As we collectively process the recent tragedies in our community, YCS would like to take a moment to share a few resources for grief support and mental health services for youth and families. Please share these resources widely.
As a member of Project Safety Net (PSN) a collaborative community network held together by a common interest of fostering youth well-being in Palo Alto, we share with you, our co-created letter to our community with information on resources and support.
We are also very grateful to Mayor Greer Stone for his community message "The Importance of Community & Connection During These Challenging Times" that offers solace to us. Below are a series of community events that welcome each of us to come out and find the support and be the support for each other. In solidarity, Mora Oommen, Executive Director
P.S. Please scroll to the bottom of this email for a list of mental health resources for youth and adults. |
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YCS Peer Leader Wellness Days
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YCS Wellness Days The YCS Youth Connect Peer Leaders invite local youth to join our Peer Leadership Program and participate in our upcoming Wellness Days.
YCS Peer Leaders are offering various wellness activities to help support our community and increase the connection between youth and their peers. These are FREE events open to all youth and snacks will be provided. Registration is encouraged at this link, and walk-ins are always welcome. Please email ycpeerleaders@youthcommunityservice.org with questions.
All youth in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties are welcome to join the afterschool peer leadership program ,Youth Connect, to make a difference in our community. Learn more about Youth Connect here. Burnout Prevention Workshop 1 on March 14th 5-6pm at allcove Palo Alto (2741 Middlefield Rd, Ste 102, Palo Alto, CA 94306)
Join the YCS Peer Leaders to learn from a mental health professionals about healthy habits and different options to prevent burnout. With your peers, explore ways to express care for yourself, for your friends and other high school students in our community.
Burnout Prevention Workshop 2 on March 24th 12:30-2pm at Mitchell Park Community Center (3700 Middlefield Rd. Palo Alto, CA 94303)
Join the YCS Peer Leaders in discovering coping methods to aid with your burnout recovery. We will engage in conversation about how to care for ourselves and each other with positive words and actions.
We Are Not Really Stranger Community Game Night on March 24th 2:30-4:30pm at Mitchell Park Community Center (3700 Middlefield Rd. Palo Alto, CA 94303)
This event is based on the card game “We’re Not Really Strangers” to empower meaningful connections and deepen pre-existing ones. Individuals will have the opportunity to connect with others on a deep, authentic level. Resources will be available at all YCS Peer Leader Wellness Days. |
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Drop-in Grief Support for Parents and Guardians Friday, March 1, 5-8pm
allcove Palo Alto located at 2741 Middlefield Road, Suite 102
Registration is encouraged. Drop-ins are welcome.
allcove Palo Alto is a center supporting youth’s mental health and overall wellness where holistic care is easily accessible. allcove is offering a number of drop-in support groups. Upcoming: Summer 2023: teen Mental Health First Aid for teens 15-18 years
Project Safety Net and allcove Palo Alto are hosting a 3-part teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) training this summer on July 24, July 31, and August 7, from 5 pm – 6:30 pm. tMHFA teaches teens ages 15-18 how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among their friends. If you have any questions, contact teenMHFA@psnyouth.org.
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Free Friday Night Event at The Drop |
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Friday, March 01, 2024 | 06:00 PM - 08:00 PM
The Mitchell Park Teen Center "The Drop" is the City of Palo Alto's drop-in space for middle school and high school teens. The Palo Alto Teen Advisory Board welcomes all high schools students to drop in today for Escape Room Adventures. Tonight also include raffles, pasta bar and board games.
Check out the website for future Friday Night Teen Drop-in Offerings. |
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Free Teen Art Therapy Drop-in Session |
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Saturday, March 02, 2024 | 01:00 PM to 04:00 PM The City of Palo Alto Community Services Department will be hosting a free drop-in art therapy session for teens with licensed art therapist Anh Tran on Saturday, March 2 at the Palo Alto Art Center from 1-4 p.m. Teens can drop in, check in, and make art. No art skills necessary and all materials will be provided.
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Free Mental Health First Aid Training: Part 1 |
Saturday, March 09, 2024 | 10:00 AM to 02:00 PM El Camino Room, Downtown Library, 270 Forest Ave., Palo Alto, CA, 94301
Learn how to support your friends, families, and neighbors by becoming certified in Mental Health First Aid. In this two-part training, you will learn how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among adults.
Registration is required. Please register directly with Kennya Rodriguez at Momentum for Health at krodriguez@momentumforhealth.org.
Trainings are conducted by Momentum for Health, a non-profit organization in Santa Clara County that helps people achieve mental and emotional health, discover their potential, and fully participate in life. |
Know Your Rights: Accessing Mental Health Services |
Saturday, March 16, 2024 | 04:00 PM to 05:00 PM
Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto, CA, 94303
Mental illness is more prevalent than most people realize yet many do not know their rights to care and coverage. Did you know that commercial insurance plans are required to provide the same level of coverage for mental health services as they do for physical health services? During this workshop, participants will learn about common mental health conditions and how to recognize signs and symptoms, rights to mental health care, steps and resources to access care, and what to do if you encounter problems obtaining care. Registration is preferred but not required.
This presentation is provided by the County of Santa Clara Health System, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Santa Clara, and
Bay Area Legal Aid and will be followed by Q&A. |
Pioneering the Fight Against Loneliness
with Mindfulness |
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‘Anamatangi Polynesian Voices has taken the lead in San Mateo County to address the pressing issue of loneliness as a public health emergency. This initiative aligns with the county's recent declaration of loneliness as a major public health concern, with the unanimous vote by the Board of Supervisors highlighting the urgency of the matter.
Recently ‘Anamatangi, the inaugural service provider of Mindfulness-Based Substance Abuse Treatment (MBSAT) in both San Mateo and Santa Clara County, debuted its workshops at the Stanford SWEET (Stanford Winter Enrichment Experience for Teens) week-long conference.
This inaugural introduction of MBSAT to Peninsula-Bay Area youth adds another milestone to the journey of sharing mindfulness as a powerful tool to combat loneliness across our counties, a transformative technique learned by high school students attending East Palo Alto Academy, Menlo-Atherton High School and KIPP Academy. ‘Anamatangi MBSAT Certified facilitators completed two afternoon sessions, totaling thirty-six high school students receiving an introduction to mindfulness and an interactive approach to talking about friends and accomplices, and the peer system.
YCS is grateful to have been part of the inaugural training of facilitators.
Interested in learning more about MBSAT Mindfulness or would like to bring these trainings to your space? Contact us at info@anamatangi.org |
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OFJCC Mental Health First Aid Certification |
Three-session Training for PREP Fellows and Teens 15+
When: Thursdays, 3/7/2024 and 3/14/2024, Monday, 3/25/2024 5:00pm - 6:30pm
Session dates: Thursdays, 3/7/2024 - 3/26/2024, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Where: OFJCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto, CA 94303
More info available online.
As a Peer Mental Health Advocate, you will become trained and certified in Teen Mental Health First Aid after completing a three-session course that addresses common mental health challenges and provides teens with an action plan to help their peers.
This certification course is being facilitated by Jewish Family and Children's Services (JFCS) and requires participation in all three sessions to receive the certificate.
This course is an optional part of the PREP Fellowship and can be taken on its own. It is free to attend.
The fellowship is limited to high school students and registration has closed. Interested students should reach out to Maya Ben Tov at mbentov@paloaltojcc.org to inquire about late registration. |
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Community Resources for our local youth, community, and families |
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The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be reached by calling or texting 9–8–8.
Support for individuals who are suicidal or in crisis and those around them: • County of Santa Clara Crisis and Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Dial, or text 988 (available 24 hours, 7 days a week)
• Text RENEW to Crisis Text Line at 741741 • California Youth Crisis Line, 1-800-843-5200, calyouth.org/cycl/
• Trevor Project Lifeline specializing in crisis help for LGBTQ youth, 1-866-488-7386. • NAMI Santa Clara County, 408-453-0400, namisantaclara.org
Local grief support, counseling, and resources: • Kara, 650-321-5272, www.kara-grief.org
• A Handbook for Teachers on Supporting Grieving Students available from Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Family Guidance and Bereavement Program, 650-497-8175, bereavement@stanfordchildrens.org
• County of Santa Clara - Santa Clara County’s Grief Support Services
• HEARD Alliance, www.heardalliance.org. The HEARD Alliance offers a K-12 Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention toolkit, which offers resources on suicide prevention and postvention/crisis response.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention guide on Children, Teens and Suicide Loss
Local clinics that will triage and/or see individuals affected by our local losses: • Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and Clinics, 650-723-5511 Option 3 (children and teens) and 650-498-9111 (adults).
• El Camino Hospital ASPIRE Intensive Outpatient Programs, 650-940-7000 (Mountain View); 408-866-4021 (Los Gatos). • Mills Peninsula Behavioral Health Intake Department, 650-696-4666.
Youth well-being and mental health services:
• allcove Palo Alto, 650-798-6330, allcove.org/centers/palo-alto/
• Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS), 650-424-0852, www.acs-teens.org.
• Bill Wilson Center, (408) 243-0222, www.billwilsoncenter.org/
• Children’s Health Council (CHC),650-688-3625, www.chconline.org
• Community Mobile Response Teams, CMRT@hhs.sccgov.org, 5 mobile response program teams that provide support for community members who exhibit mental health symptoms and may be at risk for self-harm or harm to others.
• TRUST (Trusted Response Urgent Support Team), 1-800-704-0900 and press I, ask for the TRUST team; helps Santa Clara County residents during an urgent mental health or substance use situation. Operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Call
• JED Foundation, (212) 647-7544, jedfoundation.org
More resources available at PSN’s website: www.psnyouth.org
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Know of additional free resources?
Please email monica@youthcommunityservice.org if you know of additional community resources for us to share with the community. Thank you. |
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| Our Vision: A world where youth shape a better future for all.
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