As statewide leads for youth mental health and suicide prevention, we have heard concerns from many of our community partners (families, schools, pediatricians, providers) about the current and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent events related to racial disparity on the mental wellness of our youth and families around the state.

There is support to help youth and families through this challenging time to reduce adverse outcomes. Families frequently receive email communications from school and district staff, and connect to their children’s school and district websites for resources and information.

For this reason, we ask that each school and district add the following resources to their websites and embed them within emails home so that families can readily access the services they might need:

• Mobile Crisis Intervention Services: 211-1-1; Youth; Adults

• Healthy Lives Connecticut  https://www.healthylivesct.org/

• Gizmo’s Pawesome Guide to Mental Health: www.Gizmo4MentalHealth.org   

• Crisis Text Line: Text CT to 741741; www.crisistextline.org  

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1 (800) 273-TALK (8255); www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

If you have any questions, contact Jeanette Baker at Jeanette.baker@ctunitedway.org or 860-571-7524.