Mental Health Resources
SBIRT Resources for Parents & Guardians
Check Yourself Data
In the 2023-2024 school year, 18% of students in grades 6-9 reported feelings of anxiety, and 13% reported feelings of depression.
View the Seattle Public Schools Mental Health Services page for information on available mental health supports and mental health organizations.
Mental Health ServicesThe information listed below is taken from the sources that are linked under the information.
Everyone has feelings of anxiety sometimes and it can be hard for parents to know when their child’s anxiety is becoming a concern. Below are signs of regular anxiety and signs of anxiety that might be a concern:
Regular or mild feelings of anxiety:
- Nervousness about a specific situation
- Embarrassment related to a specific situation
- Realistic fear response to actual threat
- Reaction to a stressor or event
- Starts and ends based on circumstances
- Lessens when stress is over
- Basic regulation strategies work to keep feelings of anxiety under control
- Minor, temporary physical symptoms
Signs of an anxiety concern:
- Constant feeling of anxiety with no clear cause that endure over a long period of time
- Disproportionate response to events
- Interfering with daily life
- Causes trouble with concentration or decision-making
- Causes consistent feelings of irritability, jumpiness, tension, or restlessness
- Interferes with eating, sleeping, or hygiene routines
- Causes avoidance of situations
- Fear of perceived threat when no real danger is present
- Feels impossible to control
- Sense of impending danger, panic, doom, dread, or apprehension
- Substance use or self-harm to deal with feelings of anxiety
- Persistent or severe physical symptoms
If you are concerned about your child’s anxiety, please see the Anxiety, Depression, Mental Health, and Substance Use Referrals section of the SPS Mental Health Services page for available supports in your area. For more information on recognizing signs of anxiety, explore the links below:
The information listed below is taken from the sources that are linked under the information.
Everyone has feelings of sadness, disappointment, or grief and it can be hard for parents to know when their child’s mood is becoming a concern. Below are signs of regular feelings, and signs of a depression concern:
Sadness, disappointment, or grief:
- Feelings are in response to singular or specific event(s)
- Starts and ends or comes and goes throughout the day
- Feelings improve after crying, venting, or talking to someone
- Basic strategies provide comfort, like mindfulness or breathing exercises
- Grief is in response to a loss or loss-related emotions
- Minor, temporary physical symptoms
Signs of a depression concern:
- Persistent feelings of sadness, disappointment, remorse, guilt, or regret that are unrelated to any specific event
- Constant feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, or emptiness
- Feeling of being a failure, or low self-worth
- Feeling “numb,” “flat,” or indifferent
- Isolation
- Negative talk or negative internal self-talk
- Loss of interest in usual joys
- Has many possible causes or triggers that sometimes occur out of the blue
- Interferes with daily life
- Causes trouble with concentrating or decision-making
- Interferes with eating, sleeping, or hygiene routines
- Slow or monotonous speech
- Thoughts about dying or suicide
- Substance use or self-harm to cope with feelings
- Persistent or severe physical symptoms
If your child is having thoughts of dying or suicide, call the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988 or text the Crisis Text Line which can be reached by texting “home” to 741741. If you think a youth is at immediate risk of suicide, call 911 immediately for help.
If you think your child may be showing signs of depression, please see the Anxiety, Depression, Mental Health, and Substance Use Referrals section of the SPS Mental Health Services page for available supports in your area. For more information on recognizing signs of depression, explore the links below:
The information listed below is taken from the sources that are linked under the information.
Feelings of anxiety and feelings of depression can have effects on your child’s wellbeing. Here are some of the effects:
- Interference with daily routines. Feelings of anxiety and feelings of depression can interfere with sleep, hygiene, and eating routines. Lack of sleep, hygiene, or consistent eating patterns can have undesirable social, emotional, mental, and physical health outcomes.
- Academic performance. Grades, attendance, and behavior at school can be affected by feelings of anxiety and feelings of depression. Inability to concentrate and poor decision-making can affect your child’s readiness to learn.
- Social outcomes. Individuals coping with mental health concerns are more vulnerable to social exclusion, bullying and harassment, and discrimination. Additionally, they can be more affected by stigma or feelings of burdening others with their concerns when considering seeking help.
- Physical health. Feelings of anxiety and feelings of depression can cause physical symptoms like headaches, stomachaches, and fatigue that can interfere with your child’s wellbeing.
- Safety. Severe feelings of depression or feelings of anxiety can put your child’s safety at risk. They may try to cope with their feelings by using substances or self-harming. Individuals coping with anxiety and depression may become more reckless, and they may have thoughts of suicide. If your child is having thoughts of dying or suicide, call the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988 or text the Crisis Text Line which can be reached by texting “home” to 741741. If you think a youth is at immediate risk of suicide, call 911 immediately for help.
For more information on the effects of anxiety and depression, explore the links below:
Mental Health of Adolescents – World Health Organization
Impact of Teen Depression on Academic, Social, and Physical Functioning – NIH
The information listed below is taken from the sources that are linked under the information.
There are many strategies for supporting a child who is experiencing mental health concerns like feelings of depression or feelings of anxiety:
- Talk to your child. Listen empathetically and validate your child’s feelings. Help them understand that other people are going through similar things and there are ways to manage stress, anxiety, and depression.
- Connect with the school. Contact your school counselor, social worker, or prevention and intervention specialist to learn about the available resources at your school or to make a support plan for your child.
- Encourage healthy routines. Keeping regular exercise, sleep, and eating routines can have a positive effect on mental health. Limiting caffeine can especially make a positive impact. For more information, visit the Eating Habits and Body Image Resources page, or the Sleep Resources page.
- Try relaxation techniques. Breathing exercises and mindfulness activities can decrease anxiety and have a positive effect on mental health.
- Find a support group, hobby, or club. Staying connected to others and being in community with other teens can provide mental health support. Doing activities that bring your child joy can also have a positive effect.
- Discuss the effects of substance use. The use of substances can make anxiety and depression worse. Make your expectations around substance use clear and help your child understand the effects of substance use on brain development and mental health. For more resources on discussing substance use with your child, see the SPS Prevention and Intervention page.
- Find mental health support. Your child may need support from a mental health professional. View the Anxiety, Depression, Mental Health and Substance Use Referrals section of the SPS Mental Health Services page for available supports in your area, or contact your school’s Prevention and Intervention Specialist for in-school support.
For more information about supporting mental health concerns, explore the links below:
Anxiety and Stress in Teens – John Hopkins Medicine
Debunking Myths of Teen Depression – John Hopkins Medicine
The information listed below is taken from the sources that are linked under the information.
There are skills and activities that can boost your child’s mental health and help to keep your child’s stress, feelings of anxiety, and feelings of depression under control. They include:
- Identifying stressors. Helping your child identify and understand their stressors can validate their feelings and help them choose an appropriate coping strategy.
- Developing proactive coping skills. Teach your child about the different types of coping skills and when they might be useful. Make a plan together for possible stressful events and ways to cope.
- Strengthening problem-solving and conflict resolution skills. Problem-based coping skills focus on changing circumstances (For example, asking an adult for help), whereas emotion-based coping skills focus on addressing feelings (For example, practicing gratitude). Help your child understand the difference and practice solving possible problems with both types of coping skills.
- Creating boundaries. Help your child define balanced boundaries that allow them to take care of their own needs while considering others. Boundaries around screentime and social media use can be especially effective. You can find family planning strategies on the Social Media & Screentime Resources page.
- Goal setting. Creating a shared goal with your child can help to validate their feelings and give them something to look forward to, as well as increase their confidence and self-esteem.
- Task and time management skills. Breaking large tasks into smaller ones, and prioritizing important tasks with tasks that can wait, can lessen anxiety and stress.
- Encouraging healthy routines. Keeping regular exercise, sleep, and eating routines can have a positive effect on mental health. Limiting caffeine can especially make a positive impact. For more information, visit the Eating Habits and Body Image Resources page, or the Sleep Resources page.
- Finding an affinity group, hobby, or club. Staying connected to others and being in community with other teens can provide mental health support. Doing activities that bring your child joy can also have a positive effect.
- Discussing the effects of substance use. Substance use can worsen mental health. Make your expectations around substance use clear and help your child understand the effects of substance use on brain development and mental health. For more resources on discussing substance use with your child, see the SPS Prevention and Intervention page.
- Access to mental health support. Learn about the available resources in your area and help to de-stigmatize mental health by talking with your child about how it is okay to ask for help. View the Anxiety, Depression, Mental Health and Substance Use Referrals section of the SPS Mental Health Services page for available supports in your area or contact your school’s Prevention and Intervention Specialist for in-school support.
To see if a skill-building workshop is available at your child’s school, contact your school’s Prevention and Intervention Specialist. You can find your school’s Prevention and Intervention Specialist on the SBIRT Staff Bios page. For more information on these strategies, explore the links below:
Effective Time Management Skills: 6 Tips & Tools to Help Youth Succeed – BGCA
Building Resilience: 6 Ways to Boost Your Teen’s Confidence and Coping Skills – Cleveland Clinic
Examples of Stressors – Concordia University
What Teens Need to Know About Healthy Boundaries – Parents.com
Proactive Coping: A Strategy for Self-Regulation and Enhanced Wellbeing – Psychology Today