Mental Health Support for 4-18 Year Olds

This resource page is put together by Associate Director of Educational Innovation, Rachel Dratch, who has led Prizmah’s first Guidance Counselor Cohort and has been in touch with experts in the field to create this page. Please send her suggestions, links and resources you think should be added as we hope to update the page often. You can reach Rachel at [email protected]. 

From the Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools Guidance Counselor Program, Cohort 1

• Dr. Blumenthal from Ohel audio advice.
• Three days without technology: article by one of guidance counselors Tamar Sheffy. 
• Understanding ambiguous grief.
• Grieving the losses of COVID-19.
• The Discomfort of grief.
• Self care resource.
• Talking to kids about Corona A parent resource from NASP on talking to children.
• A handout in comic form that explains the basics for children.
• Cute video for older students.
• From Teaching Tolerance - Trauma informed approaches.
• From National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN).
• More self help care guidance.
• How to talk to children about the virus.
• Zoom meetings and classes as difficult.
• From Dr. Rona Novick: …. in an eerie coincidence (since it has been in the works for over 2 years) my children's book, Mommy, Can You Stop the Rain? just launched on Amazon. It is a book that, through a simple story, helps parents recognize how to be reassuring even in difficult times. Uncanny timing, right? I wanted it in the hands of parents and did a reading and parent guide.
• Reverse Dayeinu process or read this particular post this came out today by staff from NCTSN for Educators.

For Providers

• Psychological Effects of Quarantine Describes the psychological effects of quarantine, as well as strategies for how healthcare providers can care for their clients’ and their own mental well-being during periods of quarantine.
• Practices to provide guidance and recommendations that serve to enhance feelings of safety, calm, self- and community-efficacy, social connectedness, and hope or optimism
• Family Resilience and Traumatic Stress Discusses a family’s ability to maintain or resume effective functioning, including care of its members, following potentially traumatic events.
• Caring for Clients' Mental Well-Being Offers recommendations for promoting clients’ mental well-being during emerging infectious disease outbreaks.
• How Providers Can Take Care of Themselves Tips for self-care for providers.

For Parents and Families
 

• Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with COVID-19 A guide to help parents/caregivers think about how an infectious disease outbreak might affect their family, and what they can do to help their family cope.
• Discussing Coronavirus with Your Children Covers goals of speaking with children about coronavirus, communicating with children at different developmental levels, and opportunities/activities to engage your children.
• Finding the Right Words to Talk with Children and Teens about Coronavirus Suggestions for talking to children of different ages about coronavirus.
• Simple Activities for Children and Adolescents Offers activity ideas to parents and caregivers whose families are sheltering in place, social distancing, and homeschooling due to school closures amidst the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Sesame Street: Caring for Each Other Toolkit with guides and activities for staying safe and healthy, taking care of yourself, and offering children comfort.
• Taking Care of Your Family Tips and reminders for how parents can best protect their family.
• Taking Care of Yourself Tips for parents to find balance, be aware of their needs, and make connections.
• Understanding Eating Disorders: Free E-Mental Health Resources to Help from the University of Texas

From Trusted COVID-19 Information Sources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Children’s Mental Health Campaign
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• Department of Defense (DoD)
• Military OneSource
• Military Health System (MHS)
• Tricare
• Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS)
• National Children's Alliance (NCA)
• Youth.gov

From Chai Lifeline

• Talk on sensitivity for older adults by Dr. David Fox here.
• Zahava Farbman Coping with Corona presentation: here.
• English recording dial 515-604-9690 access code: 660597 reference Number: 35.
• Yiddish recording by a female dial 425-436-6309 access code 488003 reference number 4.
• Yiddish recording by a male dial  425-436-6309 Access Code: 716183 reference number 1.
• Dr. David Fox presentation: here.
• Dr. David Fox nefesh presentation: here.
• Parenting Under Quarantine FAQs: here.
• A Conscientious Approach to Coronavirus: here.