Links for Parents and Teens

Worldwide progress is being made to help enrich our understanding of mental health, mental illness and how our brains function. We wanted to highlight some other places where you might find information that suits your needs.

• Bipolar Kids --the Child Adolescent Bipolar Foundation website provides a wealth of resources for parents, educators and youth on bipolar education, treatment and how to help adolescents live with bipolar.

• Headspace -- this site from Australia has a wealth of resources for parents and caregivers.

• Institute for Families --  is an independent non-for-profit organization that works to improve child and youth mental health in Canada by involving families in consultation, education and partnerships.

• Mind Check  --  is part of a broader health literacy initiative implemented by the Early Intervention Project within Child, Youth and Young Adult Mental Health and Addictions Services, Fraser Health, British Columbia, Canada.

• Mobile Health Crisis Team -- if you live in Nova Scotia and need immediate help, contact the mobile health crisis team (24/7). Many other North American cities have a similar program, check with your regional healthcare provider.

• Mood Disorders Ontario -- great fact sheets on a wide range of Mood Disorders as well as some valuable Ontario based information on resources.

• Nova Scotia Early Psychosis Program -- This website provides information about early psychosis; promotes early detection and intervention; provides resources for the general public, individuals, family members and health care professionals and provides direction for seeking help.

• OneinFive -- this website seeks to create awareness of the prevalence of mental illness and provide information and resources for individuals and their families

• Orygen -- this website has some great fact sheets on a wide variety of mental health issues.

• What Works 4 U -- share information and learn from others on what treatments are working for them.

Additional Resources

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry developed Facts for Families to provide concise and up-to-date information on issues that affect children, teenagers, and their families. Here are the fact sheets that relate to youth and mental illness.

Facts for Families

• Early Adolescent Development
• Late Adolescent Development
• Helping Teens with Stress
• Parenting: Preparing for Adolescence
• Panic Disorder in Children and Adolescents
• Depression in Children and Adolescents
• Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents
• ADHD in Children and Adolescents
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Children and Adolescents
• Teens: Alcohol and Other Drugs
• Substance Abuse Treatment for Children and Adolescents: Questions to Ask
• Teenagers with Eating Disorders
• Teen Suicide
• Self-injury in Adolescence