Resources for High School Students
Find resources and tools for teens ages 13-19 who are living with mental health challenges.
If Your Child is in Crisis
A mental health crisis is when your child is at risk of harming themselves or others, or if their emotions and behavior seem extreme and out of control. NAMI provides guidance for what to do if your child is in crisis.
You can also visit NAMI Fort Wayne’s If In Crisis page for local emergency and crisis resources.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
General Resources
Know the 10 common warning signs of a person struggling with mental health challenges.
Find resources for youth that describe some of the differences between normal behaviors and mental health symptoms, that encourage open communication, and that may help you determine when and where to get help.
- Finding Help
- How to Talk to My Friends
- How to Talk to My Parents or Guardian
- Social Media and Mental Health
- Your Mental Health and School
- What You Need to Know About Youth Suicide
The Child Mind Institute has published a variety of resource guides and articles to assist parents and caregivers raise healthy ad resilient children.
- Mood Disorders in Teens and Young Adults
- Helping a Child (12-18) Cope after a Traumatic Event
- Teen Onset Mental Health Disorders
- College
- Parenting a pre-teen or teenager and how to watch for signs of the onset of a mental health disorder.
NAMI Starting the Conversation
Put a thoughtful plan into place should a mental health condition arise during college. This guide can help start a conversation by offering parents and students the opportunity to learn more about mental health including
- Facts and statistics about how common mental health conditions are during young adulthood
- What the warning signs of a mental health condition are
- When and where to seek help and who to talk to
- How to make a plan before heading off to college
- What the privacy laws are and how mental health information can be shared
Programs
NAMI Ending the Silence Program
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 they or a loved one show symptoms of a mental health condition. Although the in person is not currently offered through the NAMI Fort Wayne affiliate, an online version is available. The online version is identical to the in-person version, but offered exclusively via online video, accessible anytime through the NAMI Ending the Silence website. Three presentations are available for students, staff and families.
Youth Mental Health First Aid from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing can teach you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among children and adolescents ages 12-18.
Support Organizations
The Trevor Project provides life-saving and life-affirming resources for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth to create safe, accepting and inclusive environments for all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
A community where teens and young adults struggling with mental health conditions can find a safe place to talk about what they’re experiencing by sharing their personal stories of recovery, tragedy, struggle or hope. Anyone can add their voice by sharing stories, poems, inspirational quotes, photos, videos, song lyrics and messages of support in a safe, moderated space.
Books
Big Life Journal Teen Edition is a science-based journal that helps tweens and teens grow through daily activities focusing on encouraging thoughts to promote a resilience, confidence, gratitude, kindness, and self-love.
Apps
Headspace for Teens Free for all teens in the US if you’re between the ages of 13–18 years old!
Calm app has mindfulness episodes for all ages.
Videos
The California Healthy Minds Thriving Kids Project
A series of free, evidence-based video and print resources that caregivers and educators can use to teach their kids critical mental health and coping skills. Three developmentally appropriate versions (elementary, middle and high school) were created for each topic. The program teaches kids 5 clinically proven mental health skills: understanding feelings, relaxation skills, understanding thoughts, managing intense emotions and mindfulness. Each video comes with a brief companion resource that summarizes key ideas and includes an activity that can be practiced in school or at home.
