Hello –

As we begin the school year - we want you to know that we are here to support you. The return to school may cause new stressors and the continued disruption to our normal patterns and day to day life can be very stressful for students and families. This continues to be a critical time for both physical care and mental/self-care.

Please check out the link below for some great resources and information about teen mental health and self-care

https://study.com/resources/teen-mental-health-resources

If you or your student would like to contact me, please reach out via email or phone

Wendy Simmons - wsimmons@lwsd.org or (425) 936-2300

Below is a message from Crysta Cady – our YES Counselor. You can reach out to her for additional ongoing support for you or your student. She has been working closely with many of our students over the past few years and can provide ongoing counseling to students including throughout the summer months.

 

Hope you are all hanging in there during this stressful time for many. Just remember we are all in this together.  If you would like to check-in with Behavioral Health Support Specialist Crysta, then please give me a call at 425-747-4937 x2807 and leave me a voicemail with your name and cell phone number, and I will reach out to you. You can also email me at crystac@youtheastsideservices.org   I can talk with you in person at school or can check-in with you over ZOOM or TEAMS.

 

If you are having an immediate need, emergency, or urgent matter, please call:

Medical Emergencies/Police Intervention - 911

Community Support Services - 211

Teen Link Crisis Line – 206.461.4922

LifeWire (formerly Eastside Domestic Violence) – 425.746.1940

 

 EMHS Counseling with Wendy

• Academic, personal/social and career advising
• Course registration and scheduling
• Comprehensive guidance programming delivered in classroom and other settings
• Monitoring of student academic credits and on time graduation plans
• Guidance for post-secondary planning and application requirements
• Running Start consultation and paperwork
• WANIC information and registration for next year
• Referrals to Community Resources
• Brief counseling support
• Counseling groups

Mental Health Resources:

· TeenLink — https://www.teenlink.org/

This Washington-based service is staffed by teen volunteers who receive 60 hours of training and often have experienced mental health issues themselves. The peer-to-peer connections make young people feel more comfortable sharing their concerns. The service can connect teens to local resources as well. 

o You can call 1-866-TEENLINK (833-6546) to talk by phone from 6-10 p.m. nightly or text from 6-9:30 p.m. every night. You can also call, chat or text in to connect with an adult substance use specialist from 1-6 p.m. Tues-Sat.

o If you are an adult looking to help a young person, there are resources on the TeenLink website (see above) or you can call 1.866.4CRISIS.  

· Crisis Connections – https://www.crisisconnections.org/

 866-427-4747 — This 24/7 number provides immediate support and resources for people in emotional crisis and will help you determine if you or your loved one needs professional help. They provide immediate translation into 155 languages.

· Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Disaster Distress Helpline – 1-800-985-5990

This 24/7/365 service from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides crisis counseling for people going through both natural and human-caused disasters. It’s free, multi-lingual and confidential. You can also text TalkWithUs to 66746.

· National Suicide Prevention Hotline- 1-800-273-8255

The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ MORE resources for youth: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/help-yourself/youth/

· Crisis Text Line- specifically anxious about Coronavirus? Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor.  https://www.crisistextline.org/texting-in

 

Help with food/shelter: 

Weekend Pantry Packs for students are available for LWSD students – please contact me if you would like to access this resource

· Friends of Youth shelter support for youth: https://www.friendsofyouth.org/getHelpShelter.aspx

· HopeLink Food Program: https://www.hopelink.org/need-help/food

· King County 211- https://www.crisisconnections.org/king-county-2-1-1/

King County 2-1-1 connects people to the help they need. We provide the most comprehensive information on health and human services in King County. Whether it’s for housing assistance, help with financial needs, or to find the location of the nearest food bank. To begin, text your zip code to 877-211- 9274

 

Additional Resources for Parents: 

Parents, family members, and other trusted adults play a valuable role in helping children make sense of what they are hearing about COVID-19 and their associated fears or concerns. The CDC has created some guidelines to help with these conversations. 

· Remain calm and reassuring 

· Make yourself available to talk and to listen 

· Avoid language that might blame others 

· Pay attention to what you child us hearing/seeing on TV, online 

· Provide information that is honest and accurate

· Teach and reiterate to your child the daily actions to reduce germs  Find more info here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/talking-with-children.html