Mental Health/Wellness
At Bellflower Middle/High School, our students' mental health and well-being is our main priority. With that said, we encourage our students who have concerns about their own mental health or the mental health of their friends to seek help! Inform a trusted adult on campus as soon as possible, and do not wait until the end of the day!
If it is after school hours, please do not email your counselor or teacher about your concern. Instead, please contact Lakewood Sheriff Department immediately!
Inform Dispatch about the name of the student you are concerned about. Your call is anonymous. The police will go visit the student and provide support. You can follow up with your school counselor the next day about your call to the Police.
Community Resources
PARENTING RESOURCES
BUSD PARENT UNIVERSITY
Services: Free classes to parents on topics of academic success, health and wellness, and social/emotional awareness.
(562) 866-9011 ext. 2092
CERRITOS COLLEGE FOSTER & KINSHIP CARE
Services: Provide free parenting classes and workshops for foster parents, relative caregivers, guardians, and foster teens on a variety of topics.
(562) 860-2451 ext. 2548
Click here to access the Cerritos College Foster & Kinship Care website.
EXCHANGE CLUB FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER
Services: Parenting classes are provided at a low cost.
(562) 904-9590
Click here to access the Exchange Club Family Support Center website.
ASIAN PACIFIC COUNSELING AND TREATMENT CENTERS
Services: School based and outpatient mental health services, counseling, psychiatric medication for children and adolescent. Medi-Cal only. Sliding scale may be available to qualified clients.
(562) 860-8838
Click here to access the Asian Pacific Counseling and Treatment Centers website.
CHILDNET YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES
Services: School based and outpatient mental health services for children ages 0-18 and wraparound services. Medi-Cal only.
(562) 490-7600
Click here to visit the Childnet Youth and Family Services website.
LOW-COST COMMUNITY COUNSELING CENTER
LOW-COST COMMUNITY COUNSELING CENTER
Services: Outpatient low cost counseling services for children and adults. Fees are based on a sliding fee scale depending on family size and income. No Medi-Cal accepted.
(562) 903-7777
Click here to access the Low-Cost Community Counseling Center website.
Services: Comprehensive range of mental health services for children, adolescents, and families including school based and outpatient services. Medi-Cal accepted and low cost cash payment for services
(562) 924-5526
Click here to access the Community Family Guidance Center website.
HELPLINE YOUTH COUNSELING, INC.
Services: School based and outpatient individual and group counseling. Provides youth services, child abuse reduction effort, and comprehensive drug/alcohol treatment programs for adolescents. Medi-Cal only.
(562) 864-3722
Click here to access the Helpline Youth Counseling, Inc. website.
OLIVE CREST
Services: School based and outpatient mental health services and adoption. Services offered included educational material, onsite tutors, and computer access. Medi-Cal and most health insurance plans accepted.
(562) 866-8956
PATHWAYS COMMUNITY SERVICES
Services: School based and outpatient mental health services, including grief support groups, therapeutic behavioral services, family counseling, and full service partnership. Medi-Cal and most health insurance plans accepted.
(562) 865-3644
Click here to access the Pathways Community Services website.
STAR VIEW COMMUNITY SERVICES
Services: School based and outpatient mental health services, therapeutic behavioral services, and wraparound services. Medi-Cal and most health insurance plans accepted.
(562) 427-6818
Click here to access the Star View Community Services website.
THE GUIDANCE CENTER
Services: School based and outpatient counseling, parent education, psychological testing, psychiatric mediation and evaluation, and crisis intervention. Medi-Cal and most health insurance plans accepted.
(562) 485-3085
Hotlines and Online Resources
HOTLINES AND ONLINE RESOURCES
CALIFORNIA YOUTH CRISIS LINE
(800) 843-5200
CHILD PROTECTION HOTLINE
Services: Available 24/7 to report possible child abuse and/or neglect to the Los Angeles County Dept. of Children and Family Services (DFCS).
(800) 540-4000
TEEN LINE
Services: Available 6:00-10:00 pm daily. This is a toll-free confidential helpline for teenage callers.
(800) TLC-TEEN (852-8336) or (310) 855-HOPE(4673)
Website: offers online chat, email help, message boards, resources, and information. Click here to access the Teen Line website.
Text “TEEN” to 839863 between 5:30-9:30 pm to text with peer counselors.
Suicide and Crisis Services
SUICIDE AND CRISIS RESOURCES
CRISIS TEXT LINE
Services: Free 24/7 support for all ages in crisis. Text anywhere in the USA to text with a trained crisis counselor.
Text “HOME” to 741741
Text “CONNECT” to 741741 (depression hotline)
MY3APP
Services: Suicide prevention app.
NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE
Services: Available 24/7. Calls are free and confidential. Callers can call for themselves or someone they care about.
(800) 273-8255 (online chat available)
Click here to access the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Website.
CRISIS/SHELTERS
ANGEL STEP TOO
Services: Supportive housing program for women and children disrupted by domestic violence and maternal substance abuse. Treatment program.
(562) 461-9272
CASA YOUTH SHELTER
Services: 24/7 emergency temporary home providing a safe haven for runaway, homeless, abandoned or abused youth. Ages 12 through 17.
(800) 914-2272
LITTLE HOUSE
Services: Temporary residential treatment center for women. The groups consist of: drug and alcohol awareness, domestic violence, anger management, self esteem, step studies, parenting, and recovery discussion groups.
(562) 925-2777
SU CASA ENDING DOMESTIC
Services: Emergency shelter, transitional shelter, group counseling, and case management. Including assistance with household establishment and job skill training.
24-hour hotline (562) 402-4888
Stress/Anxiety Management Resources
7 Simple Stress Relief Techniques for Teens
Today’s teenagers are under a lot of stress: Between school, extracurricular activities, after-school jobs, volunteer opportunities, and family obligations, adolescents can find their daily lives to be stressful. That’s not counting the normal stress of navigating the journey from childhood to adulthood, which is often filled with friendship dramas, dating issues, and boundary-pushing as they try to separate themselves from the authority of their parents. If you are a teen or the parent of a teen, take a look at these seven simple stress relief techniques that can help.
1. Practice Good Time Management
One reason that people get so stressed is that they don’t always have the time management skills needed to fit everything they need to do within the confines of the period of time they have to do it in. One thing you could do to provide some stress relief is to take a few minutes to write down everything you need to do over the course of a week and see where you can fit it all in. Get a planner to keep track of assignments, your work hours, sports practice, and anything else that you have committed to.
It’s possible that you will find that you’ve overcommitted and that you can’t fit all of your activities into your week. Don’t beat yourself up; adults do this, too! Talk to your parents about how you can pare down your responsibilities. You might be able to back out of some things now or you might need to wait until a certain period of time has elapsed (for example, if you’re on a football team, you might need to wait until the end of the season).
2. Go to Bed Earlier
Many teens find that it’s difficult for them to go to bed at a time that will allow them the nine hours of sleep they need before the alarm goes off in the morning. Part of this is an issue with a changing circadian rhythm in the adolescent years, and part of it is that most high schools start early in the morning. You need to be sure that you’re getting the sleep you need; sleep deficiency contributes to stress, anxiety, and feelings of overwhelm.
If you are finding it hard to sleep at bedtime, look at your before-bed habits. If you’re using electronics, drinking coffee or caffeinated soft drinks in the late afternoon or evening, or having exciting or upsetting conversations with friends shortly before bed, your sleep routines need to be adjusted. Also, start by going to bed just 15 minutes earlier than you are currently, then gradually moving the time earlier; you probably won’t have much luck if you start trying to go to bed two or three hours earlier than normal.
3. Exercise Each Day
You might think you don’t have time to exercise, but actually, exercise is a stress relief method and can help you cope with stress better. Not only that but getting enough exercise also boosts your physical health and is a good habit to bring with you into adulthood. If you don’t have a lot of time, no worries: You can exercise for ten minutes at a time, three times per day and still enjoy all of the benefits. You might find time to walk around during your lunch break and again after school. If you are in a school sport, practice time counts, too!
4. Spend Time With Friends
If you are finding that you’re running from school to work, then going home and doing homework before watching a television show and falling into bed, you might not be decompressing enough with your friends. Spending time with other people can help with stress relief and give you a chance to relax. Try to find some time each week to just kick back and have fun. Go to the beach, check out a funny movie, or just have a girls’- or guys’-night-in with your best buds. You’ll feel rejuvenated and less stressed out.
5. Spend Time With Yourself
Another pitfall to the super busy lifestyle is not having enough downtime to get to know yourself. As a teenager, your thoughts and views are changing, and it’s important to get in touch with yourself to learn about what you believe and how you’re feeling. Try spending a few minutes journaling each day; this is a great way to get your thoughts out and to have something to look back on and evaluate when you have time. And no, spelling doesn’t count!
6. Try Relaxation Techniques
There are several relaxation techniques that can reduce your stress and improve the way you react to the stress that you do have.
One is meditation: Spend some time in a quiet place with your eyes closed. Focus on one word, sound, or idea. If other thoughts come into your mind, just notice them without judging and then gently bring your attention back to what you want to focus on. Some people incorporate prayer into their medication if that aligns with their beliefs.
Other relaxation techniques for stress relief include:
Yoga
Guided meditation
You can find how-to videos on the Internet if you are interested in these techniques. As for yoga, you can take a yoga class or practice on your own in any location you want. If you have only a few minutes or less, consider just focusing on your breathing. Inhale and exhale slowly; you can also count as you breathe in and out. Taking a few long, slow breaths can help you gain control of your emotions when you are dealing with stress.
7. Seek Help for Stress Relief
If you are still having trouble navigating stressful situations or even just handling the day-to-day stress that you encounter, reach out for help. Talk to your parents, your guidance counselor, or your doctor. Your doctor can refer you to a counselor if you don’t already have one. Taking charge of your stress levels now will help you develop coping skills that will be valuable during adulthood. Don’t be afraid to tell an adult how you’re feeling and to ask for help coping with daily stress.
Substance Abuse Resources
SUBSTANCE ABUSE RESOURCES
L.A. CADA
Services: Substance abuse treatment programs for ages 12 through 18.
(562) 906-2676
SHIELDS FOR FAMILIES
Services: Substance abuse treatments for 12 to 18 youth. Medi-Cal accepted.
(323) 242-5000
SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT REFERRALS
Services: View map of outpatient and residential treatment programs for youth.
Click here to visit the Substance Abuse Treatment Referrals website.
LGBTQIA Resources
LGBTQIA RESOURCES
PFLAG
Services: Helpline for individual or families experiencing issues related to sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
(888) 735-2488
TRANS LIFELINE
Services: Primarily for transgender people experiencing a crisis including suicide and self-harm. Includes a hotline for transgender individuals to speak with trans peers about their feelings and concerns. Including individuals who are unsure if they are transgender.
(877) 565-8860
TREVOR PROJECT
Services: Crisis and suicide intervention through chat and text.
(866) 488-7386
Resource from California Association of School Counselors: QChatspace
Find and give support, have fun, connect around shared interests and get good information. Chat with like-minded peers in live chats designed for you & by you, facilitated by folks who care.
Click here to access QChatspace
Intensive Mental Health Services
INTENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
ACCESS CENTER HELPLINE, PSYCHIATRIC MOBILE RESPONSE TEAM, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAMS
Services: Available 24/7. Facilitates referrals to the Psychiatric Mobile Response Team (if indicated), crisis intervention resources, and/or appropriate mental health providers. Access danger to self, others and/or grave disability due to a mental illness.
(800) 854-7771 or 911
LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
URGENT CARE CENTERS
Services: Available 24/7. Ages 12 – Adult.
Medi-Cal or no insurance. 24 hour psychiatric crisis centers provide crisis stabilization for comprehensive mental health services. Children under 12 must have an open DCFS case and are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Los Angeles: (310) 253-9494