Children, youth, and young adults face unique mental and emotional health challenges, and there are various options of support depending on their age, what they may be facing, or interests. The following are resources for young people – from preschool age and up – that offer support, skill-building, mentoring, and more. It’s important to remember that all young people may face mental health challenges at some point, but there are resources, people, and supports to help. Below are programs available to youth to support mental health and youth suicide prevention:
Helpline (951) 686-HELP
Children, Youth, and Young Adults
Peace for Kids
This program focuses on empowering youth with essential social skills, empathy training, character education, and anger management over two class periods per week, for up to 14 weeks.
(This program is currently out for RFP)
Preschool Mobile Unit
Three Mobile PEI treatment units provide various interventions to children ages 0-5 and families in select communities across all three regions of Riverside County. Services are provided to families who may not otherwise receive services due to transportation or other geographic barriers. Each vehicle additionally is equipped to function independently to support disaster relief centers in emergency situations. They are also used to provide community outreach, education, and linkage to services during functions such as health fairs, school events, and other community activities. All activities are intended to help to reduce stigma and provide positive outreach to families that may want help with their child’s social and emotional development in a community setting.
TAY Resiliency Project
This dynamic project to provide services to Riverside County’s Transitional Age Youth is comprised of programs to improve mood, build coping skills and self-esteem, build social supports, and to reduce stigma and encourage help-seeking.
www.rcdmh.org/children-services/tay
Program Provider: Operation Safehouse
Western, Mid-County and Desert regions
Contact: Amanda Galindo
Stress and Your Mood
An early intervention program used to reduce and treat depression. Provided over 12-20 sessions, in group or individual format.
Peer to Peer (Mentoring)
In the mentoring program, Peer Youth Specialists are trained as mentors to support participants who may be experiencing stress or need help with coping skills. Using a system of measurable goals and benchmarks, the one on one sessions are designed to encourage the mentees to be participants in their own success. Peer mentoring is a proven method in the development of positive coping skills and resiliency. Each mentee will meet weekly with the mentor for 32 sessions.
Coping and Skills Training (CAST)
A 9-session group (that can be offered twice a week) that helps participants build self-esteem (learning to appreciate self and others), make healthy decisions, monitor and set goals, practice personal control in managing moods, drug use and school smarts.
Speaker’s Bureau
30-45 minute presentations in which the Peer Youth Specialists share their personal stories of challenge and recovery as motivation for others who may be experiencing difficulty.
LGBTQIA+ Support Groups
A 10-session psychoeducational support group.
Teen Suicide Awarenss and Prevention Program (TSAPP)
Friday Night Live
Friday Night Live is a youth oriented program catered to young people in the Riverside area. This organization provides activities and entertainment that promote an anti-drug, anti-drinking message to youth in the community.