About

The Mental Health Training & Technical Assistance page provides resources, tools, and training to build the knowledge and skills of anyone who hopes to promote mental health and wellness, effectively intervene with people experiencing mental health challenges, and support suicide prevention efforts.   

Training    Crisis Resources



What is Mental Health?

Gather general information on the state of mental health in the U.S., different types of conditions and experiences, how to get involved, and culturally competent resources for those of specific racial and ethnic backgrounds

General Information

  • MHA Information Library Find information on specific conditions and major topics in mental health from Mental Health America.

  • MHA: Quick Facts and Statistics About Mental Health

  • NAMI Illinois: About Mental Illness Find information on specific conditions, associated topics, treatment and services, and mental health statistics from the Illinois chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

  • SAMHSA: What is Mental Health | Spanish Version The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration explains the basics of mental health and provides extra resources.

  • NIMH The National Institute of Mental Health provides information and resources on mental illnesses and related topics, treatments, special populations, and clinical trials and research in the field.

  • CDC: Mental Health Explore the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s mental health resources, reports, and educational information.

  • American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Established in 1987, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a voluntary health organization that gives those affected by suicide a nationwide community empowered by research, education and advocacy to take action against this leading cause of death.

  • Suicide Prevention Resource Center The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) is the only federally supported resource center devoted to advancing the implementation of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. Here you can find an online resource library, training opportunities, and the latest news surrounding suicide prevention.

Diverse Mental Health Resources


Black Mental Health Resources

  • The Safe Place Free smartphone app focused on psychoeducation and self-care for minority mental health, geared towards the Black community.

  • BEAM - Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective BEAM is a national training, movement-building, and grant-making institution dedicated to the healing, wellness, and liberation of Black and marginalized communities. Check out their Black Virtual Wellness Directory to find a Virtual Black therapist, doula, yoga teacher, mediator, and much more.

  • Black Mental Wellness The mission of Black Mental Wellness Corp. is to provide access to evidence-based information and resources about mental health and behavioral health topics from a Black perspective, to highlight and increase the diversity of mental health professionals, and to decrease the mental health stigma in the Black community.

  • Black Girls Smile Black Girls Smile Inc. was founded in 2012 with the mission to empower the mental health and well-being of young Black women and girls through culturally and gender-responsive educational programming, support initiatives, and resource connections. BGS is uniquely led by a staff, a volunteer team, and a Board of all Black women. BGS continues to strategically and responsively expand its programming and initiatives to meet the mental health needs of Black women and girls.

Latine/Hispanic Mental Health Resources

  • Latinx Therapy Breaking the stigma of mental health related to the Latinx community; learn self-help techniques and how to support self & others.

  • NAMI’s Compartiendo Esperanza This bilingual 90-minute presentation is provided by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). It aims to increase mental health awareness in Latinx communities by addressing key topics such as signs and symptoms of mental health disorders like anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and depression. They provide guidance on how to talk about mental health and decrease stigma, how to define and achieve recovery, and available resources.

Asian Mental Health Resources

  • National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association The mission of the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA) is to promote the mental health and well-being of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. NAAPIMHA strives to raise awareness of the role of mental health in an individual’s health and well-being, especially in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities throughout the country.

  • Asian American Health Initiative Resource Library Library of mental health resources, including accessible stories and videos, available in English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Hindi.

Indigenous Mental Health Resources

Self-Help Guides

  • Roadmap to Behavioral Health: A Guide to Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder Services | Spanish Version A free and printable PDF guide that walks through the step-by-step process of finding a provider and getting help for mental health concerns. This publication is a joint effort of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

  • I’m So Stressed Out | Spanish Version A free and printable PDF guide from the National Institute of Mental Health explains the distinction between stress and anxiety and some coping strategies.

  • Emotional Wellness Toolkit | Spanish Version A free and printable PDF guide from the National Institutes of Health lists some emotional wellness goals and steps to improving one’s emotional wellness.

  • My Mental Health: Do I Need Help? | Spanish Version A free and printable PDF guide that helps examine how much the signs and symptoms of mental health challenges impact one’s daily life and when and how to seek help.

  • Wellness Journal A free and downloadable packet with links to articles and videos, journal prompts, and how-to tips for self-care from the National Training & Technical Assistance Center for Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health.

Specific Condition & Experience Resources

  • Anxiety & Depression Association of America Founded in 1979, ADAA is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention, treatment, and cure of anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and co-occurring disorders through aligning research, practice, and education.

  • International OCD Foundation Find help, learn more, and get involved in the community of those who have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and related disorders.

  • Postpartum Support International Supports and information for pregnant or post-pregnant women and anyone who wants to support them. Specific information on mental health challenges one may experience during or after pregnancy and seeking professional support can be found here.

Grief Fact Sheets

Training & Workshops

  • Mental Health America Webinars MHA is a national nonprofit dedicated to mental health education and condition prevention. Its webinars cover a wide range of mental health-related topics.

  • Talk Saves Lives Talk Saves Lives is AFSP’s standardized, 45–60-minute education program that provides participants with a clear understanding of this leading cause of death, including the most up-to-date research on suicide prevention and what they can do in their communities to save lives.

  • QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. Each year, thousands of Americans like you are saying "Yes" to saving the life of a friend, colleague, sibling, or neighbor. For more information about bringing QPR training to your community or organization, contact the Mental Health Training and Technical Assistance team at mhtta@prevention.org.

  • safeTALK LivingWorks safeTALK is a four-hour face-to-face workshop featuring powerful presentations, audiovisuals, and skills practice. At a LivingWorks safeTALK workshop, you'll learn how to prevent suicide by recognizing signs, engaging someone, and connecting them to an intervention resource for further support. A skilled, supportive trainer will guide you through the course, and a community resource will be on hand to support your safety and comfort. For more information about bringing safeTALK to your community or organization, contact the Mental Health Training and Technical Assistance team at mhtta@prevention.org.

  • LivingWorks Start In just 90 minutes online, LivingWorks Start teaches participants to recognize when someone is thinking about suicide and connect them to help and support.

Community Involvement

  • NAMI Illinois: Get Involved Learn about annual NAMI Walks near you, volunteer opportunities, and advocacy to be done.

  • Erika’s Lighthouse Erika’s Lighthouse: A Beacon of Hope for Adolescent Depression was founded in 2004 by Virginia and Thomas Neuckranz after their daughter Erika lost her life to depression. To avoid another loss in the community, they founded Erika’s Lighthouse with the goal of creating educational materials to Get Depression Out of the Dark.

  • IDONTMIND IDONTMIND is a nonprofit organization on a mission to inspire open conversations about mental health and provide free resources, education, and encouragement for anyone who needs it. Whether you’re living with a mental illness or working to improve your overall mental health, IDONTMIND offers an inclusive community where all are welcome and healing is possible.

  • Camp Erin Camp Erin supports children, teens, and families through in-person day and overnight sessions and online programs. Participants attend a camp experience that combines grief education and emotional support with fun, interactive activities. Led by bereavement professionals and caring volunteers, campers are provided a safe environment to explore their grief, learn essential coping skills, and experience community with others who are also grieving. Additional services are offered to support the whole family outside of the camp experience.

Finding Help

Make finding treatment simple for all people in need. 


A helpful tool for searching for resources by zip code. Find free or reduced-cost resources like food, housing, financial assistance, health care, etc. findhelp.org


Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides information on mental health services and treatment centers through an online service locator. You can search by location, whether or not they provide services for youth, payment options (private insurance, cash, or something else), languages spoken, etc. SAMHSA.gov 



Clinicians & Resources


  • Inclusive Therapists Virtual directory of culturally competent and social justice-oriented therapists; includes a list of therapists currently offering reduced-fee teletherapy.*

  • Clinicians of Color Directory Virtual directory of mental health clinicians with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.*

  • National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network A healing justice organization committed to transforming mental health for queer and trans people of color (QTPoC). They work at the intersection of movements for social justice and the field of mental health to integrate healing justice into both spaces. Their overall goal is to increase access to healing justice resources for QTPoC.*

Black Clinicians & Resources

  • Chicago Black Therapists Online directory of Black-identifying therapists in the Chicagoland area.

  • Therapy for Queer People of Color A group of psychologists, professional counselors, social workers, and administrative specialists who provide quality mental healthcare exclusively to queer and trans people of color. They center anti-racism, social justice, and the intersectional identities of every client they serve.

  • Melanin & Mental Health Directory Virtual directory of culturally competent mental health clinicians for Black & Latinx/Hispanic communities.

  • Black Mental Health Alliance Database Virtual directory of culturally competent and patient-centered licensed mental health professionals for the Black community, offering confidential referrals.

Latine/Hispanic Clinicians & Resources

  • Melanin & Mental Health Directory Virtual directory of culturally competent mental health clinicians for Black & Latinx/Hispanic communities.

  • Therapy for Latinx Therapy for Latinx serves as a database of therapists who either identify as Latinx or have worked closely with Latinx communities and understand their needs. In fact, the site was founded after creator Brandie Carlos lost a friend to suicide and had a hard time finding resources for Latinx people like herself.

Asian Clinicians & Resources

*These databases are not for any specific racial or ethnic group but have a focus on providing a wide variety of diverse and culturally competent professionals.


Youth

Information and resources made for and about the experience of being a student or youth adult facing mental illness in themselves or those they care about.

General Information

  • NAMI Illinois: Teens and Young Adults The Illinois chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness provides specific insight and information on the experience of young people experiencing mental health challenges.

  • The Trevor Project: LGBTQ+ Mental Health Resources Find guides and resources on mental health from the perspective of LGBTQ+ experiences.

  • The Trevor Project: Resources for Talking About Suicide Find guides and resources from the perspective of LGBTQ+ experiences on talking about suicide with peers and adults to help yourselves and others.

  • How to Talk to a Friend About Suicide: A free and printable guide created by Prevention First’s Youth Prevention Resource Center on how to talk to a friend you think might be considering suicide.

  • Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide: Students SPTS has resources designed specifically for students regarding the topic of understanding, preventing, and discussing teen suicide.

  • The Jed Foundation: Mental Health Resource Center This webpage contains articles, resources, and guides on all things related to mental health. The Jed Foundation created these resources with teens and young people in mind.

  • Stopbullying.gov The official website for the national effort to end bullying amongst young people for good.

  • Self-Care Cheat Sheet A free and printable guide created by Prevention First’s Youth Prevention Resource Center that provides easy-to-remember self-care tips.

  • Teen Depression: More Than Just Moodiness | Spanish Version A free and printable guide by the National Institute of Mental Health on how depression often presents in teenagers, and how you can get help.

  • Social Media and Youth Mental Health This 2023 Advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General explores and describes the current evidence on social media's positive and negative impacts on children and adolescents, some of the primary areas for mental health and well-being concerns, and opportunities for additional research to help understand the full scope and scale of social media’s impact.

  • Project Oz Virtual Resource Packet Project Oz is a Central Illinois-based nonprofit that put together this online resource library geared towards middle and high school students. Video lessons, self-care tips, book recommendations, and more can be found throughout the interactive database.

Training & Involvement

Teen Mental Health First Aid teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) teaches teens in grades 10-12, or ages 15-18, how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among their friends and peers. Reach out to randyl.wilkins@prevention.org for more information.

Community Involvement

  • Letters to Strangers Letters to Strangers (L2S) is the largest global youth-run nonprofit seeking to destigmatize mental illness and increase access to affordable, quality treatment, particularly for youth

  • Hope Squad Hope Squad is a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program. Hope Squad members are nominated by their classmates as trustworthy peers and trained by advisors. The program reduces youth suicide through education, training, and peer intervention.

Caregivers

Information and resources for those who care for loved ones experiencing mental illness.

Help Guides & General Information

Training & Workshops

More Than Sad More Than Sad has taught over a million parents and educators how to be smarter about mental health. Learn more about each program and purchase More Than Sad to receive the two More Than Sad films, Teen Depression and Preventing Teen Suicide. All programs may be delivered in person or virtually. Please contact your local AFSP chapter to request updated More Than Sad materials for each program.


Clinicians, Educators, Providers

Information and resources for those in healthcare, education, or other professions where treating the health and well-being of people experiencing mental illness with respect and compassion is both a reality and a concern.

Research & Reports

Trainings & Workshops

Programming Opportunities

  • LEADS for Youth Linking Education and Awareness for Depression and Suicide (LEADS) for Youth is an evidence-based suicide prevention curriculum designed for high schools. LEADS for Youth is an informative and interactive opportunity for students and teachers to increase knowledge and awareness of depression and suicide.

  • Aevidum Aevidum is a non-profit organization that empowers youth to shatter the silence surrounding depression, suicide, and other issues facing teens. The word Aevidum, which means “I’ve got your back,” was created by students after a classmate died by suicide. Aevidum inspires schools and communities to adopt cultures of care and advocacy, encouraging all members to have their friends’ backs. Aevidum exists in elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and colleges across the nation.

  • Youth Aware of Mental Health Youth Aware of Mental health, also known as YAM, is a school-based program for young people ages 13 to 17, in which they learn about and explore the topic of mental health. YAM is an evidence-based program taking place in classrooms around the world. Students actively engage with the topic of mental health through role-play and student-led discussions.

  • Sources of Strength A best practice youth mental health promotion and suicide prevention program designed to harness the power of peer social networks to create healthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, violence, bullying, and substance misuse. The mission of Sources of Strength is to prevent adverse outcomes by increasing well-being, help-seeking, resiliency, healthy coping, and belonging. Sources of Strength moves beyond a singular focus on risk factors by utilizing an upstream approach for youth suicide prevention. This upstream model strengthens multiple sources of support, or protective factors, for young people so that they have strengths to rely on when times get hard.

  • Teen Mental Health First Aid teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) teaches teens in grades 10-12, or ages 15-18, how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among their friends and peers. Reach out to randyl.wilkins@prevention.org for more information.

Project Contact

MHTTA@prevention.org