Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Mental Health
According to a 2021 report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), of individuals ages 13-17, 14% experience mood disorders, 32% experience anxiety disorders, and 19% experience behavior disorders. Common diagnoses for children aged 3-17 years include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), behavioral/conduct problems, anxiety, and depression.
Schools are in a distinct position to recognize the early signs of mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders, provide social-emotional support services, and foster skills necessary to address challenges during the adolescent years. In doing so, schools can contribute to the overall emotional, social and academic success of each student.
- New Jersey Comprehensive School-Based Mental Health Resource Guide
- Overview of the New Jersey Comprehensive School-Based Mental Health Resource Guide
- Suicide Prevention
- Social and Emotional Learning
- New Jersey Tiered System of Supports
- Special Education
- NJ Student Learning Standards – Comprehensive Health and PE
- Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community (WSCC)
- New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health and Addictions Services
- National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Resources:
- New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies, Inc. (NJAMHAA)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Children’s Mental Health
- KidsHealth for Parents from Nemours Emotions & Behavior
- Hotlines / Helplines - available 24 hours / 7 days a week
- TeensHealth from Nemours provides adolescents education on a variety of mental health topics and is overseen by medical professionals
- National Institute of Mental Health- Do I have Depression?
- Mental Health Applications
- Breathe2Relax-Users follow along as the app provides deep breathing exercises to lower stress levels.
- Happify- Utilizes games and activities to help users relax.
- Headspace-Provides guided meditation based on areas of concern.
- MentalHealth.gov
- National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Resources:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Supporting Behavioral Health
- Guidance to States and School Systems on Addressing Mental Health and Substance Use Issues in Schools – SAMHSA
- Mental Health First Aid Training
- Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network (MHTTC)
- School Health Assessment and Performance Evaluation System (SHAPE)
- American Psychological Association (APA) K-12 Education Resources
- Final Report of the NJSBA’s Task Force on Mental Health Services
- What Works Clearinghouse – Review of Programs
- Traumatic Loss Coalition
- Social-Emotional Learning Activities - This website offers social-emotional learning activities for the classroom to support positive mental health.
- Coping Skills for Kids - This website offers coping skills resources for teachers and parents, including worksheets and activities.
- Headspace for Educators - This website offers mindfulness resources for educators, including guided meditations and resources for self-care.
- Sesame Street in Communities - This website offers resources and activities for the classroom to support social-emotional learning and positive mental health.
- The Center for School Mental Health - This website offers resources and articles on promoting positive mental health in schools, including resources for teachers.
- The MindUP Curriculum - This website offers resources and activities for promoting mindfulness and positive mental health in the classroom.
- Mindful Schools - This website offers mindfulness resources for educators, including guided meditations and resources for self-care.
- The Calm Classroom - This website offers resources for promoting calm and positive mental health in the classroom, including breathing exercises and mindfulness activities.
- Smiling Mind - This website offers free mindfulness resources for educators and students, including guided meditations and resources for self-care.
- Home - American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
- New Jersey Association of School Social Workers (NJASSW)
- New Jersey State School Nurses Association (NJSSNA)
- National Association of School Nurses (NASN)
- New Jersey Association of School Psychologists (NJASP)
- School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA)
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Mental Health Initiative
- Webinar 1: Developing a MTSS Framework
- Webinar 2: Needs Assessment and Resource Mapping
- Webinar 3: Establishing Universal Prevention
- Webinar 4: Establishing Tiered Supports (Tiers 2 & 3)
- Webinar 5: Risk Assessment
- Webinar 6: Suicide and Substance Use Risk, Assessment and Prevention
- Webinar 7: Funding
- Webinar 8: Collaboration with System Partners
- Webinar 9: Staff Self-Care
- NJ Comprehensive School-Based Mental Health Resource Guide
- Protecting Youth Mental Health - The U.S. Surgeon General Advisory
- Data and Publications - CDC
- The Impact of Combining SEL and PBIS on Youth Mental Health – Cook et al.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Explore Data on Mental Health Services in K-12 Public Schools
