24-hour Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
1-800-273-8255
24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-7233
24-hour Department of Children and Family Services Child Protection Hotline:
1-800-540-4000
Call 9-1-1 if you or the person you are helping are in an emergency or need immediate help.
The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the daily lives of all Pasadena community members. You may have felt many different kinds of emotions during this time. Now as different settings open back up, you may be faced with new stressors while still feeling the effects of the pandemic. You are not alone.


- If you are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or if you feel like you may harm yourself or someone else, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
- Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health 24 hour crisis line: Call 1-800- 854-7771
- Crisis Text Line: Text LA to 741-741
- Disaster Distress Helpline: Call 1-800-985-5990(TTY 800-846-8517) or TEXT TalkWithUs to 66746.
- National Suicide Prevention Deaf and Hard of Hearing Hotline: Access 24/7 video relay service by dialing 1-800-273-8255(TTY 1-800-799-4889).
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline for 24/7 help with alcohol and drug use information and referrals for treatment in English and Spanish: Call 1-800-662-HELP
- California Peer-Run Warm Line for 24/7 non-emergency help: Call 1-855-845-7415 or chat via website

- PsychHub for free resources to help people address mental health needs during COVID-19
- Headspace mindfulness application is offering free subscriptions through 2020 for Los Angeles County residents to help manage stress, fear, and anxiety during COVID-19. To register, visit https://www.headspace.com/lacounty
- University of California, Los Angeles Strategies to Manage Worrying
- Coronavirus Anxiety Workbook https://thewellnesssociety.org/free-coronavirus-anxiety-workbook/
- California Peer-Run Warm Line for 24/7 non-emergency help: Call 1-855-845-7415 or chat via website
- Los Angeles County Substance Use Disorder Access Line to find available inpatient treatment options: Call 1-888-530-8688
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Treatment Locator to find treatment for substance use disorders: Visit https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/
- Project Pasadena is a volunteer-based local support network to help older adults, children and families, and those with preexisting conditions during the COVID-19 crisis. Project Pasadena is hosting free virtual support groups with partners; visit the Community Calendar
COVID-19 and Disenfranchised Grief


Here are some ideas to help with feeing worried or lonely:
- Keep regular routines and schedules as much as possible or help create new ones in a new environment, including regular exercising, cleaning, daily chores, singing, painting or other activities. Keep in regular contact with loved ones (e.g. via telephone, e-mail, social media or video conference).
- Learn simple daily physical exercises to perform at home, in quarantine or isolation so you can maintain mobility and reduce boredom.
- If you have an underlying health condition, make sure to have access to any medications that you are currently using. Activate your social contacts to provide you with assistance, if needed.
Hotlines you can call if you are feeling lonely or need help:
- Friendship Line for 24/7 help if you are 60 years or older, or an adult living with disabilities: Call 1-888-670-1360
- California Aging and Adult Information Line for help finding local assistance: Call 1-800-510-2020
- Golden Talk is a 24hr Senior Chat line to help with feeling lonely: Call (888) 60-GOLDEN/(888) 604-6533
- Los Angeles County Workforce Development Aging & Community Services to report Elder Abuse and mistreatment, please call 1-877-477-3646

Information about COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health Understanding the Mental Health and Emotional Aspects of COVID-19
- Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health Maintaining Health and Stability During COVID-19
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Taking Care of Your Emotional Health
- University of California, Los Angeles Mindfulness Exercise (How-to-Guide) helps with bringing focus to the present to decrease worrying
- University of California, Los Angeles Guided Meditations to help with bringing focus to the present to decrease worrying and are available in English and Spanish
- University of California, Los Angeles Shift Focus to Things You Can Control (How-to-Guide) is an exercise that can help when people are feeling overwhelmed.
- Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness Social Isolation & Loneliness During COVID-19
- American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) How to Fight the Social Isolation of Coronavirus
- American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Fitness Videos
- United States Administration on Aging Eldercare Locator connects you to services for older adults and their families. Call (800) 677-1116
- Lake Avenue Church Neighborhood Resource Network Services include offering practical help, prayer requests, financial assistance, technology coaching, and connecting with counseling. Call (626) 844-4700
- Huntington Hospital Senior Care Network https://www.huntingtonhospital.org/community/senior-care-network/: 626-397-9110
Provides free or low-cost programs to the community to help seniors and caregivers find services, coordinate care and live independently.

During times of stress and crisis, it is common for children to seek more attachment and be more demanding on parents and caregivers. Discuss COVID-19 with your children in an honest and age-appropriate way.
If you are a child and think you are in an unsafe home and your physical, mental, or emotional health is at risk, call the Department of Children and Family Services Child Protection Hotline immediately.
Toll-free within California: 1-800-540-4000
Outside of California: 1-213-639-4500
TDD [hearing impaired]: 1-800-272-6699
Here are some ways to help children cope:
- Help children find positive ways to express feelings such as fear and sadness. Every child has his or her own way of expressing emotions. Sometimes engaging in a creative activity, such as playing or drawing can facilitate this process. Children feel relieved if they can express and communicate their feelings in a safe and supportive environment.
- Children thrive on routines because routines comforting for them. Maintain familiar routines in daily life as much as possible, or create new routines, especially if children must stay at home.
- If children must be separated from their caregivers, make sure to keep in regular contact with parents and caregivers, such as twice-daily scheduled telephone or video calls or other age-appropriate communication (e.g. social media).

Help for children and their caregivers:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Helping Children Cope with Emergencies
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Talking with Children: Tips for Caregivers, Parents, and Teachers During an Infectious Disease Outbreak
- Five Acres is a Pasadena community mental health service provider that works with children and families (3 -24 year olds with Medi-Cal). Services can now be accessed via telehealth during COVID-19; Contact Diana Mondragon (626) 319-9533; Jorden Collins (626) 214-0311; E-mail: wecanhelp@5acres.org
- Young & Healthy is a non-profit agency in Pasadena that connects children who are underserved with free medical, dental, and mental health services; call 626-795-5561
Help for Teens and Youth:
- California Youth Crisis Line for 24/7 help to youth who are ages 12-24, call 1-800-843-5200 or chat online
- TEEN LINE Text “TEEN” to 839863from 6pm – 9pm, or call 1-800-852-8336 from 6pm – 10pm
- The Trevor Project offers support for crisis intervention and suicide prevention to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning young people under 25; for TrevorLifeline call 1-866-488-7386; or for TrevorText text START to 678678
- Pasadena Public Library is offering a number of mental health awareness webinars for teens in the month of May; visit Teen Events Calendar for schedule and registration information
- Journey House is a Pasadena non-profit organization that helps former foster youth with support groups, mental health referrals, and case management; call 626-798-9478 or E-mail info@jhpasadena.org
- Youth Moving On is a Pasadena non-profit organization that helps former foster youth and those on probation with mental health support groups, referrals to mental health services, and help with a number of basic needs resources; call 626-765-6010

To do the job of taking care of others, first responders must feel well and rested to help with thinking clearly. First responders might experience stress from witnessing human suffering, the risk of personal harm, intense workloads, critical decisions, and separation from family. Stress prevention and management is important for first responders.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-for-ems.html recommends the following steps to help first responders in challenging situations:
- Prepare for the response as thoroughly as possible.
- Understand and identify signs of burnout and secondary traumatic stress.
- Get support from team members, develop a buddy system.
Additional Resources for First Responders:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Emergency Responders: Tips for taking care of yourself
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Preventing and Managing Stress: Tips for Disaster Responders
- Coronavirus Therapy
- National Volunteer Fire Council for 24/7 help with behavioral health challenges, call 1-888-731-FIRE
COPLINE find 24/7 support for law enforcement officers; call 1-800-267-5463
