Our thanks to the many institutions who are participating in this initiative to support counselors, students, families, and the profession as a whole as we grapple with substantial disruptions in the academic year. Institutions can use this form to provide information about admission-related changes. To update information whenever programs or policies at your institution change, simply re-submit the form. Please coordinate with your colleagues to ensure accurate information is coming to NACAC from a single point of contact.

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coronavirus college admission dates deadlines tool deposits

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National Association for College Admission Counseling- NACAC College Admission Status Update During the Coronavirus Outbreak

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NACAC's College Admission Status Update is a central resource of information about changes in college admission as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. The chart below includes information provided to NACAC by colleges and universities worldwide.

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Arts & Culture Expeditions - Google Arts & Culture

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Go on a virtual field trip with Google Arts & Culture

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Skip to main content

We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 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 in the United States.

988

¡Los servicios de texto y chat de 988 Lifeline ya están disponibles en español!
Haga clic aquí para obtener información sobre cómo acceder a todos los servicios en español.

Conocer más

Stock photo by iStock.

The 988 Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. We're committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness.

About The Lifeline

Anyone could be struggling with suicide. Find more specific resources below.

I'm Struggling With Individuals with Neurodivergence

We understand that every struggle is different. Experience the stories of people like you, and how they overcame crisis to find hope and recovery.
read stories of hope & recovery

First, you'll hear an automated message featuring additional options while your call is routed to your local 988 Lifeline network crisis center.

We'll play you a little music while we connect you to a skilled, trained crisis worker.

A trained crisis worker at your local center will answer the phone.

This person will listen to you, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide support, and get you the help you need.

988 Lifeline Center calls are free and confidential, and we're available 24/7.

Show What Happens When You Call The Lifeline

Everyone Plays A Role In Suicide Prevention

Get in touch

Call the Lifeline

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Skip to main content We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 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 in the United States. 988 ¡Los servicios de texto y chat de 988 Lifeline ya están disponibles en español!

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The Boys Town National Hotline® (800-448-3000) is a free resource and counseling service that assists youth and parents 24/7, year round, nationwide.

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The National Parent Helpline® is here for you and is open to parents and caregivers of children and youth of all ages.

1-855- 4A PARENT (1-855-427-2736)

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The National Parent Helpline® is here for you and is open to parents and caregivers of children and youth of all ages.

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During the month of April Free online parenting course

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$49 Special Offer - Click Here
Love and Logic is the original and proven leader in parenting. Since 1977 we've helped parents from all walks of life create happy, resilient and responsible kids.

You will learn parenting tips for all ages of kids on how to:

End arguing and manipulation

Neutralize defiance

Replace anger and frustration with empathy

End bedtime battles

Set kids up for success by allowing them to make small mistakes when the price tag is small

And much more!

Sessions:

Module 1: Putting an End to Arguing, Back Talk and Begging

Module 2: Teaching Responsibility without Losing Their Love

Module 3: Setting Limits without Waging War

Module 4: Avoiding Power-Struggles

Module 5: Guiding Kids to Own and Solve Their Problems

Module 6: Teaching Kids to Complete Chores...without Reminders and without Pay

You will have access to the program for 6 weeks from the date of purchase.
This item is also available with subtitled videos or in Spanish.
by Jim Fay and Charles Fay, Ph.D.
6 hours of total instruction. Recommended this be spread over a period of several weeks.

$99.00 per person.
Includes $10.00 non-refundable deposit.
Sharing links, login information, or any other information contained within this course hurts our ability to provide much needed jobs for our employees. Thanks for following copyright laws.
Certificate of completion available for a nominal fee of $25.00. Contact cservice@loveandlogic.com or call 800-338-4065

Streaming products are NOT downloadable. You will need an internet connection to view or listen.
To order the webinar as a gift, please call us at 800-338-4065or purchase agift card.
Note: The Online Course access link will expire in 6 weeks.

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Enjoy immediate success with the effective parenting solutions with kids of all ages taught in this online parenting class. You will learn parenting tips for neutralizing arguing, backtalk, and much more! End the power struggles today, and have fun with your kids again!

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Free Emotional Intelligence Apps and Games

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Top Picks

RELATED

Print | Save as PDF

Daniel Tiger's Grr-ific Feelings

Songs and activities help kids express, recognize, understand emotions

Bottom line: Daniel Tiger and his friends present excellent examples for kids who are just learning healthy emotional expression.

Grades: Pre-K–K Price: $2.99

Bouncy the People Trainer

Thorough, thoughtful multimedia social-emotional learning experience

Bottom line: Important info for all kids is especially helpful for at-risk students.

Grades: Pre-K–1 Price: Free

Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame

Sesame Street winner teaches kids how to keep calm and carry on

Bottom line: Highly effective tool for whole-class instruction or one-on-one intervention.

Grades: Pre-K–1 Price: Free

Zoo Academy

Uncage compassion and learn social-emotional awareness with a cast of cute zoo animals

Bottom line: Interactive program with practice activities teaches SEL to young students.

Peekapak

Complete SEL units in a neat and tidy package

Bottom line: Detailed social and emotional learning lessons provide teachers with almost everything they'll need to spark positive character development and reflection in their students.

Grades: Pre-K–5 Price: Free, Paid

QuaverSEL

Shake up SEL lessons with music and movement

Bottom line: Fun for students, easy for teachers, QuaverSEL uses the power of music to boost social and emotional learning.

Grades: Pre-K–5 Price: Free to try, Paid

Calm

Relaxing and serene app helps incorporate peace into daily life

Bottom line: If you're looking for a captivating app to teach relaxation and calming skills to students, Calm is an essential tool to add to your toolbox.

Grades: Pre-K–12 Price: Free, Free to try, Paid

Touch and Learn - Emotions

Free app helps kids identify emotions, recognize body language

Bottom line: Bridges the gap between feeling or witnessing emotions and using words to describe them.

Wisdom: The World of Emotions

Quirky game helps kids recognize and regulate anger in self and others

Bottom line: If they can get through the confusing bits, students will be able to identify, label, and perhaps manage strong feelings of anger or frustration.

Grades: K–3 Price: Free to try

Emotional ABCs Classroom

Strong learning approach to mastering SEL competencies

Bottom line: Excellent program for teaching young kids emotion identification, regulation, and social relationships.

Grades: K–4 Price: Free, Paid

Hopster Saturday Club: Empathy

Explore range of emotions to help kids ID feelings and spark discussion

Bottom line: This could be a fun introduction to talking about a variety of emotions and how to recognize them in others.

AIM Buddy Project

Well-organized SEL program pairs older and younger students for discussion

Bottom line: The AIM Buddy Project is an enjoyable, effective program for teaching SEL concepts and making elementary students feel more connected with each other.

Mindful Powers

Care for a cute creature to practice mindfulness and self-control

Bottom line: Meditation lessons and visual timers act as decent supplemental activities for introducing SEL skills.

Grades: K–5 Price: Free to try, Paid

Zoo U

Research-based social game has terrific assessment potential

Bottom line: A powerful and focused social problem-solving game designed to reach kids who need direct instruction.

Grades: K–5 Price: Free to try

Mind Yeti

Calming program with cute characters helps center kids

Bottom line: If you're someone who needs mindfulness-based approaches, Mind Yeti's characters could be the right fit.

Grades: K–8 Price: $499/year per school

Insight Timer

Popular mindfulness app offers daily, guru-guided meditation practice

Bottom line: This expert-guided SEL tool can help students -- and teachers -- build lifelong habits for relaxation, reflection, and focus.

Grades: K–12 Price: Free, Paid

Empatico

Connect with classrooms around the world using built-in activities

Bottom line: Teachers will find almost everything they need to create the opportunity for meaningful exchanges with students from faraway places.

YouHue

Basic mood journal can help kids build self-awareness

Bottom line: Simple tool for a quick, daily check-in on students' emotions.

Me: A Kid's Diary

Unique take on self-exploration relies on prompts to guide reflection

Bottom line: With plenty of ways to express and document their thoughts and more, this app can help students learn something new about themselves.

Better World Ed

Wordless videos link core subjects, SEL; connect students to the world

Bottom line: If your school or home can afford it, Better World Ed is a well-done interdisciplinary curriculum that will expand students' global view.

Grades: 2–10 Price: Free to try

Hall of Heroes

Responsive game helps students prepare for transition to middle school

Bottom line: Wonderful and fun social-interaction game designed to teach cooperation and friendship skills needed for middle school and beyond.

Grades: 5–8 Price: Free to try, Paid

Character Playbook

Realistic comic book-style stories help build healthy relationships

Bottom line: A valuable series of modules to get kids thinking about how their choices help build strong character.

The Mood Meter

Well-designed tool encourages kids to reflect on and manage emotions

Bottom line: Appealing, thought-provoking tool builds emotional intelligence.

Calm Harm - Manages Self Harm

Immediate help for teens struggling with harmful urges

Bottom line: Powerful therapeutic tool teaches positive coping skills and mental wellness.

Smiling Mind

Quick and easy meditation practice for busy classroom lives

Bottom line: This easy-to-follow meditation program can help reduce stress and support social and emotional learning.

Mitra

Insightful, minimalist app gets students tracking emotions and values

Bottom line: A practical tool to use in combination with discussion about emotional intelligence and character development.

Please Knock on My Door

Effective and affecting game about dealing with depression

Bottom line: A slow-paced SEL game for helping students understand the nuances of managing mental health.

Florence

Incredibly relatable story about navigating adult love and life

Bottom line: This heartwarming game helps kids empathize with the highs and lows of romantic relationships.

Grades: 10–12 Price: Paid

Get tips for using these tools in the classroom

See related resources

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Emotional Intelligence Apps and Games | Common Sense Education

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Help students identify and manage their emotions. Explore this Emotional Intelligence Apps and Games Top Picks list of 29 tools curated by Common Sense Education editors to find relevant and engaging edtech solutions for your classroom.

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Free SEL Learning Activites for K-8

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Welcome to our supplemental Social Emotional Learning Activities page!

As you will see below, many of the supplemental SEL activities and lesson plans include characters from our game-based, social emotional learning interventions. And when you use the online programs with your students, these activities will reinforce the learning that occurs during game play.

These supplemental resources - lessons, activities, and worksheets - are in the following SELskill areas: Communication, Cooperation, Emotion Regulation, Empathy, Impulse Control, and Social Initiation.

These resources are age-appropriate for elementary and middle school students and are typically used in a classroom or a small group setting. And in most cases, if materials are required for the activity, they are items that you already have in your classroom or office.
Note: Please share this page on your school website so other educators may also benefit.
Social Emotional Learning at Home

Additional Resources for Social Emotional Learning

Our classroom management plan is a step-by-step guide and includes proven strategies, tips and printables for elementary school teachers, and it covers four key components for establishing a successful, well-managed classroom.

These free downloadable posters will decorate your classroom and be great teaching resources, reinforcing social and emotional skills in your classroom and reminding students to practice their skills like emotion regulation, impulse control, empathy, and more.

Social Emotional Learning Quotes

For each of the topics below, we have curated a list of quotes. You can incorporate these quotes in your social emotional learning lessons, add them to social media images, create classroom posters, or write one on your whiteboard each day.

Need Something More Engaging And Effective For A Few Students?

Simply request a FREE Centervention educator account and start using our online programs!

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95 Free Social Emotional Learning Activities

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95 free social emotional learning activities, worksheets, and lessons to help students in elementary and middle school. Most are no-prep and ready to go.

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Daily online SEL Lessons/Videos to address Social Emotional Learning for children and families

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Beaumont Unified School District serves students and is located in Beaumont, CA.

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The Boys Town National Hotline® (800-448-3000) is a free resource and counseling service that assists youth and parents 24/7, year round, nationwide.

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As a peer-run warm line, we value mutuality between our staff and callers. Just as we honor the choices and boundaries of our callers, we also want our counselors to feel safe by having their boundaries respected. Callers are required to speak respectfully to peer counselors and honor any boundaries communicated by a counselor. Any of the following behaviors will result in a ban from using the California Peer-Run Warm Line:

Use of hate speech. This includes harassment and discrimination based on race, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, religion, age, ability, and more.

Harassment including sexual harassment.

Failure to respect Warm Line policies.

If you would like to appeal a ban from contacting the California Peer-Run Warm Line, you may do so here.

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- Mental Health Association San Francisco

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PROUDLY SERVING ALL OF CALIFORNIA call or text the warm line 855-845-7415 instant message with us online chat frequently asked questions learn more CALL or TEXT 855-845-7415 TO SPEAK TO+ Read More

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TEEN LINE is a non-profit, community based organization that provides emotional support to youth. It is our mission to provide peer based education and support before problems become a crisis, using a national hotline, community outreach and online support.

NEW! Try the free TEEN TALK APP to vent, share and get support from a trained teen.
DOWNLOAD | READ MORE

Do you need help working something out? Do you want to talk to someone who understands, like another teen? We're here to help! Call (310) 855-HOPE or (800) TLC-TEEN (nationwide toll-free) from 6pm to 10pm PST.

Text "TEEN" to 839863 between 6:00pm-9:00pm PST to speak with one of our teens (Text STOP to opt out. Standard msg and data rates may apply - click here for terms and conditions).

TEEN LINE answers emails every evening. You can send us a question, and we will answer you as quickly as possible.

You can ask other teens questions on our message boards. Read through the disscusions and login or register to join the conversation.

Donate

Are you concerned about bullying, teen suicide, and depression? Donate to TEEN LINE to make a difference! Your support keeps outreach events in schools, the hotline open, and directly helps teens. TEEN LINE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, donations are tax deductible.

see more ways to donate

Volunteer

TEEN LINE is more than just a hotline. Our teens and adult volunteers gain invaluable knowledge in helping others, they work in a team-orientated environment, attend outreach opportunities, and they make a difference: in some cases even a life-saving one.

how you can help

Outreach

Our Outreach program reaches over 38,000 people each year providing presentations on various topics pertinent to adolescence. Outreach services are tailored to fit any schedule or population. Schedule an outreach event today to help educate the community.

learn more about outreach

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TEEN LINE | Teens Helping Teens - Connect, talk, get help!

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TEEN LINE is a non-profit, community based organization that provides emotional support to youth. It is our mission to provide peer based education and support before problems become a crisis, using a national hotline, community outreach and online support. NEW! Try the free TEEN TALK APP to vent, share and get support from a trained teen.

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Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health - Tips for Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation During an Infectious Disease Outbreak

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This fact sheet explains social distancing, quarantine, and isolation in the event of an infectious disease outbreak. It discusses feelings and thoughts that may arise during this time and suggests ways to cope and support oneself during such an experience.

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SAMHSA: Coping with Stress During Infections Disease

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SAMHSA: Coping with Stress During Infections Disease

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This fact sheet provides tips for coping with stress during an infectious disease outbreak. It describes common signs of stress and how to recognize when to get help.

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Orders exceeding the maximum quantity limit require authorization.

You May Also Be Interested In

This fact sheet provides parents, caregivers, and teachers with strategies for helping children manage their stress during an infectious disease outbreak. It describes potential reactions among youth and the support adults can provide to help them.

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Coping with Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks

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This fact sheet provides tips for coping with stress during an infectious disease outbreak. It describes common signs of stress and how to recognize when to get help. Orders exceeding the maximum quantity limit require authorization. This fact sheet provides parents, caregivers, and teachers with strategies for helping children manage their stress during an infectious disease outbreak.

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SAMHSA: Lidiando con el estrés durante la enfermedad de las infecciones

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SAMHSA: Lidiando con el estrés durante la enfermedad de las infecciones

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Coping with Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks (Spanish) | SAMHSA Publications and Digital Products

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The National Parent Helpline® is here for you and is open to parents and caregivers of children and youth of all ages.

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The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) is the first national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 to all residents in the U.S. and its territories who are experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.

Call or text 1-800-985-5990.

Español: Llama o envía un mensaje de texto 1-800-985-5990 presiona "2."

For Deaf and Hard of Hearing ASL Callers: To connect directly to an agent in American Sign Language, click the "ASL Now" button below or call 1-800-985-5990 from your videophone. ASL Support is available 24/7. FAQs for ASL NOW users.

Counseling Services

The helpline puts people in need of counseling on the path to recovery. When you call or text, crisis counselors listen to what's on your mind with patience and without judgment. DDH is staffed by trained counselors from a network of crisis call centers located across the United States, who provide:

Crisis counseling for people in emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster

Information on how to recognize distress and its effects on individuals and families

Referrals to local crisis call centers for additional follow-up care and support

Healthy coping tips

There is no need to give any identifying information when you contact DDH. The counselor may ask you for some basic information at the end of the call, but these questions are optional and intended to help SAMHSA keep track of the types of calls it receives.

Who Can Call the Disaster Distress Helpline?

The helpline is open to anyone experiencing emotional distress related to disasters. This includes survivors of disasters; loved ones of victims; first responders; rescue, recovery, and relief workers; clergy; and parents and caregivers. You may call for yourself or on behalf of someone else.
Disasters may include:
The impact of crises may affect people in different ways. Recognize the warning signs and risk factors for emotional distress related to natural and human-caused disasters.

How do I Connect with a Trained Counselor?

Call or text 1-800-985-5990.

Standard text and data message rates will apply when texting from mobile phones. International text and data rates may apply from within U.S. territories and free association nations. SAMHSA will not sell your phone numbers to other parties.

Languages

DDH callers can connect with counselors in over 100 languages via 3rd-party interpretation services. Indicate to the responding counselor your preferred language and they will connect you to a live interpreter (interpretation in less commonly spoken languages may require calling back at an appointed time). Get DDH information in 30 commonly spoken languages.

Other Inquiries

If you're not in immediate need of crisis counseling support and would like to contact us for other reasons, send us an email. Contact us for:

Technical problems. If you encountered a technical problem while trying to contact the helpline, please include your name and preferred contact information in your email if you wish to receive a reply.

Provider inquiries. Providers with specific inquiries about technical assistance and support, requests for materials, and exploring collaborations are encouraged to send an email.

Feedback. To provide feedback about your experience with the helpline, send an email describing your experience and SAMHSA will look into the matter. Please include your name and preferred contact information if you wish to receive a reply.

Social media inquiries. Email us with questions about the helpline's use of social media.

All media inquiries. Members of the media with questions about the Disaster Distress Helpline are encouraged to email media@samhsa.hhs.gov.

Our staff appreciate hearing from people about their experiences. SAMHSA takes feedback about our services, whether it is positive or negative, very seriously.

SAMHSA also encourages public promotion of the Disaster Distress Helpline. Anyone can use the Disaster Distress Helpline logo and telephone number on their website and link to the Disaster Distress Helpline's materials and social media properties.

Call 211 for information about disaster-related evacuations, shelters, food and clothing distribution, volunteer opportunities, and other resources and referrals. Or visit the national 211 Call Center website to find the 211 information and referral center nearest you.

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The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) is the first national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 to all residents in the U.S. and its territories who are experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. Call or text 1-800-985-5990 .

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All information entered on the Care Solace website is completely confidential and securely stored. They do not share specific user information to any third parties or even the district itself. View our terms of use for more details.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

Email us at Call us 24x7 at (888) 515-0595 weserve@caresolace.org
We speak English, Spanish (Hablamos Español), Mandarin, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Tagalog and Korean
or Video Chat

Please note, Care Solace is not an emergency response service nor mental health services provider. In the event of a life threatening emergency, please call 9-1-1 or the National Suicide Hotline (800) 273-8255.

Please allow access to your camera to get connected with a Care Companion™️

We apologize, but no Care Companion™️ is available right now.

You can try again in a few minutes or in the mean time, you can email us at weserve@caresolace.org and expect a response within 15 minutes.

This call is recorded and may be reviewed for quality and training purposes.

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Beaumont Unified School District : Care Match

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All information entered on the Care Solace website is completely confidential and securely stored. They do not share specific user information to any third parties or even the district itself. View our terms of use for more details.

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Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus Crisis - Child Mind Institute

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What parents and other adults can say to kids about the coronavirus COVID-19. How to answer their questions and keep kids feeling safe.

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Updated on March 16 at 1:56 p.m. ET. This comic has been updated. Click here for the newest version.
Kids, this comic is for you.

It's based on a radio story that NPR education reporter Cory Turner did. He asked some experts what kids might want to know about the new coronavirus discovered in China.

To make this comic, we've used his interviews with Tara Powell at the University of Illinois School of Social Work, Joy Osofsky at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and Krystal Lewis at the National Institute of Mental Health.

Print and fold a zine version of this comic here. Here are directions on how to fold it. To read this comic in Chinese, click here.To read it in Spanish, click here.

Malaka Gharib is an NPR editor and the author and illustrator of I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir, about being first-generation Filipino Egyptian American.

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Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus

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You may have heard the word "coronavirus" online or on TV. You probably have a lot of questions. Check out our comic to get some answers - and print out a zine version at home.

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National Association of School Psychologists

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National Association of School Psychologists

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National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

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Families across the country are adapting to the evolving changes in daily life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most schools, places of public gathering, and nonessential businesses are closed, and parents and other caregivers are faced with helping their families adjust to the new normal. This includes trying to keep children occupied, feeling safe, and attempting to keep up with schoolwork as best as possible. None of this is easy, but it helps to stay focused on what is possible in order to reinforce a sense of control and to reassure children that they are okay, and that the situation will get better.

It is very important to remember that children look to adults for guidance on how to react to stressful events. Acknowledging some level of concern, without panicking, is appropriate and can result in taking the necessary actions that reduce the risk of illness. Teaching children positive preventive measures, talking with them about their fears, and giving them a sense of some control over their risk of infection can help reduce anxiety. This is also a tremendous opportunity for adults to model for children problem-solving, flexibility, and compassion as we all work through adjustting daily schedules, balancing work and other activities, getting creative about how we spend time, processing new information from authorities, and connecting and supporting friends and family members in new ways. The following tips can help.

STAY CALM, LISTEN, AND OFFER REASSURANCE

Be a role model. Children will react to and follow your reactions. They learn from your example.

Be aware of how you talk about COVID-19. Your discussion about COVID-19 can increase or decrease your child's fear. If true, remind your child that your family is healthy, and you are going to do everything within your power to keep loved ones safe and well. Carefully listen or have them draw or write out their thoughts and feelings and respond with truth and reassurance.

Explain social distancing. Children probably don't fully understand why parents/guardians aren't allowing them to be with friends. Tell your child that your family is following the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which include social distancing. Social distancing means staying away from others until the risk of contracting COVID-19 is under control. Showing older children the "flatten the curve" charts will help them grasp the significance of social distancing. Explain that while we don't know how long it will take to "flatten the curve" to reduce the number of those infected, we do know that this is a critical time-we must follow the guidelines of health experts to do our part.

Demonstrate deep breathing. Deep breathing is a valuable tool for calming the nervous system. Do breathing exercises with your children.

Focus on the positive. Celebrate having more time to spend as a family. Make it as fun as possible. Do family projects. Organize belongings, create masterpieces. Sing, laugh, and go outside, if possible, to connect with nature and get needed exercise. Allow older children to connect with their friends virtually.

Establish and maintain a daily routine. Keeping a regular schedule provides a sense of control, predictability, calm, and well-being. It also helps children and other family members respect others' need for quiet or uninterrupted time and when they can connect with friends virtually.

Identify projects that might help others. This could include: writing letters to the neighbors or others who might be stuck at home alone or to healthcare workers; sending positive messages over social media; or reading a favorite children's book on a social media platform for younger children to hear.

Offer lots of love and affection.

MONITOR TELEVISION VIEWING AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Parents/guardians should monitor television, internet, and social media viewing-both for themselves and their children. Watching continual updates on COVID-19 may increase fear and anxiety. Developmentally inappropriate information, or information designed for adults, can also cause anxiety or confusion, particularly in young children.

Dispel rumors and inaccurate information. Explain to your child that many stories about COVID-19 on the internet may include rumors and inaccurate information. Older children, in particular, may be accessing a great deal of information online and from friends that contains inaccuracies. Talk to your child about factual disease information.

Provide alternatives. Engage your child in games or other exciting activities instead.

TAKE TIME TO TALK

Let your children's questions guide you. Answer their questions truthfully, but don't offer unnecessary details or facts. Don't avoid giving them the information that experts indicate as crucial to your children's well-being. Often, children and youth do not talk about their concerns because they are confused or don't want to worry loved ones. Younger children absorb scary information in waves. They ask questions, listen, play, and then repeat the cycle. Children always feel empowered if they can control some aspects of their life. A sense of control reduces fear.

BE HONEST AND ACCURATE

Correct misinformation. Children often imagine situations worse than reality; therefore, offering developmentally appropriate facts can reduce fears.

Explain simple safety steps. Tell your child this disease spreads between people who are in close contact with one another, when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or when one touches infected objects or surfaces.

Stay up-to-date on the facts. Go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.htmlfor additional factual information.

KEEP EXPLANATIONS AGE-APPROPRIATE

Early elementary school children. Provide brief, simple information that balances COVID-19 facts with appropriate reassurances that adults are there to help keep them healthy and to take care of them if they do get sick. Give simple examples of the steps people make every day to stop germs and stay healthy, such as washing hands. Use language such as "adults are working hard to keep you safe."

Upper elementary and early middle school children. This age group often is more vocal in asking questions about whether they indeed are safe and what will happen if COVID-19 spreads in their area. They may need assistance separating reality from rumor and fantasy. Discuss the efforts national, state, and community leaders are doing to prevent germs from spreading.

Upper middle and high school students. Issues can be discussed in more depth. Refer them to appropriate sources of COVID-19 facts. Provide honest, accurate, and factual information about the current status of COVID-19. Engage them in decision-making about family plans, scheduling, and helping with chores at home.

For all children, encourage them to verbalize their thoughts and feelings. Be a good listener!

STAY CONNECTED TO SCHOOL

Locate learning resources. Schools' capacity to conduct virtual learning experiences will vary greatly, but most schools are providing lessons and learning activities for children to do. Take advantage of the many companies and online platforms currently offering free learning opportunities.

Identify additional resources. Know if your school or district is providing additional resources, such meals, or technology, such as a laptop or tablet.

Stay in touch. Find out how the school is communicating with families and students. Be sure to read any communications you receive. Check with you children, particularly older ones, as they may be receiving information directly that would be helpful for you to know.

Connect with school staff. Reach out to your child's teacher and other relevant school staff if you have concerns about their coping and keeping up with assignments or activities.

KNOW THE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19

According to the CDC, symptoms of fever, cough, and/or shortness of breath appear within 14 days after being exposed to the disease.

For some people, the symptoms are similar to having a cold; for others, they are more severe or even life threatening.

MODEL BASIC HYGIENE AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PRACTICES

Practice daily good hygiene. Encourage your child to practice these simple steps to prevent spreading the virus.

Wash your hands multiple times a day for 20 seconds. Singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" or "Happy Birthday" twice is about 20 seconds.

Compliment your children when they use a Kleenex or sneeze or cough into the bend of their elbow. Teach them the importance of throwing away used tissues immediately after sneezing or coughing.

Sadly, handshakes and hugs need to be limited to immediate family members, at least for now.

Foster a sense of control. Offering guidance on what your child/children can do to prevent infection offers them a greater sense of control, which reduces anxiety.

Build the immune system. Encourage your child to eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly; this will help them develop a robust immune system to fight off illness.

BE AWARE OF YOUR CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH

Most children will manage well with the support of parents and other family members, even if showing signs of some anxiety or concerns, such as difficulty sleeping or concentrating. Some children, however, may have risk factors for more intense reactions, including severe anxiety, depression, and suicidal behaviors. Risk factors can include a pre-existing mental health problem, prior traumatic experiences or abuse, family instability, or the loss of a loved one. Parents and caregivers should contact a professional if children exhibit significant changes in behavior or any of the following symptoms for more than 2 weeks.

Preschoolers -thumb sucking, bedwetting, clinging to parents, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, fear of the dark, regression in behavior, and withdrawal.

Elementary school children -irritability, aggressiveness, clinginess, nightmares, school avoidance, poor concentration, and withdrawal from activities and friends.

Adolescents -sleeping and eating disturbances, agitation, increase in conflicts, physical complaints, delinquent behavior, and poor concentration.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
For more information related to schools and physical and mental health, visit www.nasponline.org and © 2020, National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East Wes t Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814, 301-657-0270 www.nasn.org.
Adapted from, Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource, National Association of School Psychologists and National Association of School Nurses, NASP, 2020.

Contributor: School Psychologist Kathy Sievering

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Helping Children Cope With Changes Resulting From COVID-19

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Families across the country are adapting to the evolving changes in daily life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most schools, places of public gathering, and nonessential businesses are closed, and parents and other caregivers are faced with helping their families adjust to the new normal.

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Keeping your own anxiety in check is key.

Image

Credit... Lucy Jones

This article was last updated on March 13, 2020, and is no longer being updated. This is a fast-moving situation, so some information may be outdated. For the latest updates, read The New York Times's live coronavirus coverage here.

By now, your children may have heard about the new coronavirus, whether it's from a snippet of a news briefing or from other kids at school. They may have family members who have been quarantined here because of recent international travel, or they may even know someone who is sick. "My patients are scared," said Dr. Nia Heard-Garris, M.D., an attending physician at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.

So what should you tell kids about the coronavirus, and how? We spoke to a pediatrician, two psychologists, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and a safety expert for their best tips.
[The topics parents are talking about. Evidence-based guidance. Personal stories that matter. Sign up now to get NYT Parenting in your inbox every week.]
Dr. Heard-Garris said that you should start the conversation by asking what your child has heard about the virus. If they've heard that people all over the world are dying, and the Grim Reaper is coming for us, too, that's a very different conversation than if they've just heard it's like the flu, Dr. Heard-Garris said.

If your child is under 6 and has not heard about the virus yet, you may not want to bring it up, as it may introduce unnecessary anxiety, said Abi Gewirtz, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Minnesota, and the author of the forthcoming book "When the World Feels Like a Scary Place: Essential Conversations for Anxious Parents and Worried Kids."

Make sure "you're not panicking in their presence around the topic," said Dunya Poltorak, Ph.D., a pediatric medical psychologist in private practice in Birmingham, Mich. "Your demeanor is going to stir this massive pot of anxiety." So try to process any fears you may have before you talk to your children, whether it's by talking to a friend, a partner or a therapist. "We don't want our children to feel like the world is so scary," said Dr. Gewirtz, because that might keep them from being curious and engaged.

If your child is afraid because some kid on the bus told him he might die, that's a real fear and you should take it seriously, Dr. Gewirtz said. If you simply tell the child, "You'll be fine," they might not feel heard. "Listen to them and track what the child is feeling," she said. You can say something in a calm voice like, "That sounds pretty scary, I can see it in your face." You can also relay an anecdote from your own childhood about a time when you were scared. Then, after the child has calmed down, perhaps over dinner, you can bring up coronavirus again.

If you are talking to your young child about the virus, you can say something like, "There's lots of different viruses, like when your tummy hurts, or sometimes when you have a bad cold. Coronavirus is another type of virus," Dr. Poltorak said.

Depending on how old your child is and how much they know, you might also say something like, "This illness is different than a cold because it's new, but people are trying really hard to make sure it doesn't spread, and they treat people who are sick. If you ever have questions, talk to me," Dr. Heard-Garris said. You can also say, "Scientists and really smart people all around the world are trying to figure out how to keep people safe and healthy."

This comic, from Malaka Gharib, is also a great resource to show kids who are in the early elementary years.

Make sure your kids are washing their hands for at least 20 seconds before and after meals, after they go to the bathroom, after they come in from outside and after they've blown their nose or put their hands in their mouth, said Dr. Rebecca Pellett Madan, M.D., a pediatric infectious disease specialist at N.Y.U. Langone's Hassenfeld Children's Hospital. Children should sing "Happy Birthday" twice to know how long to wash their hands, and then make sure they are drying them thoroughly. Hand sanitizers may be less effective for small children, Dr. Madan said, because they need to evaporate fully to kill all the germs, and little kids may be rushing off to touch toys or other kids before the sanitizer has dried. For people of all ages, hand washing is preferable to hand sanitizer, though sanitizer is a decent option if hand washing is not possible.

Several experts recommended making hand washing into a game. "You can even make it into a competition," said Judith Matloff, who teaches conflict reporting at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and is the author of the upcoming book "How to Drag a Body and Other Safety Tips You Hope to Never Need: Survival Tricks for Hacking, Hurricanes and Hazards Life Might Throw at You." Compete with your kids to see who can wash their hands the longest, or who can make the suds the biggest.

If you have a little nose picker, Dr. Madan suggested saying something like, "Do you remember when your friend was out sick last week? Being sick is part of being human, but when you're picking your nose, you can get boogers on your fingers and they can spread germs to your friends." She also recommended an episode of the show "Ask the StoryBots" on Netflix called "How Do People Catch a Cold?" for an age-appropriate explanation for little kids about how germs work.

Dr. Poltorak recommended saying something like, "There's lots of icky bugs going around and we're going to hang tight at home so they can clean the schools out." Try to frame it as a positive - more time at home where we can have fun! - rather than something to fear, especially among the youngest children. Matloff also suggested preparing now for potential closures by shopping for new games, books and arts and crafts supplies.

Try to maintain a routine as much as you possibly can. Rebecca Kanthor, a Shanghai-based reporter, wrote a piece for us about what life is like under coronavirus quarantine in China. In addition to keeping a routine, experts recommend making sure your kids get enough exercise. Matloff suggested having your kids keep a quarantine journal, where they can write or draw their thoughts and experiences, which can help keep them occupied and process their anxiety.

Finally, several experts recommended that you try to enjoy the time together as much as you can, without losing your mind. "With few distractions, I'm reminded how much I should cherish these moments together," Kanthor wrote. "I will, I promise - after I'm done hiding out in the bathroom."
[How, and when, to talk about the news with your kids.

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Keeping your own anxiety in check is key. This article was last updated on March 13, 2020, and is no longer being updated. This is a fast-moving situation, so some information may be outdated. For the latest updates, read The New York Times's live coronavirus coverage here.

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Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) SEL Resources

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Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) SEL Resources

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Boys Town Parenting Resources (PBIS/Social Skills Training)

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Boys Town Parenting Resources (PBIS/Social Skills Training)

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Downloadable Resources & Strategies to Share with Parents

NEW! 10 Minute Tips from Boys Town National Training. Navigating this new normal can be challenging and we are here to help. Here are some short videos and resources that can help you as you navigate and adjust to things like working from home with your kids at home, helping your children be successful in school from home, maintaining schedules and regular routines, and all while modeling and teaching social skills.

How do I explain at home learning to my children? Try not to refer to schools as being "closed." For example, tell your children that we're learning at home for the coming weeks rather than learning in the classroom. This will help students to understand that learning isn't ending, we're just learning in a new environment.

Keeping a schedule. It's important to create a consistent and predictable environment for children at home. We've created a sample "schedule" for kids to stick to as they learn from home during the coming weeks. Click here to download.

Creating a daily plan with your kids can help them prioritize their day and stay on task. Use the "My Plan Today Is..." worksheet to help your children structure their day. Knowing what their need to's are reminds them what must get done so they can do move on to their want to's list.

Have a morning meeting with your child. Take a few minutes each morning to ask your children questions about their day. Here are a few ideas.

Establish a study place. Give school books and packets a home on a bookshelf or desk. Have students complete their study time in the same space and place while at home.

Consequences can be both positive and negative. A consequence is the outcome of behavior, which influences whether or not that behavior is likely to occur again in the future. For example, if your children are having a hard time following instructions or completing their study time, set a timer. The timer will keep track of the time it takes for the child to calm down and start the given task. Whether it takes 5 minutes or 45 minutes, your child has now earned the consequence of doing chores for that amount of time.

Another example might be, if a child follows instructions and completes their daily schedule without arguing, they get to stay up for an extra hour at night. If they did not follow instructions, they go to bed on time. Each consequence is earned.

Here are a few skills you may suggest to parents to help the completion of academic tasks at home go more smoothly for their children.

Here are a few skills you may suggest to parents to help alleviate stress and anxiety in their child.

Here are some ideas for Brain Breaks. Have your children take 5-10 minute breaks throughout the day, especially during study times.

Check back in with your child at the end of the day. Here are some questions to ask them.

Distance learning tip for teachers! Record a morning message! This allows students to watch in their own time and to hear encouraging words from their teacher. A great way to build community from a distance and help students feel connected. Seesaw is a great platform to use.

Other resources to share with Parents

Here's a great resource with tips for talking to your children about the Coronavirus.
Helping Children Cope with the Unexpected Create a Self-Calming Plan
GoNoodle - Active Screen Time. GoNoodle gets kids up and moving to fun, engageing content and games. This is a great resource to use for brain breaks in between study times.

Storybooks and activity guides from the Boys Town Press. This month only spend $25 on Boys Town Press books & resources and receive a FREE copy of Making Friends is an Art by Julia Cook. This sale includes books, activity guides, and more to help with remote learning!

Daily FREE activities this month from the Boys Town Press on handling stress and developing a growth mindset. Look for a new activity every weekday developed from our social skill storybooks.

30 Great Educational Netflix Shows for when you allow screentime.

Here's a full list of Education Companies Offering FREE Subscriptions due to School Closings.

For more parenting tips, check out boystown.org/parenting

NEW! Series of remote learning experiences that are high-quality, easy to use at home, and totally free from Amplify. Click here.

NEW! Experts from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network share their recommendations for educators supporting students during the COVID-19 crisis. Read more...

We recommend checking out this article from Ed Week! Expectations for Online Student Behavior Vary During Coronavirus School Closures
How to Teach Social-Emotional Learning When Kids Aren't in School

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Boys Town National Training | Improve Student Behavior

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NEW! 10 Minute Tips from Boys Town National Training. Navigating this new normal can be challenging and we are here to help. Here are some short videos and resources that can help you as you navigate and adjust to things like working from home with your kids at home, helping your children be successful in school from home, maintaining schedules and regular routines, and all while modeling and teaching social skills.