Resources for Managing Your Mental Wellness
We all experience daily stressors that affect our mental and emotional health, and we all feel sad or anxious from time to time. It’s important to monitor how we’re feeling and regularly check in on our loved ones.
Often, daily self-care practices can help support overall mental and physical wellness, however, if you or a loved one are feeling overwhelmed or hopeless, it’s important to educate yourself on the signs of a mental health challenge and seek help when needed.
In addition to life’s universal stressors, communities that have been historically discriminated against face additional challenges to maintaining their mental health. Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, and/or queer (LGBTQ+) community experience unique stressors, including micro-aggressions, stigma, and discrimination, that can worsen mental health challenges. Local resources are available that are tailored to your community. Use the It’s Up to Us Resource Tool to help you find the right resources for yourself or your loved one.
Below you can find a list of various trusted resources to help you navigate mental health challenges and daily stressors in the following categories:
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General Mental Health Resources
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It's Up to Us
- A resource to help San Diegans talk openly about mental health, recognize signs of challenges, find local resources, and seek support
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Mental
Health America
- Resources for prevention and support for mental health and well-being, including a free Mental Health Screening Tool to learn about your mental health
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National
Alliance on Mental Illness San Diego (NAMI San
Diego)
- Resources and assistance to maintain mental health and wellness
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National Institute of Mental
Health (NIMH)
- Resources from the lead federal agency for research on mental health, including a helpful guide on Coping with Traumatic Events
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988 Suicide &
Crisis Lifeline
- Suicide prevention resources and a 24/7 confidential phone line to provide emotional support to people in a suicidal crisis or emotional distress
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Take Action for
Mental Health
- Resources to learn more and get support for yours and others' mental health
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It's Up to Us
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Resources for Families, Parents, Caregivers & Youth
- Mental
Health Resources for Parents from Mental Health America
- Includes educational resources for parents, including expecting or new parents, parents in military service, and youth mental health
- San Diego
County Office of Education: Student Health & Well
Being
- Resources for school districts, schools, students, and families to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being
- Mental Health America: I Don't
Mind
- Tools to encourage open conversations about mental health and to provide resources, education, and encouragement for anyone who needs it
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The
Trevor Project
- Suicide prevention support for LGBTQ youth
- Mental Health Resources for Youth, Parents, Schools & Teachers from the California Health and Human Services Agency
- First
Five San Diego
- Provides San Diego's youngest children with healthy development screenings, dental care, high-quality preschool and parenting workshops
- Mental
Health Resources for Parents from Mental Health America
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Online and Phone Supports
- 2-1-1 San Diego
- Dial 2-1-1, or visit www.211sandiego.org, for access to community, health, social, and disaster services. The call is free, confidential, and available in more than 200 languages with access to 6,000+ services, resources, and programs.
- Access & Crisis
Line (ACL )
- Call the Access and Crisis Line at 1 (888) 724-7240 for free, confidential support and resources if you are dealing with alcohol, drug, or mental health challenges. Experienced counselors are available 24/7 in over 200 languages.
- 988 Suicide &
Crisis Line
- Dial 9-8-8 to be directed to a local crisis call center or visit the website for more information. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or loved ones.
- *Individuals with San Diego County area codes (619, 858, 760 or 442) dialing 9-8-8 will have their calls routed to the ACL. Calls made from other area codes will be routed to the local crisis call center based on the caller’s area code. San Diego County residents and visitors are encouraged to reach out directly to the ACL at 1 (888) 724-7240 as the region’s existing crisis call center.
- The NAMI
Peer-to-Peer Warmline
- Call the Peer-to-Peer Warmline at 619-295-1055 from 3:30 pm - 11:00 pm, 7 days/week, to speak to a Peer Support Specialist. The Warmline is a non-crisis phone service that provides callers with information, referrals, support, and empathy.
- Teen Line
- Text "TEEN" to 839863 or call 800-TLC-TEEN (nationwide toll-free) from 6pm to 10pm PST to connect with a trained, Teen Line teen volunteer for support.
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California Youth Crisis Line
- Youth ages 12-24 or families in crisis can call or text 800-843-5200, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to speak to a trained staff or volunteer counselor. Translation services are available for multiple languages.
- SAMHSA Disaster
Distress Line
- Call 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs”
to 66746 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor at
the SAMHSA
Disaster Distress Line.
- Call 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs”
to 66746 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor at
the SAMHSA
Disaster Distress Line.
- 2-1-1 San Diego
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Emotional Support and Wellness
Emotional Support
Keeping in touch with friends and family members who can boost your mood with a joke or hug can make a big difference in your mental health. But it can be hard to reach out when experiencing an emotional or mental health crisis. Learn more about how to stay connected to loved ones during difficult times and ways to maintain and support yours and others emotional health at the Take Action for Mental Health website. If you are dealing with emotional distress such as personal loss or tragedy, try these helpful tips on how to protect our mental health when life throws difficult things our way.
Wellness
Research has shown that meditation and mindfulness may have several health benefits, including helping to improve stress and anxiety management, lowering blood pressure, and reducing insomnia. Check out the links below to explore some free resources and see how mindfulness meditation can help you.
- Mindfulness + Meditation Resources from Stanford Health Library
- Includes guided meditations in English and Spanish
- UCSD Center for Mindfulness
- Includes guided meditations in English and Spanish
- UCLA Mindfulness Awareness Center Guided Meditations
- Includes guided meditations in multiple languages
- Includes guided meditations in multiple languages
- Mindfulness + Meditation Resources from Stanford Health Library
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Disaster Relief and Preparedness
- County of San Diego's Disaster Preparedness Page
- Ready San Diego
- Resources on how to prepare for a natural disaster
- San
Diego County Recovery
- Local information and resources following an emergency or disaster
- Helping Children Cope with Emergencies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
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Assistance and Benefit Programs
The programs listed below can assist families or individuals qualified to receive assistance. For more information on the programs, including eligibility requirements, visit the websites below.
If you are looking for a service that isn't listed here, call 2-1-1 to speak to someone who can guide you through your options.
- Food Resources
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CalFresh
- CalFresh food benefits can be used to buy food at
grocery stores, farmers' markets, and online
- Disaster CalFresh – Assists with food needs for people affected by a food, fire, earthquake, or other natural disasters
- CalFresh food benefits can be used to buy food at
grocery stores, farmers' markets, and online
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Women,
Infants and Children (WIC) Food Benefits
- Serves babies and children up to age 5, pregnant women, and new mothers
- Meals
and Senior Dining
- Information on nutrition
services for older adults, including dining centers and meal
delivery
- Information on nutrition
services for older adults, including dining centers and meal
delivery
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CalFresh
- Income and Rental Assistance
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Cash
Aid (CalWORKs)
- Extra cash to pay for rent, housing, food, clothing, medical payments, and utilities for families with at least one child in the home
- General
Relief
- Temporary cash assistance to adults who are not supported by their own means, other public funds, or programs
- Veterans
Affairs Supportive Housing
- Rental assistance for homeless veterans
- Cash
Assistance Program for Immigrants
- Cash assistance
for immigrants who are not eligible for the federally funded
Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment
(SSI/SSP) program
- Cash assistance
for immigrants who are not eligible for the federally funded
Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment
(SSI/SSP) program
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Cash
Aid (CalWORKs)
- Medical and Health Coverage
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Medi-Cal
- Free or low-cost health care to people and families
- San
Diego Kids Health Assurance Network
- Medical and
dental services for children of low-income families in San
Diego County
- Medical and
dental services for children of low-income families in San
Diego County
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Medi-Cal
- Housing and Homelessness Assistance
- Section
8 Housing Choice Voucher
- Programs to help families get rental assistance
- Emergency
Housing Vouchers
- Housing vouchers for families or individuals who are homeless, at risk of experiencing homelessness, fleeing, or attempting to flee from domestic violence or human trafficking
-
Shelters
and Emergency Housing
- List of homeless shelters and emergency housing in San Diego
-
2-1-1 San Diego for
shelter bed availability
- Emergency shelter bed availability list updated at least once a day, Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm
- Low-Income
Home Energy Assistance Program
- Helps families
meet home energy costs
- Helps families
meet home energy costs
- Section
8 Housing Choice Voucher
- Office
of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs
- Resources for
asylum seekers, immigrants, migrants and refugees
- Resources for
asylum seekers, immigrants, migrants and refugees
- In-Home
Support Services
- Homemaker and personal care
assistance to individuals who need help in the home to remain
independent
- Homemaker and personal care
assistance to individuals who need help in the home to remain
independent
- Food Resources