As we gear up for the new school year, we understand the importance of mental health for students, parents, and educators. That’s why we are adding to our comprehensive youth mental health resource library this back to school season.
Mental health conditions typically begin during childhood, adolescence or young adulthood. Here you will find additional information intended to help provide young people, educators, parents and caregivers with the resources they need. From a free downloadable coloring and activity book to a teen mental heath education presentation, to a guide for navigating college with a mental health condition, this page has resources for all young people. It also has handy information for parents, caregivers, and educators, like a one-pager on how to start a conversation about mental health and an example week of wellness activities that can be used at home.
Meet Little Monster Coloring & Activity Book
Created by NAMI Washington, Meet Little Monster is a mental health coloring and activity book that provides children with a tool for helping express and explore their feelings in a fun, creative and empowering way. Available for download at no-cost in multiple languages.
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Commitment Planner
A resource to help students balance their school, work and personal time to help their mental well-being!
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Finding A Trusted Adult
Reaching out about mental health can be or feel overwhelming, embarrassing or just hard. Use this guide to help you choose someone to confide.
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Getting the Right Start
A one-pager that makes taking the first steps to asking for help less overwhelming
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How to Help a Friend
A one-pager that gives suggestions on how to support a friend struggling with a mental health condition
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How Young Adults Can Seek Help
A video on where and how you can find the help and support you need for a mental health condition.
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How Teens Can Ask for Help
A video on who to reach out to and ways to put your thoughts and feelings into words to receive help for a mental health condition.
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NAMI On Campus At-A-Glance
NAMI On Campus clubs are student-led, student-run mental health clubs for colleges and high schools. Learn more on how you can become a part of the national movement and make meaningful change on your campus.
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NAMI Say It Out Loud
Created by young people for young people, NAMI Say It Out Loud is a free online card game that will bring you closer to your friends through conversation prompts about life, relationships, and mental health.
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NAMI Teen & Young Adult Resource Directory
NAMI HelpLine volunteers and staff have compiled this directory of outstanding resources to help teens and young adults identify resources to meet their mental health needs. If you or someone you know are in need, use this directory as a guide to help navigate through your mental health journey.
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NAMI does not endorse the resources included in the NAMI TYA HelpLine Resource Directory, and NAMI is not responsible for the content of or service provided by any of these resources.
Teen and Young Adult Mental Health Resources
A set of social media graphics to start a conversation with your community about mental health check-ins, mental health game plans and our four-day gratitude challenge.
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Time Management for Students
Use these tips to balance your school, work and personal time to help your mental well-being!
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Language Matters
A one-pager that helps individuals understand the importance of words when talking about mental health conditions and suicide
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Making A Mental Health Plan For College Students
In this video, learn how to prepare for a mental health emergency, including how to safely share medical information with someone you trust.
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Mental Health College Guide
Created in partnership with The JED Foundation, the College Guide is a one stop online resource to help young adults navigate the many situations encountered when in this new and exciting environment
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Positive Coping Skills
Do you have a mental health toolkit? In this video, NAMI volunteer Britt shares what positive coping skills are and how to develop a mental health toolkit so that we don’t fall into negative coping strategies. Additionally, she discusses what specific skills help her cope.
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Setting Boundaries Guide
Setting healthy limits, or boundaries, in our lives allows us to take care of our health and well-being. In this resource, we’ll cover different types of boundaries, how to set them and ways to communicate to others what you will and will not allow to protect yourself and take charge of your life.
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Social Media: Helpful Tips
Social media can be a great way to connect with friends, family and your community. Learn how to engage safely and protect your mental health.
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National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Digital Shareables on Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Resources from Alliance for a Healthier Generation
Classroom Mental Health Contract
An activity guide to help students develop an understanding of mental health and identify supports available for them inside the classroom and at school.
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Five Questions for School Staff to Ask When Preparing for an Active Shooter Drill
Resources for building a trauma-informed active shooter drill in schools.
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Language Matters
A one-pager that helps individuals understand the importance of words when talking about mental health conditions and suicide.
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Mental Wellness Moments for Educators
An activity guide for educators to incorporate daily wellness activities in the classroom to enhance the emotional well-being of their students.
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Mindfulness Activities
Often, in school, students can find it hard to focus or can be impacted by events around them. You can use these exercises to bring students back into the moment.
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NAMI Ending the Silence
NAMI Ending the Silence is an engaging presentation that helps middle and high school aged youth learn about the warning signs of mental health conditions and what steps to take if you or a loved one are showing symptoms of a mental health condition.
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NAMI Ending the Silence is offered in-person by NAMI affiliates across the country and is also now available online when an in-person presentation is not available.
School Mental Health Resource Poster
School Mental Health Resource Poster (black and white)Teachers can help students access vital mental health resources easily and confidentially with this convenient poster. Students can tear away important mental health resource information or scan the QR code to save contacts directly into their phones. NAMI recommends pre-cutting the tear aways at the bottom and tearing off the first one to relieve the pressure of any student being the first to take one.
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Supporting Back to School Wellness
A one-pager with a few tips for teachers on how to make students’ transition back to the classroom a little bit easier during these uncertain times.
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The Three C’s Educators
A one-pager with tips for educators on supporting their student’s emotional and mental well-being during the transition back to school and throughout the school year!
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Three Keys for a Successful Back to School Transition
Resources for educators to create a safe and supportive classroom.
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10 Questions on a Tuesday
An activity guide for parents and guardians to discuss mental health and well-being with their children in the home and develop supportive practical strategies.
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Bullying Warning Signs
Bullying is a concern with children of all ages. Know how to spot the warning signs and how to start a conversation with your child about bullying.
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Creating Positive Change & Back to School Mental Health Tips
A nationwide iHeartRadio special, hosted by Ryan Gorman that includes Barbara Solish, director of youth and young adult initiatives at NAMI, discussing resources and help available for children, teens and young adults faced with the hardship of the pandemic and remote learning. The NAMI segment starts at minute marker 14:47.
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Crisis and Relapse Plan
Fill out this template to help your family and support team in the event of a crisis or relapse.
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Finding Mental Health Care for Your Child
A video that describes what to do and where to go for help when your child shows symptom of a mental health condition
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How To Be A Trusted Adult
An activity guide for parents and caregivers to explain who is a “trusted adult” and tips on how to become one.
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Language Matters
A one-pager that helps individuals understand the importance of words when talking about mental health conditions and suicide.
Download Resource
NAMI Basics
NAMI Basics is a six-session education program for parents, caregivers and other family who provide care for youth (ages 22 and younger) who are experiencing mental health symptoms. This program is free to participants, 99% of whom say they would recommend the program to others. NAMI Basics is available both in person and online through NAMI Basics OnDemand.
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Suicide Warning Signs
Learn the warning signs, learn how to start a conversation and know what to do in a mental health crisis.
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The Three C’s for Parents and Guardians
A one-pager with tips for parents on supporting their children’s emotional and mental well-being during the challenging transition back to the classroom and throughout the school year!
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A Week of Wellness
An activity guide for parents and caregivers to incorporate daily wellness activities at home to enhance the emotional well-being of their children.
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Behavior Is Communication: A Resource for Child Welfare Support Staff
We created this resource guide to better connect you with the young people you work with.
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Building Peer Relationships for Youth and Young Adults in the Child Welfare System
We created this guide to help anyone navigating trauma feel less alone. Here’s how you can safely begin to seek community.
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The Child Welfare System: A Guide to Trauma for Caregivers
We created this resource as a guide to help you reflect, re-establish and rebuild healing relationships with your child experiencing trauma as part of their experience in foster care.
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2020 Mental Health by the Number
A one-pager with data on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth and young adult.
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New CDC data illuminate youth mental health threats during the COVID-19 pandemic
CDC’s first nationally representative survey of high school students during the pandemic can inform effective programs.
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Poll of Teen Mental Health from Teens Themselves (2022)
A poll conducted by Ipsos on behalf of NAMI finds that most teens are comfortable talking about mental health, but often don’t start the conversation. They also want schools to play a big role in their mental health, and they trust the information they get there, but feel like schools are not doing enough.
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Poll of Parents Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic (2021)
A poll conducted by Ipsos on behalf of NAMI finds that an overwhelming number of parents support mental health education in schools and “mental health days” for their children.
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Treatment For Suicidal Ideation, Self-Harm, And Suicide Attempts Among Youth
A guide that provides interventions to treat for suicidal ideation, self-harm and suicide attempts among youth. It provides research on implementation and examples of the ways that these recommendations can be implemented.
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Youth Risk Behavior Survey: Data Summary and Trends Report 2009-2019
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2009–2019 provides the most recent surveillance data on health behaviors and experiences among high school students in the US related to four priority areas associated with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV, and unintended teen pregnancy: sexual behavior, high-risk substance use, experiencing violence, and mental health and suicide.
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College Mental Health Blogs
Teen Mental Health Blogs
#Notalone Conversation: Heading Back to School
Sherman Gillums joins Ananya Venkatachalam (student), Shobhana Radhakrishnan (mom), and Jamie Meisinger (teacher) to discuss heading back to school after a year of at-home learning. This conversation opens the dialogue to realize the mental health challenges and opportunities for students, teachers and parents.
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What is PTSD?
Learn what PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) is, its causes, symptoms and treatment options.
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A youth-to-youth newsletter that connects aspiring mental health advocates with tools, information and resources.
NAMI HelpLine is available M-F, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. ET. Call 800-950-6264,
text “helpline” to 62640, or chat online. In a crisis, call or text 988 (24/7).