Mental Wellbeing

Resource Documents from Emerson Health

Emerson Health, in partnership with NAMI Central Middlesex, has developed resource lists about no fee and/or low barrier to entry support programs and tools for navigating the Massachusetts behavioral health care system provided by non-profit organizations and Department of Mental Health partners.  Explore Emerson's resource sheets. 

Finding a Provider

Crisis mental health situation : call 800 540 5806.  Free (will bill insurance incl Masshealth), no insurance needed, all languages.  They come to you typically within 2 hours.   advocates.org/services/mobile-crisis-intervention 

All - non-urgent


For AB Students - the school district has access to Cartwheel Care to help match your student with a provider. Reach out to your child's school counselor for more information. 


Other Resources

Advocates - Advocates provides various types of counseling and psychiatry services.   They also run the Community Behavioral Health Centers in Framingham and Waltham, and the mobile crisis mental health intervention.


Eliot Community Human Services - Eliot provides comprehensive mental health services.


Riverside Trauma Center, a service of Riverside Community Care, provides critical incident services to communities, schools, health and human services providers, organizations, government agencies, workplaces, and individuals in many areas of Massachusetts. The  team is composed of highly-trained, licensed mental health professionals who have expertise in managing acute trauma, sudden or violent death, traumatic grief, and other highly stressful events.


Uplift Behavioral Health Services is a diverse company and have staff who speak: English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, French, Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole.   They focus on those with trauma, PTSD, anxiety, ADHD, DV, anger management & more to name a few. Clients have the option to have hybrid, remote, or in-person sessions.  Services are provided to all ages, and they accept all Mass health Plans, and most major insurance policies. 


The Edinburg Center in Bedford offers an array of innovative services which promote personal growth and independence, foster hope and enhance the quality of life of people with mental health conditions, co-occurring substance use conditions and/or developmental disabilities or brain injuries.  Now accepting referrals for In Home Behavioral Services from the Community Services Coordinators from Acton, Concord, Maynard and Carlisle.


How to Choose a Mental Health Provider [William James College]


Therapy Matcher provides free, personalized, and confidential referrals to licensed independent clinical social workers across Massachusetts


SAMHSA - Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator - US Department of Health and Human Services - Official locator map of treatment facilities for substance use and/or mental health assistance in the United States or U.S. Territories. Find facilities for alcoholism, drug abuse/addiction (opiates, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, PCP, LSD, etc.), and disorders including PTSD, depression, SED or SMI.


Psychology Today  Find a therapist, treatment center, psychiatrist or support group through this resource. 

Talking about Mental Wellbeing

You don’t need to be an expert to recognize when someone needs outside help – if you can tell a friend isn’t doing well, they might need a greater network of support. 

When it comes to checking in on a friend about their mental health, trust your instincts. Learn how to #SeizeTheAwkward at SeizeTheAwkward.org 

Self-Care Resources

Pixel Thoughts - A 60-second exercise to calm your mind.


FOR HEALTHY HUMOR:

Humor has been shown to boost immune function and reduce inflammation, enhancing our ability to be resilient to stress. It also helps us think more creatively and to have the cognitive flexibility needed to problem-solve in more effective ways.

Baby Laughing Hysterically at Ripping Paper

Stress Relief from Laughter? It's No Joke [Mayo Clinic]

Children

The AB Schools partner with Cartwheel Care for for mental health support for the students.  Cartwheel Care provides regular webinars, articles and guides & worksheets useful for parents and their children.  You can find the replay of those webinars and their articles here.  You can find the schedule of planned webinars here.

Acton Boxborough Youth Behavior Risk Survey 2022 Report. Since 1997, Emerson Hospital and public school districts within the Emerson Hospital service area have collaborated to conduct this bi-annual survey of 6th, 8th, 9th-12th grade, on topics related to mental health, resilience, technology and good habits, social media, bullying, substance abuse, and sexual activities. The survey was administered again Spring 2024; updated results expected Fall 2024. 


First Aid for Feelings: A Workbook to Help Kids Cope During the Coronavirus Pandemic [Scholastic & Yale School of Medicine]

Mindfulness apps for kids

Be You! by Peter Reynolds [Read Aloud video]—Discover a joyful reminder of the ways that every child is unique and special, from the beloved creator of The Dot, Happy Dreamer, and New York Times bestseller, The Word Collector. Here, Reynolds reminds readers to "be your own work of art." To be patient, persistent, and true. Because there is one, and only one, YOU.


Adolescents

Acton Boxborough Youth Behavior Risk Survey 2022 Report. Since 1997, Emerson Hospital and public school districts within the Emerson Hospital service area have collaborated to conduct this bi-annual survey of 6th, 8th, 9th-12th grade, on topics related to mental health, resilience, technology and good habits, social media, bullying, substance abuse, and sexual activities. The survey was administered again Spring 2024; updated results expected Fall 2024. 

New State of Mind: Youth Mental Health Guide - This guide was created for students by students 

Samariteens Line - 1-800-252-TEEN(8336) - Help line provided by Samaritans specifically for teens 

Trevor Project 1-866-488-7386 Text “Trevor” to 1-202-304-1200 - The Trevor Project lifeline is designed to connect trained counselors to youth who are LGBTQ and in a crisis or who need a safe and judgement free environment to talk. 

ABRHS Counseling Department 

Teen Depression Fact Sheet [Families for Depression Awareness]

Before Heading to College, Make a Mental Health Checklist [New York Times 7/8/22]

Parents

Local New Parent Groups through First Connections (Zoom & in-person options): 


Parental Stress Hotline, (800) 632-8188 (24x7, all languages). 

Parenting Mental Health Resources from Mental Health America

Adults/General

BOOKS

An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness Book by Kay Redfield Jamison

In her bestselling classic, An Unquiet Mind, Kay Redfield Jamison changed the way we think about moods and madness.  Dr. Jamison is one of the foremost authorities on manic-depressive (bipolar) illness; she has also experienced it firsthand. 

ARTICLES

ADAA Reviewed Mental Health Apps [Anxiety and Depression Association of America]

People of color create their own mental health services online - Faced with a pandemic and racial violence, people of color have created apps and organizations to support marginalized communities.

Seniors

The Councils on Aging in each town offer a plethora of programs and resources. 


40th Annual Senior Conference, hosted by State Senator Jamie Eldridge [originally aired 12/10/20] - features a number of excellent panels and activities, including "Depression is Not a Normal Part of Aging" 


Family Caregiver Support Program through Minuteman Senior Services

Suicide Prevention

AB Cares, a community-based collaborative, seeks to prevent suicide across the life span and support all who are impacted by suicide. AB Cares aims to support community-wide conversations, awareness, and connections across Acton and Boxborough in order to prevent suicide.  Learn more at abuw.org/ab-cares.

QPR© Suicide Prevention Trainings

Sign up today for a free virtual training and help save lives:

Much like First Aid or CPR training, QPR© (Question-Persuade-Refer) training is free and open to all community members! More than 385 residents and community members have participated in the training since AB Cares started offering them in 2017.  Some of our recent attendees have shared that QPR© training is “Incredibly helpful!”, that “It changed how I speak about suicide,” and that “The training helped me to talk with my daughter when I was worried about her!”  

Keep an eye on abuw.org/ab-cares for upcoming training dates.

Sign-up to have a free QPR Training for your group/organization.  

Support Lines 

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, Call 911 for emergencies 

Call, text or chat with the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Helpline, 24x7, 365 days a year, free , confidential and no health insurance required.  The Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line (BHHL) is here to connect you directly to clinical help, when and where you need it. Even if you’re not sure what kind of help or treatment you may need, we can help guide you.

Real-time interpretation in 200+ languages.   If you're deaf or hard of hearing - contact MassRelay at 711, or use your video relay or caption provider of choice.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 

This line offers free 24/7 support for people in emotional crises and is connected to a network of local crisis centers. 

Dial 988 or ( 800-273-8255)

Call2Talk 

Confidential mental health and emotional support line. 

1-508-532-2255

Text C2T to 741741


Samaritans

Call or text this line anytime if you ever feel in need of someone to talk to. This service is free, confidential and anonymous. 

1-877-870-HOPE (4673)

For Teens: Samariteens Line 800-252-TEEN(8336) 

Advocates

Advocates offers 24 hour support for those experiencing a mental health crisis. 

1-800-640-5432

Help After a Suicide or Attempt 

National Suicide Prevention Resource: After an Attempt pamphlet

Grief support groups and resources [Samaritans] 


Learn More about Suicide Prevention and Mental Health 

Riverside Trauma Center: Suicide Prevention Tools and Information

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (afsp.org) 

Suicide Prevention Resource Center (sprc.org) 

Substance Use Disorder

See information and resources related to Substance Use Disorder on our Healthcare Page. 

Organizational Resources

National Alliance On Mental Illness. NAMI .  Our affiliate NAMI Central Middlesex  namicentralmiddlesex.org offers free support groups and educational classes for people living with mental health conditions, their families, and their friends. They also do advocacy and sponsor programs on mental health topics and organize community outreach events to improve the public’s awareness and understanding of mental health.     

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - www.aacap.org - Offers extensive evidence-based resources.  Check out the tips for supporting student wellness during COVID-19 and Facts for Families (accessible via the home page ‘quick links’) is a searchable database with major topics resources such as depression, suicide, psychiatric medications, etc. for children, adolescents and families.

Families for Depression Awareness - Families for Depression Awareness helps families recognize and cope with depression and bipolar disorder to get people well and prevent suicides. 

Domestic Violence

If you are in an abusive situation at home, contact Domestic Violence Services Network at 888 399 6111 (toll-free and confidential) or dvsn.connects@gmail.com.  They can help you understand your situation and make a safety plan based on your needs and wants. 

REACH provides survivors of domestic violence with safety, shelter, and a path to healing. Our innovative, community-based approach promotes healthy relationships, fosters collaboration, and empowers community members to be agents of change.

Casa Myrna is Boston’s largest provider of shelter and supportive services to survivors of domestic violence, providing safety, resources, advocacy and information since 1977.  All of our supports are provided to survivors free of charge.

SafeLink is Massachusetts’ statewide 24/7 toll-free domestic violence hotline and a resource for anyone affected by domestic or dating violence. Call SafeLink if you need to talk about your situation or someone else’s – you do not need to be looking for services or a shelter space. Each call is answered by a trained advocate bilingual in English and Spanish who provides non-judgmental support, assistance with safety planning, and information on appropriate resources. 24-hour SafeLink hotline: (877) 785-2020

Grief Support

Every loss is a traumatic experience, and everyone needs time and support to come to terms with how to move forward.  Learning what to expect, or attending a peer support group can help ease the complicated process of bereavement.

General Information:

Groups:

Special Circumstances:

Overdose:

Suicide: