Being a parent or a caregiver of a child or teen experiencing intense stress or mental health challenges can be overwhelming. Between the nature of adolescence and the everyday needs of running a household, it can be hard to know where to turn when you encounter an unfamiliar health situation and need some help.

The most important thing to remember is that you can play a key role in being there for your child or teen, and that your presence is so often critical in any healing process. You caring and listening is key.

With so much information available online, it is sometimes difficult to know where to start when trying to find help for a child or loved one. This page highlights some useful, practical tools when it comes to understanding what's happening with the mental health of your loved one, providing support and having effective conversations, learning how to identify services, and even options for further training or caregiver support.
IMPORTANT: If you or someone else you know is in immediate danger or crisis, please call 988 or 911.988 is the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Some people who have friends or loved ones with mental health challenges may become interested in more training. Youth Mental Health First Aid may be of interest, which introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders. You can learn more here.

The American Psychological Association has a YouTube playlist on Psychology for Parents and Caregivers. It includes topics like Managing Pandemic Parenting Stress, ADHD among children and adults, How social media affects teens' mental health and well-being, and Parenting through the Pandemic.