Health & Body

Mental Health

Anxiety

• Anxiety Canada – Anxiety Canada is a non-profit organization started in 1999 by a group of concerned consumers, family members, and professionals, who work to increase awareness about anxiety disorders; promote education of the general public, affected persons, and health care providers; and increase access to evidence-based resources and treatments.

• Anxiety Disorder Resource Center – This resource page is from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, whose mission is to promote the healthy development of children, adolescents, and families through research, training, prevention, comprehensive diagnosis, and treatment, and to meet the professional needs of child and adolescent psychiatrists throughout their careers.

• Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents Fact Sheet – This fact sheet was put together by the National Institute of Mental Health, whose mission is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure.

Depression

• Teenager's Guide to Depression – As a non-profit health organization, Helpguide believes that everyone facing mental and emotional health challenges deserves to have access to free, unbiased information.

• Psych Central – This is the Internet’s largest and oldest independent mental health social network. Since 1995, this award-winning website has been run by mental health professionals offering reliable information and over 200 support groups, which opens a new window to consumers.

• Teen Depression – This page was put together by the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research, and education for people from all walks of life.

• Youth Resources – This resource page is from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, whose mission is to promote the healthy development of children, adolescents, and families through research, training, prevention, comprehensive diagnosis, and treatment and to meet the professional needs of child and adolescent psychiatrists throughout their careers.

Self-Injury

• The Adolescent Self-Injury Foundation – A non-profit organization whose mission is to raise awareness about adolescent self-injury. By providing education, prevention techniques, resources, research, and forums, ASIF aims to increase understanding of the self-injurious adolescent and family in the journey towards wellness and recovery.

• Cutting and Self-Harm – As a non-profit health organization, Helpguide, believes that everyone facing mental and emotional health challenges deserves to have access to free, unbiased information.

• Self-Injury in Adolescents – This resource page is from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, whose mission is to promote the healthy development of children, adolescents, and families through research, training, prevention, comprehensive diagnosis, and treatment, and to meet the professional needs of child and adolescent psychiatrists throughout their careers.

• Self-Injury/Cutting – This page was put together by the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research, and education for people from all walks of life.

Stress Management

• Stress Management Plan – Create a personal stress management plan for teens through the American Academy of Pediatrics, whose mission is to attain optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.

• Fostering Resilience – A teen’s personal guide to managing stress. Dr. Ginsburg is a pediatrician specializing in Adolescent Medicine at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Body

Sexual Health

• Planned Parenthood for Teens – Planned Parenthood delivers vital reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of women, men, and young people worldwide.

• Sidney Borum Jr. Health Center – The Sidney Borum, Jr. Health Center, known as the Borum, is a program of Fenway Health that provides safe, non-judgmental care for young people ages 12–29 who may not feel comfortable going anywhere else. No one is turned away – they'll do whatever it takes to help you. The Borum is affiliated with Beth Israel Lahey Health and with Boston Children’s Hospital. It is licensed as a health center, mental health clinic, and substance abuse center by the Department of Public Health. Located at 75 Kneeland Street, Boston, MA 02111.

• Health Imperatives - Youth SupportOur Youth Support services include sexual and reproductive health care; counseling for survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, or trafficking; primary health care and psychiatric services for youth in Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (DYS) custody; education on healthy relationships and violence prevention in high schools and other community-based settings; and support for vulnerable youth, including LGBTQIA+ youth, immigrant youth, youth with disabilities, and those with multiple barriers to good health.

• BrAGLY (Brockton Alliance of GLBT Youth) support group is for LGBTQIA+ youth from ages 14 to 19. The group is run by youth and supported by adult mentors. It meets weekly via Zoom to provide peer support, opportunities for discussion, leadership development, health education, and recreational activities. The youth also produce a quarterly newsletter.

Emergency Help and Hotlines

Depression and Suicide:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1.800.273.TALK (8255). The Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Employs nonconsensual active rescue.

• Ayuda En Español: Lifeline ofrece 24/7, servicios gratuitos en español, y no es necesario hablar inglés si usted necesita ayuda. Cuando usted llama al número 1.888.628.9454, su llamada se dirige al centro de ayuda de nuestra red disponible más cercano. Tenemos actualmente 180 centros en la red y usted hablará probablemente con uno situado en su zona. Cada centro funciona en forma independiente y tiene su propio personal calificado. Cuando el centro contesta su llamada, usted estará hablando con una persona que le escuchará, le hará preguntas y hará todo lo que esté a su alcance para ayudarle.

• Your Life, Your Voice – 1.800.448.3000. The Boys Town National Hotline is a toll free number available to kids, teens, and young adults at anytime. Please contact us if you are depressed, contemplating suicide, being physically or sexually abused, on the run, addicted, threatened by gang violence, fighting with a friend or parent, or faced with an overwhelming challenge. Call, text, chat, or email via the website.

Abuse

• National Safe Place's TXT 4 HELP works anywhere in the US, and extends access to safety for teens. TXT 4 HELP can be used for the same reason a young person may go to a Safe Place site: abuse, bullying, family problems, depression, suicidal thoughts, and others. TXT 4 HELP counselors can provide support via text, and can offer suggestions for immediate help regardless of where you are.

• Here’s how it works: Text the word “safe” and your current location (address, city, state) to 4HELP (44357). Within seconds, you will receive a message with the closest Safe Place site and phone number for the local youth agency. For immediate help, reply with “2chat” to text interactively with a trained counselor. It’s quick, easy, safe, and confidential. TXT 4 HELP is a free service offered to all youth in crisis. For more information on Safe Place sites in Boston, visit https://www.bridgeotw.org/safeplace

Sexual Assault

• National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline Call: 800.656.HOPE (4673) Chat: https://hotline.rainn.org/online When you call, you’ll be routed to a local RAINN affiliate organization based on the first six digits of your phone number. Cell phone callers can enter the ZIP code of their current location to more accurately locate the nearest sexual assault service provider. Calling the National Sexual Assault Hotline gives you access to many free services including:

• Confidential support from a trained staff member

• Support finding a local health facility that is trained to care for survivors of sexual assault and offers services like sexual assault forensic exams

• Someone to help you talk through what happened

• Local resources that can assist with your next steps toward healing and recovery

• Referrals for long term support in your area

• Information about the laws in your community

• Basic information about medical concerns

2. RAINN - Call 800.656.4673 3. RAINN - Live Chat  4. A New Day - Rape Crisis Program  24/7 HOTLINE - Hotline operates 24/7. Trained staff are available to talk and provide resources. Call: 508-588-8255 (508-588-TALK). HELP FINDING SERVICES  Not sure what services you need? Call A New Day at 508-588-2045, and a trained staff person will connect you to the appropriate services.

Housing  

Bridge Over Troubled Waters – If you are a young person in Boston who needs support and a safe place to stay, Bridge can help. If you need immediate shelter or want to learn more about Bridge programs, schedule a meeting or stop in at their downtown Boston location Monday-Friday 9 am to 5 pm. Call: 617.423.9575 Email: bridge@bridgeotw.org Visit: 47 West Street, Boston, MA 02111  

Youth on Fire – Youth on Fire (YOF), a program of AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, is a drop-in center for homeless and street-involved youth, ages 14-24, located in Harvard Square, Cambridge. Over 3,000 youth have benefitted from YOF since the program opened its doors in the Spring of 2000. Call: 617.661.2508 Visit: 1 Church Street, Cambridge, MA 02138  

South Shore Continuum of Care  The MA-511 Quincy/Brockton/Weymouth/Plymouth City and County Continuum of Care (CoC) is the regional planning body that develops strategies and provides a coordinated response to homelessness throughout the South Shore CoC geography. It is known locally as the South Shore Network to End Homelessness (“the Network”).

LGBTQ

• Trans Lifeline Hotline – 877.565.8860 is a peer support phone service run by trans people for trans and questioning peers. Call if you need someone trans to talk to, even if you’re not in crisis or if you’re not sure you’re trans. Oprima 2 para hablar con unx operador en español.

• When you call, you’ll speak to a trans/nonbinary peer operator

• Full anonymity and confidentiality

• No nonconsensual active rescue (calling 911, emergency services, or law enforcement) 

• The Trevor Project – Trained counselors who understand the challenges LGBTQ young people face. They will listen without judgment. All conversations are confidential, and callers can share as much or as little as they’d like. Employs non-consensual active rescue.

• Text 'START' to 678-678

• Call: 1.866.488.7386

• Chat: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help 

• SGR — The Sex, Gender, and Relationships Hotline – SGR are a group of volunteers with comprehensive sex education providing accurate, non-judgmental, confidential information about sexuality, gender, and relationships. SGR welcome calls from people of all ages with all types of questions around sex, sexual health, gender expression, identity, and the ways sex and sexuality can impact relationships. SGR strives to provide fact-based information to assist each person in making choices and decisions that feel right for them. Subjects SGR can address include: STIs, HIV, pregnancy and birth control, gender identity and expression, sexual variations, open relationships and different relationship styles, BDSM, sex work, anatomy and how your body works, and everything in-between.

• Call: 415.989.7374

• Email: questions@sgrhotline.org

Domestic and Dating Violence

• National Domestic Violence Hotline – the National Domestic Violence Hotline helps survivors of domestic violence so they can live their lives free of abuse. Expert advocates offer free, confidential, and compassionate support, and crisis intervention information, education, and referral services in over 200 languages.

• Text 'START' to 88788

• Call: 800.799.SAFE (7233)

• Chat: https://www.thehotline.org 

• Safelink – SafeLink is Massachusetts’ statewide 24/7 toll-free domestic violence hotline. It is for anyone affected by domestic or dating violence. Are you worried about someone or do you have questions about abuse? Do you recognize warning signs of an unhealthy relationship? Do you need help or support? Advocates provides non-judgmental support, help with safety planning, and information on resources. Advocates are bilingual in English and Spanish. They also have access to a service that can provide translation in more than 130 languages.

• Call: 877.785.2020

• People who are Deaf and hard of hearing can reach SafeLink through the Mass Relay service: Dial 711 in Massachusetts. From anywhere else, dial 1.800.439.0183 for English or 1.800.930.9252 for Spanish. Ask to be connected to the hotline: 1.877.785.2020.