Family/Mental health Resources

Montgomery County Home Website  |  Montgomery County Behavioral/Mental Health Services  |  Montgomery County Health Services Provider List

Montgomery County Drug & Alcohol Treatment    |  PA Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

Renfrew Center (For Eating Disorders)  |  The Breathing Room Foundation (A family cancer support group and more)

Aldersgate Counseling  |  Youth Advisory Board  |  Victim Services Center  | Women's Bridge Resource Center

Women's Center of Montgomery County/Domestic Violence

The guidance department does not endorse any program listed here, this is simply a resource. 

Ukrainian Refugee Resources:

https://www.buckscounty.gov/1773/Ukrainian-Refugee-Resources

https://www.dhs.pa.gov/refugeesinpa/Pages/UkrainiansinPA.aspx

Victim Services Center of Montgomery County (VSC) --> Visit the website HERE  (https://www.victimservicescenter.org/)

Download the Agency Brochure HERE.

Download the Counseling Brochure HERE.

For 50 years, VSC has been dedicated to providing free, confidential, and trauma-informed care to children, adults, and families impacted by sexual abuse, violence, and other traumatic events.

We understand that the effects of sexual abuse and violence extend far beyond the individuals directly impacted. Friends, classmates, and peers often struggle with complex emotions as they process what has happened to someone they care about. 

Free services include:

• Advocacy and Counseling: Evidence-based, trauma-informed therapy for children ages 5-17, including play therapy, TF-CBT, and EMDR. These services are designed to help students process their own experiences or their feelings about a friend or loved one’s trauma. All services are provided regardless of immigration status or insurance coverage.

• Crisis Response: A 24-hour crisis hotline offering immediate support for students, families, and staff experiencing or grappling with the impact of abuse or violence.

• Guidance and Referrals: Assistance navigating systems like the criminal justice system, civil protection orders, and the Victims Compensation Assistance Program, which can help offset the financial burdens associated with a crime (e.g., medical bills, counseling, relocation).

Did you know that Montgomery County has it's own website?  Montgomery county has a wealth of resources available to families who live in the county. Some resources include Adult Probation, Aging and Adult Services, Behavioral Health, Children and Youth, Drug and Alcohol, and many more.  Please visit www.montcopa.org.  Help Starts Here!

Does your child have anxiety? The Temple Child and Adolescent Anxiety Disorders Clinic may be able to help. They provide cognitive behavioral therapy for children and teenagers ages 7-17 who are experiencing significant anxiety. Interested families should contact the clinic at 215-204-7165 or at info@childanxiety.org.  Click HERE to view the flyer.

Grief Counseling through Safe Harbor:  http://www.abingtonhealth.org/services-specialties/childrens-health/resources/safe-harbor/#.VNt69ylYxC8   Safe Harbor, Abington-Jefferson Health’s program for grieving children, teens and their families.  Peer Support Groups are available as a possible resource for any student grieving the death of a family member.  The program is offered completely free of charge, with groups meeting on our Willow Grove campus for 1.5 hours on designated evenings, every other week.  Interested families call our office at 215-481-5983 to begin the intake process. 

• Click HERE for the most recent newsletter.

• Click HERE for the Safe Harbor Brochure

• Click HERE for the Safe Harbor Family Information Packet for more information. 

Cancer Support Group: Cancer Support Community Greater Philadelphia (CSCGP) is a non-profit for people of all ages living with any type of cancer – and for their family and friends! They provide free access to over 150 programs each month – including support groups, workshops, networking groups, educational discussions, and social activities (and more!) - for anyone whose life has been affected by cancer. http://cancersupportphiladelphia.org/ 

• Support Group for Teens: Kid SupportTM and Teen Support are peer support groups for kids who have a parent, grandparent, other family member or friend with cancer (either in treatment or post-treatment), or for kids who have cancer themselves.  There are programs in Warminster and Philadelphia. There is a Mandatory Parent Orientation for New Members on Tuesday, September 27th at 6:30pm (Warminster) and Thursday, September 15th at 6:30pm (Philadelphia) -Kids are welcome. For more information, click HERE.

  • These FREE 10-week groups offer kids ages 4-17:

    • an opportunity to make friends and learn skills to help them cope when cancer is in their lives. 

    • A Parent Group coincides with Kid & Teen Support.

    • NEW Teen Support @ Ridgeland

    • This 6 week group is for 8th – 11th graders.

Eating Disorder Support/Counseling:

• Young Women's Eating Disorders Support Group, ages 14-21: 14 Elliot Ave., Suite #5, Bryn Mawr, PA, 19010. The group will be facilitated by Wesley Myers, Psy.D.  Dr. Meyers has extensive experience treating persons with Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder.  Although individual and family therapy can be effective in treating eating disorders, they can't replace the support and understanding experience from persons who know what it's like to struggle with these disorders.  If you are looking for the understanding that can only come from someone else who has an eating disorder, please join us in the quest for healing and the journey toward recovery.  If you are interested in this group, please contact Dr. Meyers at (610) 275-1401 or email mwesmyers@aol.com. 

• American Anorexia & Bulimia Association of Philadelphia: 1) Free monthly support groups for individuals struggling with eating disorders, 2) A carefully screened directory of local professionals and treatment facilities with extensive experience in the treatment of eating disorders, and 3) Basic educational information about eating disorders - click HERE for more information or call Gail Post, PhD - Lisenced Psychologist - (215) 884-9260, www.gailpost.com, 711 West Ave., Jenkintown, PA 19046

HAVEN: Hope, Acceptance, Validation, Equality, Nurturing: Haven is a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, & allies (GLBTQIA youth group) run by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Lehigh Valley (UUCLV) since 2001.  Haven is intended for youths ages 14-20.  Their mission is to provide a safe, supportive environment, positive role models and peer support, as well as sponsor social and recreational activities in addition to weekly discussion meetings. Meetings are open to GLBTQIA youth, their friends & allies, and those still questioning their sexual orientation. Haven meets every Wednesday @ 7pm at the Unitarian Uinversalist Church of Lehigh Valley, 424 Center Street, Bethleham, PA 18018, (610) 868-2153, www.uuclvpa.org/haven.php. 

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI):  NAMI is the largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving lives of persons living with serious mental illness and their families.  Nami is dedicated to the eradication of mental illness and to the improvement of the quality of life of all who are affected by these diseases.  National Website: www.nami.org, National Address:  Colonial Place Three, 2107 Wilson Blvd., Suite #300, Arlington, VA 22201-3042, (800) 950-6264, Glenside: (215)-886-0350, Norristown: (610)-278-4916, Pottstown: (610)-323-6689.  Local Website: www.montconami.com, email: montconami@aol.com.  Please click on the link below for more information about this organization.

Youth Advisory Board:  The Pennsylvania Youth Advisory Board is an organization made up of former and current youth in the substitute care system that use their stories to educate, advocate and form partnerships to create positive change for child welfare communities.  Information about the Pennsylvania Youth Advisory Board (YAB) can be found on our website at www.independentlivingpa.org or by searching for us on Facebook.  Click HERE and HERE for information on resources to help kids in foster care.

Drug Rehab/Substance Abuse Information: Addiction, Treatment and Recovery

• Teen Drug Abuse: Addiction Center - Guiding you from rehab to recovery: https://www.addictioncenter.com/teenage-drug-abuse/

  • Our web guide, AddictionCenter.com, connects individuals struggling with addiction to treatment options, as well as providing valuable information about substance dependency. Our goal is to prevent substance abuse and provide support for families and communities struggling with these issues. We provide detailed information regarding young people and families, in hopes of preventing adolescent drug abuse and causing long-term cognitive and behavioral effects

• Substance Abuse Guide for Parents: https://www.drugrehab.com/guides/parents/  

• Help for Teens with a Drug or Alcohol Problem: https://www.drugrehab.com/teens/treatment/

• Helping Families Find Answers: http://www.drugfree.org

• The Essentials of Teen Treatment: https://www.advancedrecoverysystems.com/teen-treatment/. This is a page dedicated to the essentials of teen treatment.

Six Reasons Why Students are Unmotivated (and What Teachers Can Do):  This is a wonderful article that as parents, is a good read with some wonderful advice. Click HERE to access the article. 

Suicide Resources:

https://www.centerforfamilyempowerment.com/blog/2017/9/25/what-to-do-when-your-child-or-teen-experiences-the-death-of-a-friend

In Montgomery County, for 24 hour a day crisis support, contact - Mobile Crisis Support at 1-855-634-4673

The Information Helpline at NAMI - 1-800-950-6264

Jason Foundation toll-free HelpLine at 1-888-881-2323

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and the Crisis Text Line – text “HOME” to 741-741 (http://www.crisistextline.org/)

Accurate, up-to-date, empirically-informed warning signs for youth suicide and how you can respond to someone in crisis can be found at - www.youthsuicidewarningsigns.org

Information about depression and treatment can be found at The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Resource_Centers/Depression_Resource_Center/Home.aspx and The Society of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology - http://effectivechildtherapy.org/.

Articles and discussions points for the new Neflix Series - 13 Reasons Why: 

Netflix just released its highly publicized series 13 Reasons Why, an adaptation of the popular 2007 novel of the same name by Jay Asher. The series consists of 13 episodes that tell the tale of Hannah, a high school student who tragically ended her own life, but not before recording 13 sides of audio cassette tape implicating 13 individuals in her death. The novel is quite captivating and an unfortunate harsh truth about adolescence for some youth. Its move to Netflix will expose its content to a far wider audience. 

For those who may struggle with similar challenges as Hannah or live with their own vulnerabilities, the overall message of this series may get distorted into a sense that suicide is a natural way of solving life's struggles. It is not. The Pennsylvania Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative <http://www.payspi.org/> is pleased to share with you key talking points developed by SAVE <http://www.save.org/> and the Jed Foundation <http://www.jedfoundation.org/>. It is with near certainty that many of our students will be talking about this series in school and at home. Being armed with appropriate and positive messages will help students struggling with their own emotional response to this series to put the dramatized content into realistic perspective and afford you with new opportunities for engaging these youth and providing necessary support and resources.

• • 13 Reasons Why Talking Points for Schools, click HERE to download.

• Considerations for Educators and Families: https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources/school-safety-and-crisis/preventing-youth-suicide/13-reasons-why-netflix-series-considerations-for-educators

  • Netflix Series '13 Reasons Why' Sparks Debate About Depiction of Teen Suicide: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/education_and_the_media/2017/04/13_reasons_why_sparks_debate_about_depiction_of_teen_suicide.html?cmp=soc-edit-tw

  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK)

  • Crisis Text Line - text "HOME" to 741-741

  • www.youthsuicidewarningsigns.org - accurate, up-to-date, empirically-informed warning signs for youth suicide and how you can respond to someone in crisis

  • Risk Factors and Warning Signs of Suicide: https://afsp.org/about-suicide/risk-factors-and-warning-signs/

Crisis Text Line – text “HOME” to 741-741 (http://www.crisistextline.org/)  

(Listen to an NPR Episode of the Ted Talk: How Can Text Messaging Save Lives? Click HERE)

1. A crisis is typically a moment of extreme emotional pain that gets in the way of living your everyday life. We're not a replacement for a long-term counselor or a best friend, or a service to use when you're simply bored. That said, we want everyone to feel comfortable texting us in a time of a crisis.

2. Simply “testing” our system takes up space in our queue, which may slow down the help that we are able to give to texters who are in immediate crisis. We're real; we promise! If you're curious about what the experience of texting in is like, see below!

Victim Services Center of Montgomery County, Inc. (VSC):  VSC is the only rape crisis center for the county.  They serve victims of sexual violence and victims of other violent crimes such as robbery, physical assault, harassment and survivors of victims of homicide. They want to remove barriers and help residents gain access to advocacy, counseling and education services that are confidential and free of charge.  They do crisis intervention, counseling services, advocacy services, and many more; click HERE to download the brochure. 

• 24-hour Crisis Hotline: 88-521-0983

• Rape Hotline: 610-277-5200

• Other Crimes: 610-277-4781

• Victim Services Flowchart

• Monthly Homicide Support Group

• Support Group for Caregivers of Child Sex Abuse Survivors

Women's Center of Montgomery County: Services are Free, Confidential, and Anonymous:  24-Hour Domestic Violence Hotline: 

MISSION STATEMENT: The Women’s Center of Montgomery County is a volunteer, community organization with a primary focus on freedom from domestic violence and other forms of abuse.  Our programs, policies and procedures reflect our strong commitment to empowering women.

 If you -- or someone you love -- needs help or resources right now, call the Women’s Center of Montgomery County’s 24/7 Hotline:  1-800-773-2424

The Trevor Project: Is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. 1-866-488-7386, http://www.thetrevorproject.org. 

Laurel House: Working to End Domestic Violence. (Norristown) Shelter Program for women and children that are in danger. It provides a 30 day shelter program that sets families up with various services.  Phone number- (215) 643-3150.  Please click on the link below to learn more about this organization or click http://www.jenkintown.org/teachers/tlesson.php?lid=209&view=t.

Interfaith (Ambler): Takes a few families who are in need, (215) 628-4009.

The Breathing Room Foundation, INC: Family-centered support and assistance from people who care. The Breathing Room foundation is a non-profit outreach organization for individuals and their families suffering from Cancer. "We recognize that a cancer diagnosis affects every aspect of a family's life: emotional, physical, spiritual, and financial. Our goal is to provide families with a bit of "breathing room" from their daily struggle with cancer. It is our hope that this will allow families to concentrate all of their efforts on supporting their loved ones as they work to regain physical health". If you know someone in the community who is battling cancer, and could benefit from their services, they invite you to make them aware. Nominees must live within a 20-mile radius from Jenkintown. More information can be found at www.breathingromfoundation.org or you may call them at (215) 887-2771. you may also email them at breathingroom@comcast.net.

Internet Safety Resources and Cyberbullying Resources:

• NetSmartz 411-Internet Safety Help Desk | http://www.netsmartz.org/

• iSafe--The leader in e-Safetly Education | http://www.isafe.org/

• Safekids- http://www.safekids.com/child_safety.htm

• GetNetWise--Keeping Children Safe Online | http://www.getnetwise.org/

• Protectkids.com--Keeping Children Safe in Cyberspace | http://www.protectkids.com

• NetSafeKids--Keeping Parents Informed | http://www.nap.edu/netsafekids/

• Cyberbullying.us--Identifying the Causes and Consequences of Online Harassment | http://www.cyberbullying.us/

• StopCyberBullying.com--Ending the Cycle of Cyber Bullying | http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/index2.html

• CyberBullying.com--Always on? Always Aware! | http://www.cyberbullying.org/

Useful PENNDOT Information:

• Penndot website: www.dot.state.pa.us 

• Driver and Vehicle Services: 1-800-932-4600 or www.dmv.state.pa.us

• Real-time traffic and road conditions: Call 511 or visit www.511pa.com

• Penndot Maintenance Office of Montgomery County: (610) 275-2386

•  Car seat and seat belt questions, or to arrange a free car seat inspection: 1-800-car-belt or www.seatcheck.org