Mental Health

The National 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline went into effect Mid-July 2022. This number can be used to assist individuals experiencing any mental or behavioral health crisis including suicide, substance use, and mental health.
- More information on 988 in Missouri.
- For information on treatment referrals contact the SAMHSA National help-line at 1-800-662-HELP or click here.
Mental Health Prevention & Promotion
- Children’s Mental Health Report (CDC)
- Mental Health America resources for recognizing signs of Mental Health concerns in youth.
- Missouri Department of Mental Health
- MO Department of Mental Health crisis line and resources specific to Missouri.
- CDC Mental Health Information
- CDC’s Children’s Mental Health
Common mental health concerns for children and adolescents
At least one in five youth aged 9–17 years currently has a diagnosable mental health disorder that causes some degree of impairment; one in 10 has a disorder that causes significant impairment. The most common mental illnesses in adolescents are anxiety, mood, attention, and behavior disorders.
Anxiety
Anxiety is one of the most common experiences of children and adults. The primary characteristic of anxiety is worry, which is fear that future events will have negative outcomes. Anxious children are much more likely than their peers to see minor events as potentially threatening. For more information click here.
Mood Disorders
Mental health problems ranging from depression to bipolar disorder are known as mood disorders, or affective disorders. In any of these disorders, a serious change in mood shapes your child’s emotional state. Unlike a normal bad mood a child feels occasionally, a mood disorder involves thoughts and feelings that are intense, difficult to manage, and persistent. For more information click here.
Attention Disorders (most commonly ADHD)
Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience more obstacles in their path to success than the average student. The symptoms of ADHD, such as inability to pay attention, difficulty sitting still, and difficulty controlling impulses, can make it hard for children with this diagnosis to do well in school. For more information click here.
Behavior Disorders
Behavioral disorders, also known as conduct disorders, are one of the most common forms of disability among children and young adults and is the most frequently cited reason for referral to mental health services. For more information click here.
Suicide
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for adolescents and teens. If a student expresses suicidal thoughts or concerns to you, remember to remain calm. Listen, don’t judge, don’t accuse, and assure them that there IS help. If you believe a student is suicidal and in crisis, they can get help via the 988 Crisis Lifeline.

- Risk factors, warning signs, and how to help a youth experiencing suicidal ideation/thoughts
- Tool Kit for schools following a suicide
Missouri Hotlines
- Suicide Prevention Lines
1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)
1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) - After a Suicide: Toolkit for Schools
- The Trevor Helpline – Offers a national 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention hotline aimed at gay and questioning youth and young adults: 1-866-4U-TREVOR
- Mental Health America - resources on Child and Adolescent Suicide, offers warning signs and action items.
- MO Suicide Prevention Network for students that are in crisis now with suicidal ideation.
- Suicide Prevention Publications-National Institute of Mental Health
- Suicide Prevention Resource Center
- Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Youth Mental Health Crisis has statistics on overall Mental Health as well as some very critical statistics on youth and adolescent suicide (2021)
Substance Use
Some sobering statistics about substance use in adolescents:
- By 12th grade, about two-thirds of students have tried alcohol.
- About half of 9th through 12th grade students reported ever having used marijuana.
- If you believe a student is in crisis due to substance use, they can get help via the 988 Crisis Lifeline (Maybe add the banner and link here as well?)
- Resources for adolescents struggling with substance use
- For resources to help adolescents and youth quit tobacco use
Trauma and ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences)
The impacts of trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences on the learning experience cannot be understated. Trauma is defined as an emotional response to a deeply distressing and/or terrible event that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope. ACEs are significant childhood traumas which can result in actual changes in brain development. These changes may affect a child’s learning ability, social skills, and can result in long-term health problems. In Missouri, many schools participate in the Missouri Trauma-Informed Schools Initiative in an effort to better respond to the needs of students. An appropriate response can be as simple as remembering the guiding principles of the trauma-informed response:
- Safety
- Trustworthiness and transparency
- Peer support
- Collaboration and mutuality
- Empowerment and choice
- Cultural, historical, and gender issues
- Missouri Model for Trauma-Informed Schools
- Understanding ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences)
Resilience
The best defense against the impacts of trauma, like disasters and ACEs, is RESILIENCE. Resilience is the ability to adjust and “bounce back” from adversity. Resilience can be cultivated in children and adolescents. Building connections and relationships with students is an excellent way to help grow students’ resilience.
Grief
Every human, at some point or another, will likely experience loss and, therefore, grief. Though we hate to think about it, it is likely at some point we will have students who are bereaved. Remember, grief can look like: decreased appetite, difficulty sleeping, social withdrawal, and even anger.
Disaster Response
- DHSS disaster and emergency planning site
- Caring for children in a disaster
- Helping children cope with disaster
- Talking to Youth about Disaster for Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers (printable fact sheet)
Self-care
Self-care is not selfish! Self-care is essential for defending against compassion fatigue and burn-out, especially in the helping professions.
- A word from National Association of School Nurses on school nurse mental health:
- Support for health workers
- BIG list of self-care ideas
Other Social Concerns
Child abuse and neglect
- Emergency cases of abuse (the child is in imminent danger) should be reported to the Child Abuse and Neglect (CA/N) Hotline at: 1-800-392-3738. Non-emergency reports can be made via the web-reporting system.
Information needed when reporting suspected child abuse and neglect:- Child’s name and address
- Parent/guardian/caregiver name and address
- Child’s age, sex, and race
- Nature of the injuries
- Source of the report
- Name and address of alleged perpetrator if known
- Family composition
- Name, occupation, and contact information of the reporter
Human trafficking
- National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888
- Missouri Department of Public Safety Human Trafficking information
Homelessness/housing security
- In 2019 there were about 1,350 homeless individuals under the age of 18 in the state of Missouri. For more information on supporting youth experiencing homelessness, click here.
Food security
- In Missouri, 809,680 people are facing hunger - and of them 202,900 are children.
- For information on Missouri food programs, click here.
- To find a food pantry near you, follow this link and select “Food Pantries”