Mental Health Resources
Postpartum Support International
Postpartum Support International (PSI) provides a worldwide network of peer support, information, professional trainings and coordinators in all U.S. states. Its mission is to promote awareness, prevention and treatment of mental health issues related to childbearing in every country worldwide. PSI has more than 400 local support volunteers who provide support, information, encouragement and connection with local providers and support groups.
PSI offers 50-plus free online support groups to connect with other parents, including groups for special needs and medically fragile parenting, birth trauma support, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) postpartum parents and more. PSI also moderates closed Facebook groups for moms and dads.
PSI also has a helpline for anyone to get basic information, support and resources. You can call or text daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. central standard time at:
- Call (800) 944-4773 for English and Spanish support
- Text in English to (800) 944-4773
- Text en Español to (971) 203-7773
Resources are available in English and Spanish.
Pre-Teen and Teen Mental Health Guide for Parents
The Pre-Teen and Teen Mental Health Guide for Parents from the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics helps caregivers learn about pre-teen and teen worries, behaviors and signs to watch for, so parents can provide help when needed. This free six-day email series in English and Spanish provides guidance and insight into your pre-teen or teen’s mental health, including dealing with anxiety, screen time and building resilience.
The guide provides one short message each day and includes conversation starters you can try with your pre-teen/teen. Topics include:
- How your pre-teen/teen’s brain is developing
- The difference between normal mood swings and real red flags
- How to navigate social media and screen time without constant battles
- When to worry versus when to wait – and when to call for support
- How to talk about relationships, sex and emotional health
- Practical ways to build resilience that lasts a lifetime
Rizal Center is a multicultural, multigenerational community and cultural center located in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. It provides a safe, welcoming space where Filipino immigrants and Filipino Americans can feel at home. The center offers food assistance, housing resources, healthcare access, counseling, language access and community advocacy. It also serves as a hub for arts, culture and theater. Its programs and services are open to the Greater Chicago community.
The nonprofit Filipino American Council of Greater Chicago (FACGC) operates Rizal Center. Its programs and classes also include:
For more details about the center, please contact the Filipino American Council of Greater Chicago at (773) 360-8597 or info@rizalcenter.org.
Self-Care and Tips for Talking With Children and Teens about Mental Health
UNICEF provides tips and resources to help you support your child’s and your own mental health. Resources include a mental health quiz, information on common conditions, videos, and conversation starters to help you talk to your kids. The information is available in several languages.
UNICEF resources also include:
- Guides to big conversations
- Self-care for parents
- How to reduce stress
- Mental health tips for infants to pre-teens
To be able to care for the people you love, you must first take care of yourself. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) provides tips, tools and resources to help caregivers take care of themselves.
Suicide Prevention and People With IDD: What You Need to Know
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are at a high risk of co-occurring mental health conditions, but this serious issue is often overlooked and misunderstood. The Arc of Illinois provides this “Suicide Prevention and People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: What You Need to Know” fact sheet about signs to look for and ways you can help.
People with IDD may not know how to verbally express what they are feeling or may not use spoken language to communicate. Their behaviors may communicate their feelings more than spoken words. Suicidal thoughts can progress and increase over time. It’s important to notice the signs early on so you can intervene quickly.
SWAN – Shelter, Protect, Advocate, Assist
SWAN protects and advocates for adult victims of abuse, neglect and homelessness. SWAN offers programs and trained staff to help victims in Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Jefferson, Hamilton, Lawrence, Marion, Richland, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, and White counties. SWAN programs include:
- Information and assistance for seniors and people with disabilities
- Housing programs for victims of domestic violence and homelessness
- SWAN partner abuse intervention program
- Adult Protective Services (APS) for ages 18 to 59 with disabilities
- Legal advocacy
- Parenting groups, support groups and domestic violence abuser intervention counseling
For immediate help, call the 24-hour Domestic Violence and Temporary Shelter Hotline at (888) 715-6260.
You can also contact SWAN:
- Through its Contact Us page on the website
- By calling an office location (see the list of offices and services for each county)
The Calm Toolbox: Healthy Ways to Cope With Stress
Life can be stressful. The American Academy of Pediatrics Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health has developed “The Calm Toolbox: Healthy Ways to Cope With Stress” to help. It offers activities to help calm your nervous system by slowing your breathing and heart rate, providing a positive distraction or providing a physical outlet for releasing energy.
You can access “The Calm Toolbox: Healthy Ways to Cope With Stress” online.
A PDF version of The Calm Toolkit is also available to download.
The Mighty’s Digital Toolkit for Caregivers
The Mighty provides a digital toolkit to help caregivers learn more about the ins and outs of caregiving and discover helpful resources to utilize along their caregiving journey.
The Mighty’s Digital Toolkit for Caregivers includes:
- A caregiving binder, complete with worksheets to help you better organize important information
- A respite care questionnaire to help you find the perfect respite worker for your specific needs
- A self-care mini-guide to help you destress and prioritize your mental health
Everything included in the toolkit is downloadable, printable and shareable.