Mental Health Resources
The key topics we focus on for mental health resources are building trusted relationships, managing technology and social media use, and tackling mental health stigma. Each part provides practical advice and strategies to help adults create a supportive environment for children.
By focusing on these areas, we aim to equip families with the knowledge and tools needed to foster resilience, promote positive mental health, and ensure that children grow up feeling safe, understood, and supported. Remember, taking proactive steps and seeking professional help when needed can make a big difference in a child's overall well-being.
- Understanding mental health
- Educational video library
- Downloadable resources
- Education and training
- Community programs
Understanding mental health
Growing up in today's world can be hard. Many children and teens experience moments that cause them to feel anxious, depressed or even suicidal. It can be hard to know when to ask for help or what problems they might be dealing with. Here are some specific topics we find critical.
Common focus areas of mental health:
- ADHD: ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. A person with ADHD has differences in brain development and brain activity that affect attention, the ability to sit still, and self-control.
- Anxiety: Anxiety disorders can cause extreme fear and worry, and change a child's behavior, sleep, eating, or mood.
- Behavior: Behavioral health is the management of emotions and behavior. Doctors who work on behavior issues are psychologists and psychiatrists.
- Depression: When a sad or bad mood lasts for weeks or longer, and when there are other changes in behavior, it might be depression.
- Self-harm/suicide: People who self-injure are more likely to attempt suicide. But even when suicide is not the goal, self-harm can still cause serious injuries.
- Substance abuse: Substance abuse is when someone drinks alcohol or smokes or takes drugs in a way that could lead to health, legal, and other problems
Educational videos to share
Red Flags: What to Look For | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs | Cook Children's
Caregiver Mental Health: Find Support | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs | Cook Children's
Red Flags: Ask for Help | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs | Cook Children's
Red Flags: Know the Signs | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs | Cook Children's
Caregiver Mental Health: Be Present | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs | Cook Children's
While You Wait: Who To Reach Out To | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs | Cook Children's
What To Do While You Wait For Services | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs
While You Wait: Build Structure | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs | Cook Children's
Red Flags: School Support | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs | Cook Children's
Mental Health & Stigma: Sharing Our Story | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs | Cook Children's
Mental Health & Stigma: What is Stigma? | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs | Cook Children's
Mental Health & Stigma: Effects on the Family | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs | Cook Children's
Mental Health & Stigma: Talking to your Provider | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs
Mental Health & Stigma: You Are Not Alone | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs | Cook Children's
SPANISH Mental Health & Stigma | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs | Cook Children's
Fostering Supportive Relationships: Talk About Mental Health | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs
Fostering Trusted & Supportive Relationships: Clinical Support | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs
Fostering Supportive Relationships: Honest Conversations | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs
Fostering Trusted & Supportive Relationships: Reach Out for Help | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs
Technology, Boundaries & Bullying: Safe & Appropriate Use | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs
Technology, Boundaries & Bullying: Healthy Screen Time | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs
Technology, Boundaries & Bullying: The Impact of Bullying | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs
Technology, Boundaries & Bullying: Addiction to Technology | Roadmap for Mental Health || ACEs
Downloadable resources
Coping cards for kids and teens: Our community created these coping cards to give you an activity to try when feelings get really big or overwhelming. These activities will give your body and your brain a chance to catch up to the feelings and help you know why you feel the way you do.
Education and Training
The following trainings can be provided in person upon request and staff availability to public health professionals. To make a request, contact Jammie.Josephson@cookchildrens.org.
- Question Persuade Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper Training: Participants trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and hot to question, persuade and refer someone for help.
- Trauma Informed Care Training for Professionals: This three hour training is designed for individuals working with children who have experiences trauma and discusses the impact of trauma on the community, children and the brain and body and the principles of trauma informed care and reducing triggers.
- From chaos to calm: Trauma Informed Principles for Supporting Youth Mental Wellness: This one hour training for professionals discusses the impact of trauma on the brain and body, techniques for strengthening the caregiver/ child relationship, how to utilize coping skills for regulating emotions and applying tools for fostering child mental wellness.
- Youth Mental Health First Aid: Training designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis.
ADHD: A deep dive into supportive interventions and dispelling myths | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
3.25 hours (Virtual-Zoom)
Learning objectives: Summarize common myths associated with an ADHD diagnosis, recognize symptoms of ADHD, identify medications used to treat ADHD symptoms, discuss the PCP’s role in treatment and medication management of ADHD, and describe at least four intervention strategies to support children with ADHD symptoms at home and school.
Anxiety: Diagnostic criteria and treatment in children | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
3.25 hours (Virtual-Zoom)
Learning objectives: Define the diagnostic criteria for the following anxiety disorders: Generalized anxiety disorder, OCD/phobias, separation anxiety, and social anxiety, describe case studies with symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, OCD/phobias, separation anxiety, and social anxiety, and identify at least two interventions to use with the following anxiety disorders: generalized anxiety disorder, OCD/phobias, separation anxiety, and social anxiety.
Watch Video Download PDF Continuing education
Media use and access for youth: Navigating the good, bad, and ugly sides of the internet, social media, and gaming | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
3 hours (Virtual-Zoom)
Learning objectives: Describe current trends for children’s use of apps, games, social media, and/or internet use, explain 1-2 research based guidelines for internet safety, identify 1-2 strategies to provide limits and/or support around developmentally appropriate media exposure, identify 1-2 risks associated to children having early pornography exposure and describe signs and symptoms of adolescent pornography addiction.
Disordered eating in youth: signs, symptoms, and support | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
3.5 hours (Virtual-Zoom)
Learning objectives: Describe characteristics of disordered eating behaviors, describe current trends occurring in youth displaying disordered eating, summarize differences between disordered eating and eating disorders, and identify at least two evidence-based interventions to use with children/teens displaying disordered eating behaviors. Watch Video Download PDF Continuing Education
Dysregulated youth: Supporting and understanding challenging emotions and behaviors
| Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
3.5 hours (Virtual-Zoom)
Learning objectives: Describe behavioral and emotional characteristics of dysregulation, summarize understanding of diagnosis associated with high levels of dysregulation, identify at least (2) evidence based interventions to use with children/teens displaying dysregulation, describe at least (2) parenting strategies to support parents who have a highly dysregulated child/adolescent, and identify when higher levels of care may be appropriate.
Anxiety: Cultivating supportive strategies for children and youth | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
3.5 hours (Virtual-Zoom)
Learning objectives: Describe current research on anxiety in youth, identify at least three supportive strategies to reduce anxious symptoms in the home and/or school setting, summarize understanding of differential diagnoses and co-occurring issues and challenges in youth presenting with anxiety symptoms, and describe at least 1-2 self-care strategies to aid in reducing burnout for caregivers and professionals.
Suicidal Ideation: Cultivating supportive strategies for children and youth| Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
3 hours (Virtual-Zoom)
Learning objectives: Describe the current research on suicidality, recognize the signs and symptoms of depression and risk factors for suicidality, define the steps to assess risk of harm and identify appropriate levels of treatment, describe at least three interventions for children/adolescents with suicidal ideation, and summarize trauma-informed strategies to build a culture of support.
Substance Use: Cultivating supportive strategies for children and youth | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
3.5 hours (Virtual-Zoom)
Learning objectives: Identify at least three reasons children and youth might use substances, describe at least three interventions for children/adolescents experiencing substance use, and explore the various perspectives to build a supportive culture for students and families experiencing substance use.
Autism: A spectrum of support | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
4 hours ( Virtual-Zoom)
Learning objectives include: Gaining an understanding of what autism is and who the diagnosis impacts; identifying and describing definitions and terminology associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder; gaining an understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnostic criteria; identifying characteristics associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder; identifying presentation of symptoms across settings and defining Neurodiversity; and understanding the Neuro-affirming lens.
Axles of anxiety: Who, What, Why | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
No recording available
Learning objectives: identifying the different types of anxiety experienced and how it presents in children and teens; identifying at least three ways media contributes to anxiety; and describing at least three coping strategies parents and professionals can use to help reduce anxiety in children and teens. The target audience for this presentation is mental health professionals.
Building resiliency against adverse childhood experiences(ACEs) | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
3 hours( Virtual-Zoom)
Learning objectives: gaining knowledge about ACES and how it affects people in diverse populations; identifying two ways to practice resiliency in everyday life. The target audience for this presentation is mental health professionals.
Commercially sexually exploited youth, recognizing and responding: Denton County strategy | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
4 hours (Virtual - Zoom)
Learning objectives include: identify at least three stakeholders involved in the Denton County Protocol for Care Coordination of CSEY victims; gain understanding of the CSE-IT tool and training and how it is used to identify victims and refer for services; recognize signs of complex traumas and appropriate interventions; identify risk factors for male victims of sex trafficking; recognize the impact of victimization on CSEY victims. Target audience: professionals
Commercially sexually exploited Youth, recognizing and responding: Empowering youth & families | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
No recording available
Learning objectives: recognizing how developments in social media are affecting youth; identifying ways to support and build resiliency in the LGBTQ+ population; identifying the importance of how effective communication between adults and youth helps prevent early childhood abuse; and describing ways to identify and respond to youth at risk of sexual exploitation. The target audience for this presentation is mental health professionals.
Commercially sexually exploited youth, recognizing and responding: Texas’s holistic strategy | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
No recording available
Learning objectives: being able to identify specific risk behaviors of Commercially sexually exploited youth (CSEY); learners will review the State’s comprehensive, holistic public health approach to address CSEY; learners will identify specific stakeholders involved in a multi-disciplinary approach to coordinated care for victims of CSEY in Denton County; learners will describe the specialized role of CSEY Advocates; learners will identify specific further opportunities for training and engagement, as well as reporting mechanisms for suspected CSEY. The target audience for this presentation is mental health professionals.
Compassion and Empathy: A response to bullying | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
No recording available
Learning objectives: recognizing the different types of bullying experienced by children and teens; exploring the perspectives of schools and community organizations as they work to address bullying; describing at least three strategies parents and professionals can use to promote empathy and compassion in youth; and improving services for children and families through collaboration and resource sharing amongst professionals, families, and the community. The target audience for this presentation is mental health professionals.
Encapsulated: The link between substance use disorders & mental health | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
3 hours( Virtual-Zoom)
Learning objectives include: recognize at least three ways a co-occurrence of mental health illness and a substance use disorder can impact the type of interventions provided to children and families; and describe at least three strategies parents & professionals can use to help children who have parents with a substance use disorder. Target audience: professionals
Flipping Our Lens on Youth Challenges: Real problems, real solutions | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
No recording available
Learning objectives: exploring the intersectionality of technology and pop culture influences on depression, self-harm, and suicide in youth; describe the effects of technology and social media on children and teens' brain, social, and emotional development based on current research; discuss the stressors and challenges today's youth experience from the perspectives of local teens; and describe three strategies to develop positive coping skills to build social and emotional capacity in youth. The target audience for this presentation is mental health professionals.
Recovery after the chaos: Empowering the community to take back what COVID stole | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
3 hours ( Virtual-Zoom)
Learning objectives: recognizing how the power of relationship building can help families with traumatic experiences; describing at least three strategies parents and professionals can use to improve self-regulation and promote resiliency; recognizing the impact of COVID-19 within the family system. The target audience for this presentation is mental health professionals.
Responding to COVID-19 as a community| Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
3 hours( Virtual-Zoom)
Learning objectives include: explain the benefits, pitfalls, and dangers of the increased utilization of the internet; describe at least three coping skills community members can use to respond to the stresses of COVID-19; and explain how mindfulness can be utilized practically to reduce stress. Target audience: professionals
Together for youth mental health & wellness in Denton County, Part I | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
No recording available
Learning objectives: summarizing the value of collaboration when addressing children’s mental health needs as a community; identifying behavioral health needs at Juvenile Probation and programs available to Denton County youth; explaining at least two wellness strategies mental health providers can employ to practice self-care. The target audience for this presentation is mental health professionals.
Together for youth mental health & wellness in Denton county, Part II | Wellness Workshop | Mental Health
No recording available
Learning objectives: identifying what is meant when the term neurodivergence is used; describing how to use de-escalation tools with neurodivergent populations; recognizing the connection between mental health and physical health. The target audience for this presentation is mental health professionals.
Behavior and emotion resources
If you're thinking about suicide, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can help. Call or text 988.
- It's free.
- It's confidential.
- It's available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Resources are available for those considering suicide and their loved ones.
Find help here.
Coping with emotional or behavioral issues is hard. We get it, and that’s why we’ve put together resources to help you take those first steps on your journey toward better mental health.
Community programs
Discover our programs designed to support community health and well-being. From educational workshops to group support sessions, we offer resources to help our community become informed and connected on the issues affecting our children.
